Archives | Health & Medicine

13 Ways to Manage Stress Without Overeating

Posted on February 27, 2012 by GreenLite Medicine

Written by Holly Brown

Stress, anxiety, boredom, and guilt are a normal part of life. While we can’t get rid of these feelings, we can learn to deal with them more effectively with out over eating. Our rational mind tells us that eating unhealthy foods won’t solve our stress or emotional issues. But, that doesn’t help when our brain is screaming, “Eat the cupcake, I want to feel better!”

Even though we have trained our brains that eating certain foods, those high in a combination of sugar and fat, can lead to greater feelings of calm and relaxation (temporarily), we can begin to train our brain that other sources of pleasure can also increase those feel good chemicals serotonin and dopamine. Unlike overeating, these sources of pleasure will help us reach our health goals.

Some people can simply “wait it out” when they feel the desire to reach for a sweet or fattening treat. Unfortunately most of us the cookie is already in our mouth before we even realize it. Our brain will continually prompt us to find something to give it balance and pleasure when facing stressful and emotional situations. It’s challenging ignore these urges consistently. But, what we can do is replace one pleasure (eating) with another pleasure to effectively satisfy our urges.

It can take some time, but eventually, we might begin to crave that long walk to increase our endorphins instead of a piece of chocolate cake. It’s all a matter of retraining our brain.
Anything that brings us personal pleasure, inspiration, or a sense of well-being without harming our health is the thing we should act on when feeling food cravings and the desire to overeat creep in. First PAUSE and consider these 13 alternatives ways to feel better when our brain seeks pleasure and stress relief:

Breathe… Take a moment and count to ten. Ask your self, “what do I really need?” Chances are the answer isn’t potato chips. Getting in touch with your real feelings and finding ways to address those needs is a good first step.
Exercise – yet another reason to do it. It increases endorphin levels and relieves stress. You’ll feel inspired and good about yourself, and you’ll naturally decrease your food cravings.
Get a massage – it may help relieve anxiety, depression and sleep problems.
Meditate – Repeat a positive word, phrase or prayer. It minimizes distracting, negative thoughts and relieves stress.
Use guided imagery – Go to your favorite place for 10-15 minutes with your eyes closed. It might be the mountains or the beach. Imagine everything you’re seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling.
Listen to relaxing music – studies have shown this can decrease the production of a substance called cortisol. Cortisol can lead to carbohydrate cravings. Music can also increase relaxation, relieve stress, and provide more clarity and vigor.
Take a bath with aromatherapy. Oils of citronella, eucalyptus, sage, lavender, and chamomile added to a bath can relax you.
Laugh – watch a comedy, or engage in activities that bring humor to your life. Seek ways to have more positive emotions in your life. Finding the positive always overrides the negative.
Find a pet and love it- studies show that pets add a sense of unconditional love to our lives and can reduce blood pressure and stress.
Find a passion – maybe it’s photography, art, ceramics, a class you’ve always wanted to take or football. Find something that inspires you and commit to get out there and do it.
Journal your feelings or talk to someone you can trust.
Treat yourself to a gift, e.g., a book, a magazine, clothing, a manicure.
Help others – sometimes there’s no better way to feel better about you than to help others in need. Get involved in your community or a local organization that serves a purpose that’s important to you.

Better Breath for Better Health

Posted on November 8, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

It’s easy to become so caught up in our daily routines that we forget to acknowledge the most important and necessary bodily function- the breath. How it is that breathing is a fundamental function that helps everything else perform in the body, yet we carry out many of our days not strengthening it?
The oxygen that we breathe is vital in carrying food energy throughout the body via the bloodstream. After taking a few deep breaths, notice how much more energized and alert you feel. It is almost like drinking an espresso! What if we practiced energizing, deep breathing techniques every day? Would our lungs strengthen, energy levels rise, and body feel better overall? I believe so…
Weight loss is so often a journey of self-awareness. We all want to lose weight to look better and be healthier. Making these lifestyle changes can allow us to see not only our bodies in a new light but our minds as well. Once the new sensations and discoveries of weight loss begin, old patterns are questioned. This forces us to be mindful of what we are eating and why we are eating it. Is my body truly hungry or am I stressed from a hard day of work?

We need energy to sustain a healthy lifestyle and as we start to consume healthier foods energy we are able to pair it with better breathing practices. Try practicing these two different techniques throughout the day at least once a day and see if you notice a difference.

