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2 3 BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR LIFELONG WELLNESS Kids whose parents make wellness a priority are more likely to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits into adulthood. Foster an early love of fresh fruits and vegetables with these tips: • The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women® campaign recommends turning dinnertime into a game by chopping up brightly colored produce and encouraging your child to eat each color of the rainbow. • The National Institutes of Health suggests setting out a few simple ingredients, such as whole-wheat crackers, peanut butter, and banana slices, and letting your kids assemble a healthy snack. When children have the opportunity to select their own produce, they're more likely to eat it. • Children as young as age 2 can help with simple chores such as washing produce. • As your kids grow, give them greater meal-prep responsibility. Research shows that kids who learn to cook at an early age enjoy a more balanced diet. For more information about the heart-healthy tools we o er, visit franciscanheart.org/tools. STEP 2: STEP 3: GET TO KNOW FRANCISCANWELLFEDHEART.ORG Your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels provide a glimpse at the overall state of your ticker. If these numbers are high, you could have a greater heart attack risk. CHI Franciscan sponsors blood pressure kiosks at four area shopping malls: The Commons at Federal Way, Silverdale's Kitsap Mall, South Hill Mall in Puyallup and Tacoma Mall. At these kiosks, you can check your blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) and request information about our health care providers and programs. A heart-healthy menu starts with a well-stocked pantry. You may think you've got a handle on what should stay and what should go when cleaning out your cupboards, but food labels can be deceiving. Understanding special claims, such as "low fat," "whole grain" and "low sodium," can help you quickly spot junk foods masquerading as wholesome choices. Our Well-Fed Heart website (Franciscanwellfedheart.org) supplements hearthealth! and was designed by Susan Levy, The Heart-Healthy Woman. When you log on to Franciscan Well-Fed Heart, you'll fi nd Heart-Healthy Kitchen Basics videos designed to help you decode food labels and revamp your pantry. Franciscan Well-Fed Heart also provides step-by- step video demonstrations for simple, fi ve-step recipes that satisfy the United States Department of Agriculture's MyPlate guidelines. Four new recipes are added each month. "If you eat whole foods, you generally don't have to take vitamins to get the nutrients you need," Clark added. "As a general rule, add fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources to your pantry and get rid of simple carbohydrates, which offer no more nutritional value than candy." To make the most of Franciscan Well-Fed Heart, sign up for our Heart Health-e News electronic newsletter, which will deliver a monthly dose of heart-healthy advice straight to your inbox. LEARN YOUR NUMBERS chifranciscan.org /// HIGHLINE MEDICAL CENTER 7