Reduce Your Heart Attack Risk

Lower Blood Pressure with Less Sodium 

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the major risk factors for heart attack. One of the most effective ways to lower blood pressure is to reduce your sodium intake: Studies have shown that reducing the amount of sodium in your diet can lower your blood pressure by 19 points.

Most people consume 4,000-6,000 milligrams of sodium every day. But according to the National Institute of Health and the American Heart Association, your daily sodium intake should be:

2,300 milligrams of sodium or less: For adults up to the age of 50

1,500 milligrams of sodium or less: For those older than 50, African-Americans, and those with high blood pressure

To keep your sodium levels low, try our delicious and expert-tested low-sodium recipes and find out how to avoid hidden sodium in what you eat.

However, reducing sodium is not the only way to lower blood pressure. Talk with your doctor about the important role weight loss and exercise can have in your efforts to lower your numbers.