1- Ten deep breaths (best for increasing energy):

To start sit up straight, uncross your legs (if in a chair), and throw shoulders back. Close your eyes and start with the first 5 breaths being a quick deep inhale and a quick forceful exhale. From there have the last five breathes be a deep inhale and a long, slow exhale. Then just pause for a moment and see how the body feels. Feel free to continue on, an added bonus would be to step outside and practice this breathing break with the fresh air!

2- Grounding Breath work (helps focus on busy days):

Try and find a comfortable crossed-leg position sitting on the floor. If the hips are tight it is always helpful to prop yourself up on folded blankets or a pillow. You can also sit upright in a chair. Create a nice tall spine and take a deep breath. On your right hand, fold in your index and middle finger into the palm. This leaves space for your nose in between your fingers. Take your thumb to the right nostril and the ring finger to the left nostril. First, press the thumb against the right nostril and inhale left. Second, close off left nostril with the ring finger and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat by inhaling through right nostril and exhaling through the left. Continue in this pattern for at least one minute. Once completed, take a nice deep breath in through the nose, deep breath out the nose, another deep inhale and then open the mouth and exhale out.

Another great time for a few deep breaths is right before eating. Even just a couple of slow focused inhales and exhales prior to eating can allow the body and mind to slow down and bring awareness and pleasure to the eating process. Slowing down and taking conscious bites of your meal can generate a positive relationship with food, help you recognize its nutritional value, and will assist you in achieving healthier goals.

Help Jane Fonda & CSPI in Support of “Food Day”

Posted on October 11, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

Have you heard about Food day??

Food Day, like Earth Day, is a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for something many of us take for granted – eating REAL food. The day brings together Americans from all walks of life to appreciate the benefits of eating healthy, real food, grown locally, and produced in a sustainable and humane way. It’s all connected. The diets we select, the foods we grow, the policies we form, and the impact we have.

Jane Fonda and Dr. Rugh at a Food Day event in San Francisco.

Food Day was created by the Center of Science for Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit watch dog and consumer advocacy group that focuses on nutritional education and awareness. In early spring, co-founder Dr. Michael Jacobson hosted a dinner party event in San Francisco. Dr. Rugh was in attendance, as well as many distinguished guests including “slow food” activist Alice Waters and leading lady Jane Fonda ( a member of the Advisory board for Food Day). This dinner was a kick off event in San Francisco to bring awareness to Food Day and their “eat real” cause.

On August 10th, 2011, Dr. Jacobson paid a visit to GreenLite to meet with Dr. Rugh. Dr. Michael Jacobson has been a national leader in social and political food reform in the U.S. since the 1970′s. He is the person we can thank for the presence of nutritional labels on all packaged foods and beverages. He is also responsible for coining the phrases “junk food” and “empty calorie”.

CSPI found Michael Jacobson and Dr. Rugh

CSPI & Food Day found Michael Jacobson With Dr. Rugh

Dr. Rugh’s belief is that obesity and chronic disease are the results of a maladaptive lifestyle and all of us at GreenLite Medicine have seen how education and a supportive environment can help individuals achieve a healthier lifestyle through changes in their diet. However, transforming the American diet means changing policies as well as changing individual behavior. GreenLite Medicine shares CSPI’s mission to provide consumer advocacy in health and nutrition policy.

In celebration and support of Food Day, GreenLite Medicine will be holding a Food Day Potluck. We invite our guests to come share a meal with us! Bring your favorite, healthy food, and celebrate mindful dining with a GreenLite dinner party.

Look up sustainable vendors through the Food Day resource widget below or hit up you local Farmers Market on Sunday the 23rd for the raw ingredients for our mindful Meal. The Food Day and CSPI websites have great informational resources, so feel free to explore what they have to offer and educate yourself on the current social and political status of the food industry. The Food Day website also has a great free recipe book on their site that could inspire your potluck dish! GreenLite believes that Food Day is exactly what our country needs and is proud to support it, we hope you will support it too and we look forward to seeing you at our potluck!

Want to know more?? Check out this video with Michael Jacobson with all the facts on Food Day!

The Doctor’s Corner | Battling Belly Fat Through Menopause

Posted on September 13, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

As you get older, you may notice that maintaining your usual weight becomes more difficult. In fact, the most profound weight gain in a woman’s life tends to happen during menopause and the years leading up to menopause, when body fat tends to shift from to the abdomen. Weight gain after menopause isn’t inevitable, however. You can reverse the course by paying attention and adjusting to healthy eating habits and leading an active lifestyle.

