February is American Heart Health Month. Come celebrate at the Meriden YMCA with special events and programs, and tips to get heart healthy.
1. Meriden YMCA members, you know how wonderful it feels to pump up your heart at the Y for your health. Share the love and good health! Bring your sweetheart or friend to Try the Y for free now through February 14th. See Joan for a special guest pass. If they join, you'll get one month free off your membership!
2. Join us for How to Get a Healthy Heart, a Lunch and Learn presentation February 24th
3. Tell Your Story Contest How does the Y make your heart healthy and happy? Top 3 stories win a prize!
4. American Heart Month Tip: According to the American Heart Association, nearly 1 in 3 adults (about 78 million people) has high blood pressure and more than half of them don’t have it under control. To help, start self-monitoring your blood pressure and know the numbers. #AmericanHeartMonth #YMCA #MeridenYMCA Learn more about what the numbers mean and how to measure your blood pressure at blood pressure measurement.
5. American Heart Month Tip: Reducing sodium is oneof the keys to a healthy heart. Makeover your family’s favorite recipes by reducing the amount of salt and saturated fat and substituting a lower fat food without sacrificing taste. Learn more in our Cooking Light class. For more detailed tips, see below.
The Y offers the following tips from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help reduce sodium in your diet.
- Think fresh: Most of the sodium Americans eat is found in processed foods. Eat highly processed foods less often and in smaller portions—especially cheesy foods, such as pizza; cured meats, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli/luncheon meats; and ready-to-eat foods, like canned chili, ravioli and soups. Fresh foods are generally lower in sodium.
- Enjoy home-prepared foods: Cook more often at home—where you are in control of what’s in your food. Preparing your own foods allows you to limit the amount of salt in them.
- Fill up on veggies and fruits—they are naturally low in sodium: Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits—fresh or frozen. Eat a vegetable or fruit at every meal.
- Adjust your taste buds: Cut back on salt little by little—and pay attention to the natural tastes of various foods. Your taste for salt will lessen over time. Additionally, keep salt off the kitchen counter and the dinner table and substitute spices, herbs, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice to season foods.
- Boost your potassium intake: Choose foods with potassium, which may help to lower your blood pressure. Potassium is found in vegetables and fruits, such as potatoes, beet greens, tomato juice and sauce, sweet potatoes, beans (white, lima, kidney), and bananas. Other sources of potassium include yogurt, clams, halibut, orange juice and milk.