February is American Heart Month

Think fresh. Eat highly processed foods less often and in smaller portions. Ready-to-eat foods such as canned chili and soups often are high in sodium.

Enjoy home-prepared foods more often. Preparing your foods lets you limit the amount of salt that you add.

Fill up on veggies and fruits. Enjoy a vegetable or fruit at every meal. They are naturally very low in sodium.

Choose dairy and protein foods that are lower in sodium. Get your calcium from low-fat milk and yogurt more often than cheese. Choose fresh beef, pork, poultry and seafood more often than sausage, bacon and luncheon meats.

Adjust your taste buds. Cut back on salt little by little. Your taste for salt will lessen as time passes.

Skip the salt. Use spices, herbs, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice to season foods. Try black or red pepper, basil, curry, ginger or rosemary.

Read the label. Compare the amount of sodium listed on Nutrition Facts labels. Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium” or “no salt added.”

Ask for low-sodium foods when you eat out. Some restaurants will prepare lower-sodium foods at your request. Some will serve sauces and salad dressings on the side, so you use less.

Pay attention to condiments. Choose lower-sodium ketchup and soy sauce when possible. Have a carrot stick instead of a pickle for a crunchy side dish.

Boost your potassium intake. Potassium may help lower your blood pressure. Potassium-rich foods include potatoes, tomato juice and sauce (choose lower-sodium versions), sweet potatoes, beans (white, lima, kidney), bananas, yogurt, orange juice and milk.