Guides
New editorial guides written for this site. They are separate from the archive: each one says so at the top, names its editors, and links the sources it relies on.
The archive preserves tools, recipes and publications as they were published years ago. The guides explain the subjects those materials cover using sources that are current today, and point to the archived pages where they help. Each guide was fact-checked against its sources and reviewed before it was published.
- Heart-Healthy Cooking for Beginners: 3 Label Numbers
- Heart-healthy cooking starts with three label figures: 20 g saturated fat, 2,300 mg sodium and 50 g added sugars a day, plus a few simple swaps. About 1800 words, 8 cited sources.
- How to Read Cholesterol Test Results: The Cut-Points
- Adult cut-points: total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL, LDL under 100, HDL 60 or higher, triglycerides under 150. How to read each line of a lipid panel. About 1800 words, 7 cited sources.
- Portion Size vs Serving Size: What the Label Means
- A portion is what you choose to eat; a serving is the amount on the Nutrition Facts label. Two 280-calorie servings make a 560-calorie portion. About 1700 words, 6 cited sources.
- What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean? Top vs Bottom Number
- The top (systolic) number is pressure as the heart beats; the bottom (diastolic) is between beats. Below 120/80 mm Hg is normal; 130/80 or more is high. About 1800 words, 6 cited sources.
- What Is the DASH Eating Plan? Servings and Sodium Limits
- At 2,000 calories DASH sets 6-8 grain, 4-5 vegetable, 4-5 fruit and 2-3 low-fat dairy servings a day, with sodium capped at 2,300 or 1,500 mg. About 1900 words, 7 cited sources.
Guides are general health education, not medical advice.