How much do you know about the health benefits of reducing sodium/salt in your diet? Take this quiz to find out. T F 1. n n Too much sodium in your diet can increase blood pressure and the risk for heart disease and stroke. 2. n n You can lower your blood pressure in just a few days, by reducing the amount of sodium in your diet. 3. n n You need some sodium in your diet to help control blood pressure, absorb nutrients from food, and support nve ance fco 4. n n The average adult should consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium/salt per day. 5. n n Canned soups, microwave meals, and breads do not contain high levels of sodium. How did you do? The average adult should consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. But most polwcog thins like fried foods, microwave meals, pizza, processed food, anroesd mshos: Eatinoplant-based foods will help protect your heart and keep your blood pressure under control. Monthly Health Challenge ™ Limit Sodium When Miki Sudo steps on stage this month at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island in New York, she’s going to be hungry … for hot dogs. And in case you didn’t know, hot dogs are one of many foods high in sodium. Sudo is a competitive eater. She’s munched her way through a mountain of high-calorie, high-sodium foods. She’s devoured a massive pile of chicken wings: 178 of them! And she’s last year’s Hot Dog Eating champ. What’s on your menu? You’re probably not going to eat anything like Sudo. But foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and fried chicken are all high in sodium. And that’s a problem if you eat foods like this a lot. On the Fourth of July, Sudo will try to munch her way through dozens of hot dogs and buns in under 10 minutes. And she’ll down about 19,000 mg of sodium. Sounds crazy, right? You may not eat 178 chicken wings or 40 hot dogs at a time. But you may still eat too much sodium. Most people eat 3,400 mg of sodium per day or more. And that’s enough to raise your risk for a heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.1 Want to learn how to eat less sodium to protect your heart and your health? Take the month- long Health Challenge to Limit Sodium. CHALLENGE Shake the salt habit to protect your heart Why eat less salt? A couple slices of pizza. A fast food burger with fries. Canned soup, microwave meals, and processed meats. What’s the big deal? These foods are all high in sodium. Most adults should eat 1,500 mg of sodium per day or less, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2 But people consume 3,400 mg of sodium or more per day. And that’s a problem. Requirements to complete this HEALTH CHALLENGE ™ 1. Read “Limit Sodium.” 2. Create a plan for meals and snacks to eat less sodium. 3. Keep a record of your completed health challenge in ce yoranizoquireoento Answ ers: 1. True. 2. False. 3. True. 4. True. 5. Fals e. Find out how much sodium you consume tinyurl.com/ yyys2ngz © Wellsource, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Take the July Health Challenge! Eat Less Sodium: Shake the salt habit to protect your heart Ask the Wellness Doctor: This month Dr. Brittany Carter answers the question: What goes into a healthy green salad? Can relationships boost longevity and well-being? tinyurl.com/ y6gocbnd M O R E The New Rules of Exercise to Control Blood Pressure Exercise your heart and muscles on most days of the week What’s your blood pressure? If it’s 120/80 or higher, it’s “Elevated” or worse. And it probably is. So what are you going to do about it? Almost 50 percent of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Left unchecked, it can damage your heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and bones. High blood pressure can even interfere with sexual function and sleep. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, there are many lifestyle changes you can make to help control blood pressure: • Avoid or limit high‑sodium foods • Eat more fruits and vegetables • Avoid or limit alcohol • Avoid or limit caffeine Quinoa Veggie Burger with Avocado Try this no-meat burger made with quinoa, beans, and florceaons 5 Ingredients 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed 1 medium avocado; dice one half, leave the other half whole 1 large egg 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tp gonui 1/8 tp bak ppe1 C quinoa, cooked 1 o-a onas 1-1/2 tp siaha sue 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat lightly with cooking spray. 2. Mash beans and the un-diced half of the avocado together. Add egg, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, ad ppetirnto combine. 3. Fold the diced avocado half and quinoa into the bean mixture. 4. Form the mixture iae. Bke 30 minutes. 5. Whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha sauce. Spread on burgers when done 6. Serves 5. 343 cal- ories per serving. References 1. Dominy, S., et al. (2019). Porphyromonas gingivalis in Alzheimer’s disease brains: Evidence for disease causation and treatment with small-molecule inhibitors. Science Advances , 5:1. https://tinyurl.com/yycy4krg 2. metabolic syndrome—results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 2019; 109 (6): 1535. https://tinyurl.com/y28mjv2l 3. Suwen, L., et al. (2019). Social network structure is predictive of health and wellness. PLOS ONE , 14: 6. https:// tinyurl.com/y44s44m7 4. Pescatello, L. (2019). What’s new in the ACSM pronouncement on exercise and hypertension? American College of Sports Medicine. https://tinyurl.com/y2n9xpgu 5. American Heart Association. (2019). White bean and quinoa burgers with avocado. https://tinyurl.com/yyw9m2lz • Manage stress in healthy ways • Maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight if you need to • Don’t smoke, or quit if you do • And there’s at least one more way to control blood pressure … e x e r c i s e. Cardio + strength training to control blood pressure The American College of Sports Medicine recently announced new exercise guidelines to help control blood pressure.4 Here’s what you need to know: Get at least 90 to 150 minutes a week of cardio exercise and strength training. A combination of both is the best exercise prescription to control blood pressure. Get active to control high blood pressure tinyurl.com/y5x4jpd7 M O R E • Discuss food choices. Share healthy meal ideas, recipes, and grocery shopping tips. Compare notes about cooking at home, healthy eating when you go out, calories, etc. • Create accountability. Want to eat better, be more active, lose weight, manage stress, or get more sleep? Share your wellness goals with friends. Friends can hold each other accountable. What Happens When You Hang Out with Healthy People (continued from page 1) Examples: Go for a walk. Lift weights. Swim. Do push‑ups, pull‑ ups, curl‑ups, and squats. Ride a bike. Play a team sport. Take a fitness class. Pick a combination of cardio and strength training activities you enjoy. If you want to protect your heart, control blood pressure, and live longer, aim to be active every day.