Long Hours at the Office May Raise Your Heart Disease Risk

You've got a project deadline that requires logging extra hours at work. You're on the road at a conference and work long hours. Or you pick up some extra hours to bring home a little more money. Sound familiar?

Working long hours is a reality for a lot of people. For some it's a way to make ends meet, and for others it's simply a part of the job.

In either case, extra money from putting in long hours at the office may not be worth it. In fact, a recent study published in The Lancet found that people who work 55 hours or more per week could be in trouble. This group of 55-plus-hours a week workaholics were 33 percent more likely to have a stroke, and 13 percent more likely to develop heart disease.

And that's a problem. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and claims the lives of about 611,000 people a year. And an estimated 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you want to lower your risk for a stroke or heart disease, you might want take a closer look at your work schedule, and see if there's a way you can stick to a standard 40-hour work week. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and cutting back on sodium can, too.

For starters, skip the fast food drive-thru and processed foods high in sodium like pizza, canned soups, and processed meats. Instead aim to eat more whole foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and low-fat dairy or soy products. The less saturated fat and sodium in your diet, the better.

Your heart health matters. And that's one reason we tasked our team of professional chefs to create a large selection of tasty, healthy, and Low-Sodium meals made from fresh ingredients. Want to eat more heart-healthy foods, cut back on sodium, and lower your risk for a stroke or heart disease?

Check out the selection of Low-Sodium meals, and you'll be able to whip up a hearty and healthy meal in minutes without the added salt found in burgers, fries, and processed foods.