What causes menopause weight gain?

The hormonal changes of menopause may make you more likely to gain weight around your abdomen, rather than your hips and thighs. It may not be the only change to consider. For example, menopausal women tend to exercise less than younger women and muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. If you don’t do anything to preserve the lean muscle by exercising and by eating proper macronutrients to main your muscle mass, your body composition will shift to more fat and less muscle — which slows down the rate at which you burn calories. If you continue to eat as you always have, you’re likely to gain weight.

Why it matters- it’s more than skin deep

The trouble with belly fat is that it’s not limited to the padding located just below the skin (subcutaneous fat). It also includes the fat underneath or abdominal visceral fat (AVF)— which lies deep inside your abdomen, surrounding your internal organs and pushing outside to create that muffin top or bear belly appearance.

Although subcutaneous fat poses cosmetic concerns, visceral fat is associated with far more dangerous health consequences. That’s because an excessive amount of AVF produces hormones and other inflammatory factors that can raise blood pressure, negatively alter good and bad cholesterol levels and impair the body’s ability to use insulin (insulin resistance). All of this can increase the risk of serious health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, and cancers.

In fact, increased belly fat may be a better indicator than weight when it comes to increased risk of premature death. In the Iowa Women’s Health Study, women with a normal weight but with a large waistline were noted to have increased the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes.

What’s the best way to prevent weight gain after menopause?

Abdominal exercises can help tone the abdominal muscles, but these exercises won’t get rid of belly fat. Fortunately, however, visceral fat responds to the same strategies that can help you shed excess pounds and lower your total body fat. To fight back the bulge, stick to the basics:

Move more. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes a week or vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging, for at least 75 minutes a week. In addition, strength training exercises are recommended at least twice a week.
Eat less. To maintain your current weight — let alone lose excess pounds — you may need about 200 fewer calories a day during your 50s than you did during your 30s and 40s. To reduce calories without skimping on nutrition, pay attention to what you’re eating and drinking. If you are actively losing weight, be sure to have enough lean protein so you don’t risk losing more lean muscle mass. Choose more fruits, vegetables. Don’t skip meals, which may lead you to overeat later.

Consider Estrogen replacement. You may want to have a discussion with your gynecologist or primary care provider about whether estrogen replacement treatment (ERT) may be for you. There have been various studies that suggest postmenopausal women on ERT had lower values for AVF, waist circumference, a more favorable cholesterol, and a slightly reduced risk of Metabolic Syndrome when compared with women not on ERT. These benefits may be more evident when started in the early years of menopause.

Seek support. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones who’ll support your efforts to eat a healthy diet and increase your physical activity. Better yet, team up and make the lifestyle changes together. We can also help at GreenLite.

Successful weight loss at any stage of life requires permanent changes in diet and exercise habits. Commit to the changes and enjoy a healthier you!

The Doctor’s Corner | Body Contouring After Weight Loss

Posted on August 16, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

by Jennifer Weintraub MD of Duet Plastic Surgery

Congratulations on your choice to live a healthier lifestyle! Making the effort to eat well and stay active has undeniable health benefits, both physically and mentally. However, many people are surprised to discover that as they lose weight, their skin may start to appear saggy and loose. While weight loss is a huge accomplishment, many people are disheartened by the way their bodies appear afterward, and cannot fully enjoy their thinner figures due to their excess, hanging skin.

Excess skin after weight loss can range from mild sagginess to significant folds of extra tissue that literally hangs off the body. This extra skin can interfere with not only peoples’ self-images, but also with their ability to wear properly-fitting clothing. The loose skin can also cause rashes or other skin irritation, making it difficult to exercise and remain active.

Body contouring procedures are surgical interventions that are designed to address the extra, loose skin that remains after people lose weight. People who have lost weight and have maintained their weight loss through a proper diet and active lifestyle are good candidates for body-contouring procedures. While loose skin can occur in nearly every area of the body after weight loss, some of the most common areas addressed by surgery include belly, arms, and breasts.

Abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”)

The skin of the abdomen is frequently affected by weight loss. Not only does skin not “bounce back” after losing weight, but many people are left with unsightly stretch marks on the belly. Abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck”, is a procedure that removes the excess skin and fat as well as stretch marks of the lower abdomen. The abdominal muscles are often tightened to help narrow the waistline. Liposuction is added when appropriate to further sculpt the abdomen and flanks. All of these procedures can help restore your contour after weight loss. Abdominoplasty takes 2 – 3 hours, and the resulting scar lies low on the abdomen near the pubic area, where it can be easily concealed by underwear or your bathing suit. Contouring the abdomen allows people to see their true figures by removing the extra, hanging skin.

Brachioplasty (“arm lift”)

Loose arm skin is another frequent issue for people after losing weight. Many weight-loss patients notice that although they are able to tone their muscles with exercise, they are unable to tighten the skin that hangs from the arms. Some people have likened the excess, hanging skin to “bat wings.” This skin can be difficult to conceal when wearing short sleeves, and can cause people to feel self-conscious. An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a procedure that removes excess skin and some fat in order to create a toned appearance in the arm. The incision is made along the upper, inner arm. The procedure takes approximately 2 hours, and is done in an outpatient setting. As an alternative to an arm lift, liposuction may be considered if the skin quality of the arms is good but fat remains after weight loss.

Mastopexy (“breast lift”)

Breasts are another area commonly affected by weight loss. A breast lift reshapes the breasts to a more youthful, rounded shape and also repositions the breast and nipple to a more natural position. There are several different ways to perform a breast lift, depending on the extent that the breast droops. A subtle breast elevation can be done simply with an incision around the nipple/areola, while a more extensive lift requires a vertical incision and possibly an “anchor” type incision.

In addition to the breasts sagging, weight loss often causes women to lose fullness in their breasts, particularly in the upper portion. In these situations, a breast lift can be combined with an augmentation. Breast implants can help bring fullness to the upper portions of the breasts and shape them, restoring their youthful appearance. Breast lift surgery is typically done in an outpatient setting, and many women describe an increase in their confidence and self-image after these procedures.

Losing weight is a huge accomplishment, and should be a significant source of pride. Loose skin does not have to be a permanent impediment to feeling comfortable. As plastic and reconstructive surgeons, our goal is to help patients complete their weight loss process through body contouring procedures and increase their confidence in their bodies. These procedures can be done safely, and can often represent the final step in a person’s weight loss journey.

Click here to find out more information about Duet Plastic Surgery and “The Duet Concept”.

The Doctor’s Corner | The Importance of Breakfast

Posted on July 19, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

Many of you in the GreenLite program have been drilled on the importance of breakfast. However, A new study shows that breakfast could be a factor in your tendency to indulge on high-calorie foods.

Past studies have shown that people who skip breakfast actually tend to eat more high-calorie foods and be at increased risk of weight gain, but now researchers in England believe they may have an explanation of how this happens.
A group from Imperial College London used MRI’s of brain activity to see what happened in the brains of people who skipped breakfast. What they found was that their brain “reward” centers were activated more by the sight of high-calorie than low-calorie foods. The findings were based on the subject’s ratings of how much the picture foods appealed to them.
When the same 20 healthy, non-obese, subjects ate breakfast, functional MRIs were taken about 90 minutes after eating and showed no significant activation of the brain’s reward centers when the subjects viewed pictures of high-calorie foods.
“Our results support the advice for eating a healthy breakfast as part of the dietary prevention and treatment of obesity,” lead author Dr. Goldstone, said. “When people skip meals, especially breakfast, changes in brain activity in response to food may hinder weight loss and even promote weight gain.”
So don’t forget to fuel up in the morning, your success could depend on it!

A Gluten Free Diet: Hype or Healthy?

Posted on July 5, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

Over the past decade, going gluten-free has been touted as a way to boost health and energy, lose weight, cope better with ADHD, autism, headaches, and help with other health conditions.

In reality, there’s nothing inherently healthier about a gluten-free diet, especially pre-packaged “gluten-free” products, processed with extra additives such as sugar and fat to improve palatability. Gluten-free is also NOT synonymous with low carb, but more on that later.

So who really benefits from this diet?

About 1% of people in the U.S. are sensitive to gluten due to celiac disease – an abnormal immune reaction to gliadin, a component of gluten. Gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley, shows up in bread and pasta, but may also hide in many other foods, such as cold cuts, salad dressings, beer, and even licorice. Symptoms of intolerance typically include abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Untreated, the inflammation gradually damages the intestines and hampers the absorption of vitamins and minerals and can lead to malnutrition and weight loss. A strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease, to control symptoms and prevent complications.

