It's estimated that Americans are getting at least twice the amount of sodium they need every day, if not more. Sodium is a problem because it contributes -- among other things -- to high blood pressure. Hypertension contributes to cardiovascular disease, and since heart disease is the number one killer in America...well...you can see why it's in our best interest to reduce the amount of sodium we eat.

Processed foods are a big source of added salt, so one of the easiest ways to reduce sodium in your diet is to eat fresh, whole foods rather than those that are boxed or frozen. According to Ediets, there are several other ways to reduce your daily intake of sodium, including these:

• Leave the salt out of your recipes and let everyone salt their own dish at the table.
• When using canned goods, choose low-salt varieties or rinse before using.
• Make your own salad dressings.
• Pass on salty lunch meats and prepare your own meats at home.

How do you reduce sodium in your daily diet?

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I was watching TV the other day and saw Burger King's new ad -- The Whopper Freakout. As an experiment, they quit making Whoppers at one particular Burger King and filmed their customers reaction. The commercial is pretty intriguing, especially if Whoppers aren't on your must have list. One woman demands to see the store supervisor, and another man just looks downright sad. The emotional attachment is clear -- two men even brought up their childhoods.

I laughed in disbelief, honestly, the first time I watched it. But then I had to stop and think. I could care less if they stopped making Whoppers tomorrow; I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. But there are foods I'm pretty attached to. And that list of foods is far from sinless. So I was honest with myself, and this is what I came up with. Here's my short list, in no particular order:

1. Apples
2. Hummus
3. Peanut butter cups
4. Red peppers
5. Briannas Poppyseed Dressing

At dinner tonight, I decided to throw the same question at my husband. He didn't hesitate before saying:

1. Salsa
2. Sushi
3. Beer
4. Pizza
5. Beef Jerky

I laughed, and said I wasn't sure whether to share that list with America or not. But, hey, at least he's honest.

So let's hear it, That's Fit readers, what are your "freakout foods?" Are there at least a few healthy items on your list?

Thanksgiving is less than a month away, which means that a 1,000-2,000 calorie meal is also fast approaching. Mind you, 2,000 calories is the suggested caloric intake for a grown man for an entire day! So, how do both men and women avoid overindulgence this turkey day? Here are a few suggestions:

1 - Keep your portions limited. This is, by far, the best approach. Remember, it typically takes your mind close to 20 minutes before it registers that you're full. This means that as you pound your fifth piece of pecan pie, you were actually full twenty minutes ago, only your brain was slow in letting alerting you to that fact. To avoid letting this brain/stomach disconnect destroy your daily diet, purposely eat only small portions of each course.

2 - Stick to whole grains. I know how delicious those soft, fluffy biscuits are. And, I also know how easy it is to eat about four thousand of them in one sitting. But, these tasty litter suckers pack a pretty big wallop in the high-GI carb and calorie department. Same goes for your Mom's traditional recipe for stuffing. Try switching to whole grain products, replacing them for their faster-digesting enriched flour version.

3 - Go with white meat. Leaner meat, yeah we know all about it. It's true; white meat has less fat and calories than does dark meat. The downside, though, is that dark meat usually has a much richer flavor. My two cents: if you decide to not listen to any of these suggestions, this should be the one that you disregard. Dark meat, albeit slightly higher in fat, still contains a great deal of protein and almost no carbohydrates. This one is your call.

4 - Bring your own dessert. By the time you've even gotten around to desert, you've probably already eaten waaaay too much food to warrant stuffing even a granule of sugar in your mouth, let alone a piece of apple pie. However, Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving if it weren't for dessert, so you may as well be prepared. As such, you may want to bring your own dessert to wherever it is you're having dinner (that is, unless, of course, you're going to a restaurant). This way, you are in control of what you have to choose from. Some healthier options you can prepare are pumpkin pie made with Splenda, and any variety of sugar-free/fat-free pudding treats.

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When you travel, do you plan your meals for the trip? Many of us just take what is available, since the stress of meetings, presentations and training can make the effort to find healthy food quite treacherous.

