The American Heart Association partnered with influencers like me for its Sodium Break Up campaign. As such, I received compensation for my time. The opinions and thoughts in this piece are my own.

As working daughters, we get so busy balancing caregiving and career, that we often take short cuts when it comes to what we eat. Meals we buy instead of make can feel like life-savers, but actually, they can have the opposite effect. That’s because about three quarters of the sodium in Americans’ diets comes from processed, prepackaged, and restaurant food. And eating too much sodium is strongly linked to the development of high blood pressure. For caregivers, already at higher risk than many for health problem such as heart disease and stroke, that’s very bad news. That’s why I am working with the American Heart Association to promote the Sodium Breakup Campaign and encourage people, especially caregivers, to make positive change for healthier hearts

It is estimated that if the U.S. population moved to an average intake of 1,500 mg/day of sodium, it could result in a 25.6% overall decrease in blood pressure. And that’s an achievable goal, even for busy working daughters like us.

Please visit the American Heart Association’s website and read my blog post on 6 ways to break up with sodium. CLICK HERE to #BreakUpWithSalt

You can also take the #BreakUpWithSalt pledge: and tell the food industry and policy makers to reduce sodium in the food supply.

Let’s care for ourselves while we are caring for others!

This blog post blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.