Health Tips for January 9

Health Tip: Low-Sodium Meals

Sodium (salt) is a contributing factor to high blood pressure, and too much in one's diet can be dangerous, especially for those with heart disease.

Here are suggestions on how to prepare meals with less sodium, courtesy of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:

* Avoid adding extra salt to your food when you eat it.
* Reduce the amount of salt that you use when you cook. Use fresh herbs instead.
* Don't salt the water used to boil rice or pasta.
* Avoid using packets of sauce or seasoning. They are usually high in sodium.
* Use fresh foods and ingredients when you can. Prepackaged or processed foods often contain a lot of sodium.

Health Tip: Help Your Newborn Sleep Longer

It's possible to teach many young infants to sleep longer, allowing the household to get needed rest.

Here are suggestions that may help your both of you get a few more zzz's, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

* When you feed or change your baby at night, keep the room quiet and dim. Avoid turning on all of the lights, or if there's a dimmer, turning them on at full blast. Also avoid singing, talking and play at this time.
* Make sure your infant naps during the day, as she may have more trouble getting to sleep at night if she is overtired.
* Don't encourage playtime at night when getting baby ready for bed. She will learn that nighttime is for sleeping, and daytime is for playing.
* Establish a bedtime routine to get her ready for sleep. The routine might include a story and a bath.