March is National Nutrition Month, and the American Heart Association wants you to shake your salt habit. Sodium consumption may lead to elevated blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for death among women in the U.S., and the second leading risk factor for death for men, after smoking. How much sodium should you have each day? The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 1500 mg of sodium daily, but the average American consumes 3,400 mg. Sodium is not only found in the salt shaker; the majority of an individual’s sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant foods. Cooking at home is a great way to ensure the ingredients that go into recipes are healthy, and allows more control over the amount of sodium. The American Heart Association offers a variety of resources for those who want to cut back on salt and monitor blood pressure:

• Visit heart.org/sodium for ingredient swaps to lower your salt intake
• Visit heart.org/simplecooking for low-salt recipes
• Look for the American Heart Association’s heart checkmark in the grocery store for low-sodium food options

To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.