The eMagazine dedicated to improving members’ well-being
In each issue you will find information and inspiration to help you with your health and wellness goals.
Americans have a taste for salt (or sodium), which plays a role in high blood pressure. Everyone, including kids, should reduce their sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt). Adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age, and individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should further lower their sodium levels to 1,500 mg a day.
Most of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods, such as pizza; cured meats, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs and cold cuts; and ready-to-eat foods, like canned soups. To minimize how much sodium you have each day:
Skip the salt when cooking and try other seasonings.
Vegetables are light on calories, but packed with disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. Ideally, you should fill half your plate with them. And it’s easier than you think.
To bulk up the vegetable content of your meals:
When eating out, choose vegetables or a salad as your side dish.
About one-third of Americans have high blood pressure, which raises your risk for heart disease and stroke. If you don’t have high blood pressure, you can take steps to prevent it. These healthy habits can help you keep your blood pressure normal:
If you have trouble keeping your blood pressure in check or have a family history of high blood pressure, talk to your doctor.
Barbecuing in the great outdoors is fun, relaxing and brings people together. But it also means you have to be extra careful when you prepare food.
Some studies suggest that eating food charred by high-heat techniques, such as barbecuing, grilling, frying and broiling, may raise your risk for cancer. To make sure your cookout stays safe:
With these basic precautions, you can fire up that grill with peace of mind!
You can’t do much without healthy bones, joints and muscles. As you age, it’s especially important to protect your “moving parts” with aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises.
These activities can slow the loss of bone density that makes you weaker and more likely to get hurt as you get older. They also lower your risk for arthritis and osteoporosis down the road. You may not be able to look young forever, but you can help yourself feel young for many years to come.
Getting motivated to work out on your own can be hard. But having friends join your activities makes them more fun! Exercising in groups has lots of great benefits. Two or more people can energize and support each other to keep moving. They can also help make fitness part of each other’s daily routine.
Plus, when you meet your health goals, it’s nice to have cheerleaders applaud your success and encourage you to set new ones. And another person can make you feel safe if you’re nervous about walking or jogging alone. So find a buddy and get active!
It’s easy to stray off the healthy eating path. When you don’t plan your meals, you’re more likely to go to a fast food drive-through or microwave a chicken pot pie.
If your schedule makes it hard to find time for food shopping or cooking, try creating a weekly menu of healthy recipes you can select from. This menu should include food that’s simple and quick to prepare; has healthy protein choices, such as lean meats or poultry; uses whole grain and vegetable ingredients; and stays yummy as leftovers. Shop in bulk and, for perishable items, pick frozen or canned options with no salt added. Then, when it’s time to whip up a meal, you’ll have everything you need.
The eMagazine dedicated to improving members’ well-being
In each issue you will find information and inspiration to help you with your health and wellness goals.
When it comes to matters of the heart, there’s usually hope. Lifestyle changes can dramatically lower your risk for most kinds of heart disease, including the most common type, coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to a heart attack.
To help protect your heart:
Avoid smoking and alcohol.