Experts now believe that celiac disease represents just one extreme of a broad spectrum of gluten intolerance that includes millions of people with less severe – but nevertheless symptomatic – reactions to the protein. A rough estimate is that as many as 10% have a related condition known as non-celiac gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity. Since gluten is a large, hard-to-digest protein, it’s possible that there may be some kind of gluten intolerance in all of us.

So what should you do if you suspect your body can’t tolerate gluten? The first thing would be to get tested for celiac disease. If the test comes back negative, try a gluten-free diet for a week to see if you feel better. Cutting out gluten is the most reliable way to determine if you are sensitive to the protein; and if you are sensitive, it’s the only treatment.

Foods that are gluten-free are often thought to be low-carb because they lack wheat flour. While it is true that wheat flour is a source of carbohydrates, gluten-free foods often contain additional ingredients that are just as high, if not higher in carbohydrates than wheat flour, such as rice flour or potato flour. Gluten-free recipes may also call for honey and/or sugar, both high in carbohydrates.

Keep in mind that gluten-free diet is a difficult diet to follow. Even if you avoid all gluten-containing grains and products made of them, you’ll have to check labels carefully to avoid hidden sources of gluten, as it’s often found where you least expect it (i.e. ketchup, ice cream, soy sauce and salad dressing).

Moreover, gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean nutritious. Similar to what happens with other processed foods, manufacturers add extra sugar, fat and salt, and remove the fiber to simulate the texture and satisfying fluffiness that gluten imparts, creating an unhealthy product. Another potential pitfall is that many gluten-free products contain lower amounts of essential nutrients and can cause deficiencies in Iron, Vitamin B9 (folic acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Magnesium and fiber.

So if you plan to go gluten free, avoid pre-packaged products on the market shelves. Select more fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, lean meats, and naturally gluten-free WHOLE grains like brown rice and quinoa. As you can see, there are a number of whole food, low carb, gluten-free options and the diet prescribed is not too far off from what we recommend here at GreenLite Medicine.

Can sleep help you lose weight?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

Over the past several decades, obesity has grown to epidemic proportions. In parallel with this rise in weight is the rise in chronic sleep deprivation. According to annual surveys done by the National Sleep Foundation, by 2005 only 26% of American adults were obtaining 8 hours of sleep and 40% of American adults report obtaining <7 hours of sleep.

Evidence has grown over the past decade supporting a role for short sleep duration as an independent risk factor for weight gain and obesity.

Total sleep deprivation experiments in animals and humans have consistently found sleep deprivation produces increased intake of food, especially high fat and high carbohydrate foods. These changes corresponded with elevations in serum ghrelin (a hormone that stimulates hunger and food intake) and reductions in serum leptin (a hormone associated with satiety and feelings of fullness).

In a large sleep study that has been going on in Wisconsin for over 15 years, researchers found that people who slept less were on average heavier. People who slept less had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin, which is likely to increase appetite. In other words, short sleep might stimulate appetite, which increases weight.

Similar findings were seen in the Québec Family Study where short-duration sleepers (5-6 hours of sleep) were found to have leptin values significantly lower than predicted values and correlated with increased body fat mass and risk of being overweight/obese.

A study restricting sleep for six consecutive days found a similar reduction in leptin that persisted throughout the 24 hour day.

Although there may be other mechanisms which link short sleep duration and increased weight, optimal sleeping hours may positively influence the hormones which regulate appetite and body weight, and should be a lifestyle factor to address when managing weight loss and long term weight maintenance.

Spiegel K. et al. Leptin levels are dependent on sleep duration: relationships with sympathovagal balance, carbohydrate regulation, cortisol, and thyrotropin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004; 89:5762–5771

Sivak M. Sleeping more as a way to lose weight. Obes Rev 2006; 7:295–296

Dinges DF et al. Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance performance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4-5 hours per night. Sleep 1997; 20:267–277.

Spiegel K. Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Ann Intern Med 2004; 141:846–850.

Chaput JP. Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin levels and increased adiposity: results from the Québec Family Study. Obesity 2007; 15:253–261

Taheri S. Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index. PLoS Med 2004; 1:e62.

Soft Drink Consumption: The Frightening Statistics and Associated Health Risks!

