Tracking your health data can help lower your blood pressure and earn rewards, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2015 High Blood Pressure Conference.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched an annual challenge designed to identify and honor clinicians and health care teams that have helped their patients control high blood pressure and prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Americans consume too much sodium. In fact, the average daily intake among individuals aged 2 years and older in the U.S. is 3,500 mg per day, significantly higher than the recommended daily maximum of 2,300 mg – and that doesn’t even include salt at the table. However, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of Americans now report watching or reducing the amount of sodium in their diets.

A vaccine may one day help lower blood pressure for up to six months, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) journal Hypertension. The study in rats may eventually provide a novel alternative to treat high blood pressure in people, who would not need to take a pill every day.

With excessive sodium intake the culprit in health problems ranging from hypertension to osteoporosis and kidney disorders, health experts are in agreement that Americans should reduce the amount of salt they consume. Just how to do that is challenging, given the abundance of salty snacks and high-sodium commercial prepared foods that are commonplace in our diets.