Helpful Tips for Healthy Habits
~ Nearly 77% of added in the average American diet comes from processed and pre-packaged foods! (All About Salt!) Anything “low in sodium” is under 200mg per serving- usually under 5% on Nutritional Info Label (www.Livestrong.com).
~ PLEASE limit sugar intake! If you have a sweet treat, have it with a source of protein (nuts, milk, etc.)
~ Most people confuse hunger with thirst. Before reaching for that snack, drink a glass of water first!
• Remember: Quality over Quantity! Rather than 3 large meals, eat 5-6 mini-meals containing 300-400 calories per meal or,
– Eat 4-5 times per day. Three meals, 400-500 calories per meal plus 1-2 snacks, 100-200 calories per snack
• Incorporate complex carbohydrates and protein with each snack
~ IDEAS FOR CREATIVE SNACKING
• 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, 2 TBS dried fruit, 12 nuts or 2 TBS seeds, 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, 1 tsp honey, handful of dry cereal OR Wheat Germ(yum!)
• ¼ c. trail mix of nuts and dried fruit and a glass of skim milk
• Apple and a cheese stick
• 8 oz fresh fruit and yogurt smoothie
• Satisfy a sweet tooth with 1 oz of premium dark chocolate with a glass of skim milk
• Hard boiled egg and sliced bell pepper
• Hummus and ½ of a whole wheat pita
• Guacamole and veggie sticks (make guac with garlic, red pepper flakes and cilantro- not salt!)
• Sliced roast turkey wrapped around carrot sticks
• 5-6 whole grain crackers with 2 TBS nut butter
• 25 almonds and a piece of fresh fruit
• 2 TBS of peanut butter and a banana
• 6 cups of air-popped popcorn, with 1 tbsp. melted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
A Few Tips...
12% of the sodium that
the average American
eats each day comes
from foods containing
naturally- occurring
sodium. These sources
of sodium are not bad—
in fact they give us the
right amount of sodium
that our bodies need.
The true culprits are
processed/pre-packaged
foods and the salt
shaker!
Artichokes: bay leaf, savory
Asparagus: tarragon, dill weed
Onions: basil, sage, thyme
Beets: basil, bay leaf, caraway
seed, dill, fennel, mustard seed,
savory, tarragon, thyme
Mushrooms: garlic, oregano,
marjoram, paprika, rosemary,
sage, savory
Broccoli: oregano, tarragon
Brussels sprouts: sage
Cabbage: caraway seed, dill,
mint, mustard seed, savory, and
tarragon
Carrots: bay leaf, dill, marjoram,
mint, oregano, sage, thyme
Peas: dill, marjoram, mint,
oregano, and rosemary, sage,
savory
Potatoes: bay leaf, caraway
seed, chives, dill, mint, oregano,
paprika, rosemary, thyme
Cauliflower: caraway seed, dill
Cucumber: dill weed
Corn: chili powder
Rutabaga: basil
Spinach: marjoram, mint, nutmeg,
rosemary
Eggplant: basil, garlic, marjoram,
oregano, sage
A Startling Truth!
The average American eats
2 1/2 teaspoons of salt
every day. This amounts to
913 teaspoons per year!
913 teaspoons equals 19
cups! An easy way to visualize
this is to imagine five
1-liter pop bottles… four
of the bottles would be
completely filled with salt
and the fifth bottle would
be half-way filled. Crazy,
huh?! No wonder our
country has so many sodium-
related health problems!
Green beans: basil, dill, marjoram,
mint, oregano, savory, tarragon,
thyme
Summer Squash: basil, rosemary
Tomatoes: basil, bay leaf, dill,
garlic, oregano, sage
Turnips: caraway seed
Red Meat (beef, pork, lamb): paprika, toasted onions,
ground celery seed, garlic, black pepper, onion, arrowroot,
ground dill, caraway seeds, fenugreek, dill weed,
turmeric, green onions, bay leaf powder, cumin, coriander,
ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, fennel, nutmeg,
basil, chervil, marjoram, parsley, savory, tarragon, thyme
and cloves
Tasty Steak:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Mix all ingredients together well. Sprinkle evenly over steak
and grill or cook as desired.
Poultry: sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, garlic, onions,
thyme, bay leaf, tarragon, parsley, saffron, marjoram,
mint and tumeric
a simple poultry seasoning:
1 tbs. dried thyme
1 tbs. dried marjoram
2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. dried sage
Adding a teaspoon or two of a lemon herb such as lemon
thyme, verbena, balm or lemon basil will add some extra zest!
Add black pepper to taste.
Fish: savory, marjoram, dill, parsley, oregano, mint, cilantro
and thyme
fabulous fish:
Mix up your favorite herbs. Dip your fish into the herb mixture
and then wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate the fish for
at least an hour so the fish can soak up the herbs’ flavors.
