You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2532 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Heart Health News Making On-The-Go Days Salad Days (NAPSA)—A class of drugs designed to fight high cholesterol is showing promise in saving lives. Studies found that statins, which are commonly used to reduce cholesterol, have additional benefits. The nonprofit Senior Center for Health and Security’s “Saving America’s Seniors with Statins” report showed that people using one type of statin suffered half as many strokes, heart attacks and deaths from heart disease as those taking a placebo. Another study showed a correlation between improved kidney function and use of a particular statin. Nutrition On The Run—This Ham and Pineapple Slaw Wrap is a delicious way to take your salad with you. (NAPSA)—If you’ve been tossing around ways to eat more salad, it might be time to think outside the bowl. Even when you’re on the go, you can eat a salad every day. Just take favorite salad ingredients— from fresh veggies and dressing, to signature salads like chicken Caesar—and simply wrap them in low-calorie tortillas. You can take them to work, on a picnic, to a ball game or wherever else you’re headed. You might boost the saladwrap’s nutritional content by opting for dressing made with canola oil. Litehouse Foods, which makes dressings, dips and more, uses the oil exclusively in its salad dressings because it has no trans fat and is recommended by the American Heart Association as part of a heart-healthy diet. Visit www.30salads30days.com, a Web site from Litehouse Foods, for a selection of dressings and for a new salad recipe for each day of the month, including this one for Ham and Pineapple Slaw Wraps: Ham and Pineapple Slaw Wraps Serves 6 2 pineapple spears cut into thin strips 2 carrots cut into thin strips 1 ⁄4 cup raisins 12 ounces fully cooked lean ham, cut into strips 1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced 3 ⁄4 cup Litehouse Lite Coleslaw dressing 6 large flour tortillas In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, carrots, raisins, ham and cabbage. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss. Divide the slaw among the tortillas and roll into wraps. Nutrition: Calories 349, Total fat 8g, Carbohydrate 58g, Protein 16g, Fiber 10g, 21% calories from fat. For more information, visit www.30salads30days.com or call (800) 669-3169. Cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer in the U.S. today, may be beaten by statin drugs. A third found that men taking a statin for five years experienced fewer deaths and heart attacks 10 years later even though most stopped taking the drug. Senior Center Policy Director Al Cors urges, “Talk with your doctor to determine which statin can help you.” He also said good communication among patients and doctors is critical because of the many statin options and learning which regimen is best for cardiovascular health. Many patients don’t know they may have affordable access to the most effective medications. The full report is available at www.seniorsforcures.org. Improving Efficiency To Control Cooling Costs (NAPSA)—Making smart decisions about your home’s heating and cooling system is important to your overall comfort—and can have an even greater impact on your wallet. The average family spends approximately $2,200 per year on energy bills. Heating and cooling costs account for as much as half of this amount. So what’s a homeowner to do? The experts at Luxaire recommend reducing costs by improving the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. That means properly maintaining the system, sealing ducts, installing a programmable thermostat and replacing aging equipment with new, highefficiency products. Properly maintaining your equipment can prevent future problems and eliminate unbudgeted expenses. It is recommended that you inspect your filter every month and clean or change it as required. A dirty filter will reduce airflow, making the system work harder and wasting energy in the process. Next, schedule a NATEcertified technician to inspect your system, preferably before the heating or cooling season begins. If you suspect or discover a leak in your duct system, ask the technician to do the necessary repairs. By properly sealing ducts, homeowners can increase their system efficiency by as much as 20 percent. One of the easiest steps homeowners can take to reduce energy costs is the installation of a programmable thermostat. If properly set and maintained, programmable thermostats can help save up to $180 per year, just by regulating the temperature of the house while you are asleep or away. Replacing an old home comfort system can reduce your energy bills. Be sure your new model is ENERGY STAR qualified. If your system is more than 10 years old or it’s not keeping your house comfortable, it’s a good idea to have it evaluated by a professional contractor and consider replacing it with an ENERGY STARqualified unit. Replacing old equipment can cut annual energy bills by almost $200. Luxaire offers a number of sustainable home comfort systems that carry the ENERGY STAR logo, including air conditioners and heat pumps that use environmentally friendly R-410A refrigerant with a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) as high as 18.5 and a heating season performance factor (HSPF) as high as 10.0. They also offer the most efficient gas furnace available today, which includes an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) as high as 98.0 percent. Many of these products qualify for up to $1,500 in federal tax credits, as well as most local utility rebates, while also saving you money on your monthly utility bills. To le arn mo re, visit www.luxaire.com or call (877) 874-7378.