The difference between a strong, healthy ticker and a ticking time bomb could come down to having the right info. Check your cardiac quotient with this quiz.
1. For each pair of breakfast foods, circle the option with less sodium per serving. Cornflakes or shredded wheat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese Whole wheat toast or a bagel
Answer: Shredded wheat, Greek yogurt, and whole wheat toast all contain significantly less sodium per serving than the other options. Why should you care? Americans consume more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day on average—far above the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams and nearly double its ideal limit of 1,500. “All that sodium can raise blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease,” explains Cheryl Anderson, PhD, an associate professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Try to eat mostly fresh food, and always check labels. Choosing foods that contain only one milligram of sodium per calorie or less— no more than 100 milligrams in a 100-calorie food, for example—can help you stay within healthy limits, says Anderson.
2. Which of these is not a risk factor for heart disease? A. High blood pressure
B. Obesity
C. Migraines
D. Smoking
E. Diabetes
This story is from the February 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
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This story is from the February 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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