But dealing with all that stress and keeping a level head is so much easier if you indeed seek out the best and most healthy foods while outside your home comfort zone.

Want to be best prepared for those questions after your presentation? A high-fat breakfast full of calories and chemicals probably won't get you there. But, some whole-wheat toast, low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit sure will.

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You've probably heard this a million times, but I'll tell you again, because it's absolutely true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's the meal we're most-likely to skip as we scramble to get ready for school or work, but it's also essential for getting the energy you need to stay productive. Plus, if you curb your hunger in the morning, you'll most likely consume less total calories throughout the day. Bonus!

Here's some quick ways to get what you need without succumbing to the temptations of the fast food drive-through window.

1. Fresh eggs. These take about 3 minutes in the microwave or on the stove. You'll spend less time doing this than you will waiting in line and McDonald's.

2. Whole grain cereal. Especially now that it's getting colder, why not try a little oatmeal?

3. Yogurt. You can make this more filling by adding fresh fruit and nuts.

4. Vegetarian bacon. As long as you accept that it will taste nothing like real bacon, it's actually pretty good.

5. Bran cereal. If you're a cereal person, this is a much healthier way to go than all those sugary (and less filling) options.

Try it. You'll feel better all morning. I promise.

[via HealthMad]

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One of the hardest subjects to tackle when talking to friends and family about eating healthy and avoiding processed (but tasty) foods is that there is an enormous selection of tasty, nutritious foods available. That is, if you can get past the fast-food routine and pay attention to the kinds of foods that are very good for you.

Every try blueberries on whole-wheat pancakes? How about a fresh fruit smoothie for breakfast, or whole-grain breakfast flakes with a small touch of organic cane sugar?

Those are just a few breakfast suggestions, and there are plenty more. Add hundreds of choices for lunch and dinner, and you have a incredible variety of healthy food choices for any time of day. That's right -- just drive by that taco shack if you can.

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If you're like I was, you use traveling as an excuse to gorge yourself with delicious (and bad) food. The excuse I used to use was "I am out of my comfort zone, so I'll eat outside of it as well."

Business trips would include fast food meals and huge, 2,000-calorie comped dinners at fine restaurants. Result? I loved traveling, and my weight easily showed it.

But I found out that it was really not good to have that mentality (go figure). It takes effort to eat healthy when traveling -- from looking for low-cal menu options to packing nutrition bars and easy, healthy meals right into the suitcase. Is it hard? Yes -- but it is rewarding to your waistline.

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Want to try and prevent lung disease later in life? Start eating a regular diet full of fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry and whole grain foods then. There are plenty of reasons to include these items in your diet, and below is a new one.

A new study out of France concluded that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D.) may be quite a bit less likely when a diet full of healthy foods like those referenced above were eaten as a foundation for a complete diet. The study looked at people from 1986 to 2006 and adjusted its results for age and smoking habits over that time.

Moral to the study: fruits, veggies, whole grains and healthy meats like fish and poultry really are good for you. Whodathunkit?

For more information on preventing or managing cancer, please visit The Cancer Blog.

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Is it too hard these days to eat healthy? One of the biggest detriments to eating in a healthy and nutritious fashion is lack of time, might I suggest.

There is little time to prepare wholesome meals, exercise and treat yourself right in the age of trying to raise a family and just try to get through each power-packed day.

If you're trying to lose weight or eat healthier, do you know what it takes to get there? Counting calories, exercising and watching your lifestyle all take a prudent amount of research so that those choices can manifest themselves into a healthy living lifestyle. For complete tips on the most common strategies, see this.

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Want to eat a lot and regularly -- and still lose weight? It sounds impossible, but it really is not. If you get cravings for certain fatty or junk foods that contribute more to the waistline than to health) eating a very generous amount of certain foods every day may help curb those extra eating sessions.

The "Swank Diet" is explained here, and sounds like a really fascinating way to eat quite a bit (stave off cravings) and transform your health at the same time. Are you familiar with this? I'm not and will be reading more on it soon. Sounds like a great methodology so far!

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