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Today's Heart Tip: Read Labels

Betty Trounson, RD, LD
Registered Dietitian
St. Luke’s Heart Health and Rehabilitation Center, Meridian
By Anna Fritz, Health and Wellness
February 9, 2014

Be a food detective! Whether you’re following a special diet for a health condition, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or eating healthy to prevent disease, it’s crucial to read labels. Become a label sleuth by comparing similar foods, discerning good fats from bad, and keeping an eye out for sodium, sugar, and high calories, as well as healthy fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.

Betty's heart advice: “My work includes teaching people practical ways to make the heart healthy diet part of a healthy lifestyle, such as learning to read labels, shop, cook, and eat out in a healthy way. My advice is to keep saturated fat to 12-15 grams a day, if you have heart disease, or 15-22 grams a day, if you don’t.”

February is Heart Month, so kick start your best year yet with 28 days of heart health. Every day in February St. Luke’s will send a heart health tip directly to your email. It’s easy to subscribe!

We’re also offering Free Heart Seminars throughout the month. Click here to find one in your area.

About The Author

Anna Fritz is a writer and editor with St. Luke’s Communications and Marketing.