Take the fish out of the tin foil and drizzle with 1-2 tbs. of
olive oil. Cook on a grill- 5 minutes on each side or bake
until tender and flaky. Serve with lemon slices.
TAKE THE SALT SHAKER OFF THE TABLE! Better yet, TAKE IT OUT OF
THE HOUSE!
Use fresh or frozen vegetables to avoid the extra salt found in canned veggies.
Don’t forget to cook with heart-healthy oils such as canola and olive oil. Avoid using
butter and limit the amount of margarine you use.
Onions and garlic are wonderful companions to most herbs and have many health
benefits.
Check labels on any seasoning you already have or may buy—not all pre-mixed herb
seasoning are sodium-free!
If you don’t have the time, interest or budget to buy a lot of different herbs, give Mrs.
Dash© seasonings a try. Carried in your local grocery store, Mrs. Dash©, comes in 15
different varieties of ground herbs. All varieties are sodium and potassium-free. Go to
mrsdash.com for great recipe ideas!
Don’t give up! Cutting back on salt can be difficult! If needed cut back gradually to give your palate time to adjust. It can takes six weeks or more for your taste buds to get used to less salty foods!
Sodium: Beyond the Salt Shaker! (watch out for these hidden sources!)
from your blood. The extra
fluid and sodium increases
pressure in your blood vessels,
causing edema. Edema
(swelling—especially in your
legs and ankles), can be very
painful.
A Low-Sodium Diet
Your doctor may have told
you that you need to follow a
“low-sodium” diet. This might
be because you have high
blood pressure, kidney disease
or another health condition
that requires you to be careful
with the amount of salt you eat
each day.
What if you don’t have high
blood pressure, kidney disease
or any other health conditions
requiring a low-sodium diet? It
is still healthy and very beneficial
to follow a low-sodium
diet! Doing such can help to
prevent high blood pressure
and can help in preventing
kidney disease if you are at
risk for it.
Diet: the best medicine
There are many medications
that can help with the negative
effects that happen
when your body retains too
much sodium. However, a
low-sodium diet can be just
as effective and far cheaper!
An estimated 5% of all of
the salt an average American
eats is added to food while
it is prepared. Another 6% is
added with the salt shaker
at the dinner table. Nearly
77% of the salt in the average
American diet comes
from processed foods, prepackaged
foods! Watching
what we eat takes effort,
but it great way to prevent
the negative health
effects of too much sodium.
A low-sodium diet can be
as effective as taking
medication to control
high blood pressure and
fluid retention if it is
closely followed.
~ PLEASE limit sugar intake! If you have a sweet treat, have it with a source of protein (nuts, milk, etc.)
~ Most people confuse hunger with thirst. Before reaching for that snack, drink a glass of water first!
• Remember: Quality over Quantity! Rather than 3 large meals, eat 5-6 mini-meals containing 300-400 calories per meal or,
– Eat 4-5 times per day. Three meals, 400-500 calories per meal plus 1-2 snacks, 100-200 calories per snack
• Incorporate complex carbohydrates and protein with each snack
~ IDEAS FOR CREATIVE SNACKING
• 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, 2 TBS dried fruit, 12 nuts or 2 TBS seeds, 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, 1 tsp honey, handful of dry cereal OR Wheat Germ(yum!)
• ¼ c. trail mix of nuts and dried fruit and a glass of skim milk
• Apple and a cheese stick
• 8 oz fresh fruit and yogurt smoothie
• Satisfy a sweet tooth with 1 oz of premium dark chocolate with a glass of skim milk
• Hard boiled egg and sliced bell pepper
• Hummus and ½ of a whole wheat pita
• Guacamole and veggie sticks (make guac with garlic, red pepper flakes and cilantro- not salt!)
• Sliced roast turkey wrapped around carrot sticks
• 5-6 whole grain crackers with 2 TBS nut butter
• 25 almonds and a piece of fresh fruit
• 2 TBS of peanut butter and a banana
• 6 cups of air-popped popcorn, with 1 tbsp. melted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
A Few Tips...
12% of the sodium that
the average American
eats each day comes
from foods containing
naturally- occurring
sodium. These sources
of sodium are not bad—
in fact they give us the
right amount of sodium
that our bodies need.
The true culprits are
processed/pre-packaged
foods and the salt
shaker!
