(NAPSA)—If one of your resolutions is to live healthier this year, the American Heart Association offers up a simple recipe: Get active and eat better. It’s easy when you take these healthy, step- by-step directions to heart: Start by Turning Activity to “On” The body benefits from being physically active for at least 30 minutes each day. Regular activity can help you use more calories and build long-term heart health. That’s important because heart disease and stroke continue to be America’s No. 1 and 3 killers. So turn off the TV and video games and take walks with the family. Stride briskly through the entire mall before stopping to shop. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. In short, get up and move! Add a Healthy Diet Good food and good health are ingredients that DO go together in this simple, healthy living recipe. It’s just a matter of selecting the right combination of foods to fuel your body and satisfy the tastes you love. The first step in building your family’s healthy and flavorful eating plan, says the American Heart Association, is to select a wide variety of foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Then, to complete your good nutrition resolution: e Fill your grocery cart with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose whole grain products, including oatmeal, rice and wholeerain breads. e Select lean protein sources such as skinless poultry, fish, legumes and extra-lean meats. e Substitute low-fat, low-cho- lesterol snacks for traditional high-fat, empty-calorie snacks. Look for the American Heart Association’s red heart with the white check mark on food labels to American Heart Association Products displaying the heart-check mark meet American Heart Association food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age 2. heartcheckmark.org @ Shoppers can quickly find ingredients for heart-healthy recipes by looking for the familiar heartcheck mark. identify foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Blend with Smart Shopping With so many foods in the grocery store, it’s hard to spot hearthealthy choices. That’s why the American Heart Association cre- ated the heart-check mark. Backed by science, the distinctive red heart with the white check mark helps you easily and reliably identify heart-healthy foods that can be part of a sensible eating plan. Food packages bearing the simple logo meet the association’s criteria for heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age 2. To make shopping even faster, create your list of heart-healthy foods online before you go. Log on to heartcheckmark.org. Click on “My Grocery List.” Select, print and shop. Serve Sensibly Rememberto keep your eyes on serving size. Oversized portions aren't allowed in a recipe for good health.
