The days are shorter, vacations are (mostly) over and school’s back in session. So why do I love this time of year so much? I think it’s the sense of comfort I get from being back in a routine. So in an effort to get back to normal and be a bit healthier to boot, here are three things I’m going to do this weekend, starting today:
 
Eat less salt
According to the Food and Drug Administration, nearly all of us eat more salt than we need. The National Academies' Institute of Medicine recommends that most adults get no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day--the amount, roughly, in one teaspoon of table salt. But if you have blood pressure concerns, try to limit your intake to 1,500 mg. This may seem tough, but test your sodium smarts by comparing food labels when you shop and you might find surprisingly high amounts in your usual items, like salad dressing or canned soups. Try some creative ways to ditch the salt, like rinsing foods such as feta cheese or capers to cut the sodium by as much as 30 percent.
 
Get more activity
If you don’t get regular exercise already—I do only sporadically—aim to get 30 minutes in each day of this weekend. Moderate exercise reduces coronary-disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes, and it increases your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. So no more excuses…and you know you’ll feel good afterward too. Clip on a pedometer and take a walk.
 
Pack an emergency kit
We should all have an emergency kit, though few of us do (including me). In our recent poll, when asked about the 16 items recommended for home emergency kits, just 22 percent of respondents had at least 13 of the items. But given that a second wave of swine flu could hit this fall, it’s a good idea to gather some basics. Start by having enough non-perishable food and water for a few days, and an up-to-date first-aid kit stocked with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, like Purell. You may not need it, but as the scouts say, be prepared.
 
Happy weekend!

--Trisha Brandon, online editor