Posted on March 23, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

Have you ever noticed that soft drinks sometimes leave you more thirsty? A 12 ounce can of coke has 50 grams of added sodium (salt), and the salty taste covered by the 40 grams of added sugar. This added salt in the soda may influence you to drink more compared to drinking water. Dietary salt is a major determinant of how much fluid we drink, and there have been studies that correlate dietary salt consumption with sugar sweetened beverage consumption.

Salt has long been known as a risk factor for high blood pressure; however, a new study published last month in Hypertension journal has found a striking degree of correlation between sweetened beverages (soft drinks and fruit drinks) and high blood pressure.

The researchers analyzed the diets of 2,700 people and found that those who drank more than one sweetened beverage per day, had higher blood pressure than those that didn’t. Furthermore, the more sweetened beverages that they drank, the higher the blood pressure. Higher blood pressure was found in participants who consumed more glucose and fructose, which are both sweeteners found in high-fructose corn syrup—the most common sugar sweetener used in the beverage industry.

In addition, co-author Ian J. Brown, Ph.D., stated that the greatest increase in blood pressures were observed among those participants who consumed the highest number of sugar-sweetened beverages in addition to having the highest level of salt intake. Dr. Brown notes, “Our findings suggest that sugar and salt together may be worse than salt alone.”

The American Heart Association recommends no more than half of the discretionary calorie allowance from added sugars, which for most American women is no more than 22 grams of sugar (100 calories) per day and for most American men no more than 33 grams of sugar (150 calories) per day.

Furthermore, the relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that some researchers calculate that for each additional soft drink consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times.

Hypertension, February 28, 2011 DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.110.165456

Sodium in Processed Foods: The Silent Killer?

Posted on March 23, 2011 by GreenLite Medicine

It’s no secret that we have too much salt in our diet. Although the body only requires about 180-500 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, we typically ingest almost 4,000 mg. Currently, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, but this amount will be reduced to 1,500 mg by 2020. More on that later…

Consider that just one teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 mg of sodium. Even if you do not add salt to your foods, you would be bound to get more than the recommended amount. This is because about 77 percent or more of the salt you take in comes from processed and prepared foods.

The main sources of sodium in the average U.S. diet.

Why should we care?

Dietary sodium is positively associated with elevated blood pressure and hypertension, which is a “risk factor” for cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes, a “silent killer”.

The American Medical Association estimates that cutting the amount of salt in processed foods by half could save 150,000 lives in the United States each year.

In 2010, AHA recommended that the daily value for sodium be lowered to 1,500 mg by 2020 with an intermediate goal of 2,000 mg by 2013. This two-step phase would aim to provide manufacturers with time to reformulate products and identify acceptable salt substitutes; as well as, allow consumers to adapt their taste sensitivities to the lower sodium content in foods.

With processed foods accounting for 77 percent of all sodium consumed, it will require the operation of food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the sodium content of the foods they make available to the public. AHA would like to see food manufacturers and restaurants reduce the salt added to foods by 50 percent over the next 10 years.

What can we do?

Here are six simple ways to keep your sodium intake at bay:

Eat more fresh, unprocessed foods, like fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in sodium.
Reduce the amount of sodium in canned foods by thoroughly draining and rinsing them.
Go easy on high-sodium condiments like soy sauce, mustard, and ketchup; and use herbs, citrus, and salt-free spices like fresh garlic or garlic powder, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh ground pepper, tarragon and oregano, which offer good substitutes for salt and sodium.
Downsize portions. The more calories in a meal, the more sodium in the meal.
Take control when eating out at a restaurant. Ask the chef to prepare your meal with less sodium or without any forms of sodium, and then add a dash of low-sodium seasoning that you brought from home.
Read nutrition labels on foods to compare before you purchase. Be aware of high sodium present in many processed foods such as the following:

Food	Amount	Sodium (mg)
Smoked salmon	2.5 oz	1428
Turkey, luncheon meat	75 g	900
Baked beans	¾ cup	800
Coffee shop raisin bran muffin	1 muffin	790
Spaghetti Sauce	½ cup	635
100% whole wheat bagel	1 bagel	540
Vegetable drink	1 cup	529
Cottage cheese	½ cup	485
Whole wheat English muffin	1 muffin	420
Beef hot dog	1 hot dog	412
Instant oatmeal	¾ cup	314
Cheddar Cheese	50 g	310