Artichokes: bay leaf, savory
Asparagus: tarragon, dill weed
Onions: basil, sage, thyme
Beets: basil, bay leaf, caraway
seed, dill, fennel, mustard seed,
savory, tarragon, thyme
Mushrooms: garlic, oregano,
marjoram, paprika, rosemary,
sage, savory
Broccoli: oregano, tarragon
Brussels sprouts: sage
Cabbage: caraway seed, dill,
mint, mustard seed, savory, and
tarragon
Carrots: bay leaf, dill, marjoram,
mint, oregano, sage, thyme
Peas: dill, marjoram, mint,
oregano, and rosemary, sage,
savory
Potatoes: bay leaf, caraway
seed, chives, dill, mint, oregano,
paprika, rosemary, thyme
Cauliflower: caraway seed, dill
Cucumber: dill weed
Corn: chili powder
Rutabaga: basil
Spinach: marjoram, mint, nutmeg,
rosemary
Eggplant: basil, garlic, marjoram,
oregano, sage
A Startling Truth!
The average American eats
2 1/2 teaspoons of salt
every day. This amounts to
913 teaspoons per year!
913 teaspoons equals 19
cups! An easy way to visualize
this is to imagine five
1-liter pop bottles… four
of the bottles would be
completely filled with salt
and the fifth bottle would
be half-way filled. Crazy,
huh?! No wonder our
country has so many sodium-
related health problems!
Green beans: basil, dill, marjoram,
mint, oregano, savory, tarragon,
thyme
Summer Squash: basil, rosemary
Tomatoes: basil, bay leaf, dill,
garlic, oregano, sage
Turnips: caraway seed
Red Meat (beef, pork, lamb): paprika, toasted onions,
ground celery seed, garlic, black pepper, onion, arrowroot,
ground dill, caraway seeds, fenugreek, dill weed,
turmeric, green onions, bay leaf powder, cumin, coriander,
ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, fennel, nutmeg,
basil, chervil, marjoram, parsley, savory, tarragon, thyme
and cloves
Tasty Steak:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Mix all ingredients together well. Sprinkle evenly over steak
and grill or cook as desired.
Poultry: sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, garlic, onions,
thyme, bay leaf, tarragon, parsley, saffron, marjoram,
mint and tumeric
a simple poultry seasoning:
1 tbs. dried thyme
1 tbs. dried marjoram
2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. dried sage
Adding a teaspoon or two of a lemon herb such as lemon
thyme, verbena, balm or lemon basil will add some extra zest!
Add black pepper to taste.
Fish: savory, marjoram, dill, parsley, oregano, mint, cilantro
and thyme
fabulous fish:
Mix up your favorite herbs. Dip your fish into the herb mixture
and then wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate the fish for
at least an hour so the fish can soak up the herbs’ flavors.
Take the fish out of the tin foil and drizzle with 1-2 tbs. of
olive oil. Cook on a grill- 5 minutes on each side or bake
until tender and flaky. Serve with lemon slices.
TAKE THE SALT SHAKER OFF THE TABLE! Better yet, TAKE IT OUT OF
THE HOUSE!
Use fresh or frozen vegetables to avoid the extra salt found in canned veggies.
Don’t forget to cook with heart-healthy oils such as canola and olive oil. Avoid using
butter and limit the amount of margarine you use.
Onions and garlic are wonderful companions to most herbs and have many health
benefits.
Check labels on any seasoning you already have or may buy—not all pre-mixed herb
seasoning are sodium-free!
If you don’t have the time, interest or budget to buy a lot of different herbs, give Mrs.
Dash© seasonings a try. Carried in your local grocery store, Mrs. Dash©, comes in 15
different varieties of ground herbs. All varieties are sodium and potassium-free. Go to
mrsdash.com for great recipe ideas!
Don’t give up! Cutting back on salt can be difficult! If needed cut back gradually to give your palate time to adjust. It can takes six weeks or more for your taste buds to get used to less salty foods!
Sodium: Beyond the Salt Shaker! (watch out for these hidden sources!)
from your blood. The extra
fluid and sodium increases
pressure in your blood vessels,
causing edema. Edema
(swelling—especially in your
legs and ankles), can be very
painful.
A Low-Sodium Diet
Your doctor may have told
you that you need to follow a
“low-sodium” diet. This might
be because you have high
blood pressure, kidney disease
or another health condition
that requires you to be careful
with the amount of salt you eat
each day.
What if you don’t have high
blood pressure, kidney disease
or any other health conditions
requiring a low-sodium diet? It
is still healthy and very beneficial
to follow a low-sodium
diet! Doing such can help to
prevent high blood pressure
and can help in preventing
kidney disease if you are at
risk for it.
Diet: the best medicine
There are many medications
that can help with the negative
effects that happen
when your body retains too
much sodium. However, a
low-sodium diet can be just
as effective and far cheaper!
An estimated 5% of all of
the salt an average American
eats is added to food while
it is prepared. Another 6% is
added with the salt shaker
at the dinner table. Nearly
77% of the salt in the average
American diet comes
from processed foods, prepackaged
foods! Watching
what we eat takes effort,
but it great way to prevent
the negative health
effects of too much sodium.
A low-sodium diet can be
as effective as taking
medication to control
high blood pressure and
fluid retention if it is
closely followed.
