Dietitian serves up expert tips to keep your ticker healthy

WELCOME BACK. BETWEEN VALENTINE’S DAY AND HEART MONTH, FEBRUARY IS ALL ABOUT FOCUSING ON OUR HEARTS. HEART DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF MEN AND WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES. HOW WE FEEL OUR BODIES AND HELP KEEP HEALTHY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HERE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND MORE. IS TAURINE A VOICE OR A REGISTERED DIETITIAN WITH NEBRASKA MEDICINE? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. YES. SO WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST NUTRITION RELATED RISK FACTORS FOR HEART DISEASE? YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RISK FACTORS FOR HEART DISEASE IS LIKE YOUR SALT INTAKE. SO MAKING SURE YOU’RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT SALT ON THERE. ALL OF YOUR FATTY GREASY FOODS THAT’S GOING TO LEAN INTO THAT HEART DISEASE AS WELL. RIGHT. SAME WITH LIKE YOUR SUGARY BEVERAGES. ALL OF YOUR LIKE PROCESSED CARBOHYDRATES IN THERE TOO. SO THAT’S ALSO GOING TO PLAY INTO THE RISK FACTOR FOR HEART DISEASE. YEAH. AND TODAY YOU’RE HERE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO LOOK AT A FOOD LABEL. WHAT WE SHOULD GET, WHAT WE SHOULD LOOK FOR. SOME PROPS HERE TO GO OVER IT. OKAY. SO I BROUGHT SOME CANS OF BEANS BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT’S A VERY SIMPLE NUTRITION FACT TO LOOK AT. SO I DID BRING LIKE A NORMAL CAN OF BEANS HERE, JUST THAT YOU CAN FIND IT. I GOT THIS AT TARGET. I DON’T KNOW, YOU CAN GET IT AT THE BRAND I BUY. ME TOO. AND THEN I ALSO BROUGHT ONE TOO THAT HAS LIKE THE LOW SODIUM LEVEL ON THERE. SO WITH HEART DISEASE I’M SURE, AS YOU KNOW, SODIUM INTAKE IS KIND OF THE BIGGEST THING ON THERE, WHICH WE’LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A SECOND MORE. BUT WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING AT A FOOD NUTRITION LABEL, SO SOMETHING TO KIND OF KEEP IN MIND IS THE PORTION SIZES ON THERE. SO OBVIOUSLY ONE CAN IS NOT ONE PORTION SIZE. SO KIND OF PLAYING INTO ROLE WITH THAT. SO I THINK ON HERE IT’S ABOUT HALF A CUP IS ONE PORTION SIZE. SO IN THAT ONE YOU’RE THEN YOU’RE GOING TO LOOK AT FOR TODAY’S SAKE FOR SODIUM INTAKE, YOU’RE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH SODIUM IS IN THAT. SO IN ONE HALF CUP OF THAT THERE’S ABOUT 400MG OF SALT IN HERE, WHICH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS LESS THAN 2300MG OF SALT. SO IF YOU’RE ALREADY AT 400, YOU’RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE JUST FROM ONE PORTION OF ONE MEAL. EXACTLY. JUST FROM ONE HALF CUP ON THERE. THEN IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE HEART HEALTHY LOOKING AT THE SODIUM ON THIS ONE. SO IN THE LOW SODIUM ONE, THERE’S ONLY ABOUT 120G IN THERE. SO YOU CAN KIND OF GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IN SODIUM INTAKE ON THAT ONE, RIGHT? LOOK FOR THE LOWER SODIUM LEVELS. AND WHAT ARE 1 TO 2 EASY THINGS THAT SOMEONE CAN DO JUST TO BE MORE COGNIZANT OF THEIR HEART HEALTH. YEAH, 1 TO 2 THINGS. MY FAVORITE THING IS USUALLY SAYING JUST GETTING RID OF THE SALT SHAKER AT HOME. NOWADAYS EVERYTHING HAS SALT IN THERE. IT’S KIND OF A HARD THING FOR OUR HOUSEHOLD TO JUST BECAUSE IT’S A COOKING STAPLE, OR JUST BY ADDING A LITTLE SPRINKLE INSTEAD OF A WHOLE BIG DUMP OF SALT IN THERE, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE TO TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FIBER IN THERE. THE TYPICAL AMERICAN, I MEAN, WE NORMALLY DON’T GET A WHOLE LOT OF FIBER IN OUR DIET ANYWAY, SO TRY TO FOCUS ON YOUR WHOLE GRAINS, YOUR MULTI GRAINS, TRYING TO GET IN SOME OF THAT AS WELL AS YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. YES. AND THIS IS SOMETHING TO BE COGNIZANT OF A