Consume less sodium

Like many people, you may be trying to cut back on the amount of salt in your diet. The problem is, lots of packaged foods are loaded with salt. The US National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says there are several steps you can take:

* In general, using fresh foods without adding salt is the way to go, if you do use canned or frozen vegetables or other “convenience” foods, make sure they are labelled “no salt added.”

* Be sure to check the sodium content listed on different brands, rinsing canned foods, like tuna, often reduces sodium content.

— HealthDay News