They say, getting a pet is supposed to make you healthier.  My husband has had high blood pressure for several years.  We got a cat earlier this winter and amazingly, his blood pressure is now at the normal range.  Could this be because of the cat?

My Cholesterol is at a high level and getting the cat hasn’t improved it for me, so I want to do something to get that number to the ‘good range’.  A goal I have given myself is to eat healthier.

If you see this symbol on food packages, that means the item has met nutrition criteria.

I unfortunately never see this symbol on a bag of potato chips.

Looking in the Heart & Stroke site I found these ways to help eating healthier

• To avoid the impulse buying make a shopping list and stick to that shopping list.
• Spend more time shopping in the outer aisles where the healthy foods like fruits, veggies, bread, meat and milk are found.
• Divide your cart into four quarters, based on the four food groups.  Fill half of your cart with veggies, fruits and whole grains, one quarter with lower fat dairy products and the other quarter with lean meat, fish, beans, nuts and soya products.

How close do you read the Nutrition Facts label that you see on all the boxes and cans?  This is where I see ZERO cholesterol on those bags of chips and think, right on, I can eat them.  Well, not really.

Choose products lower in salt, saturated and trans fat and products that have 2 grams of fibre or more.

Check out the Nutrition Labeling and Health Check  link for more info.