Heart Beat

The biggest loser

High blood pressure is a silent but destructive enemy that taxes the heart and can harm blood vessels, the brain, the kidneys, and the eyes. Keeping it in check is one of the best things you can do for your health, especially if you have heart disease or diabetes.

Most people turn to pills to manage their blood pressure. But changes in diet, exercise, and weight can help medications along, and sometimes even supplant them. The best-known diet for blood pressure control is the DASH diet, a rigorously tested eating plan devised by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Its key features include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; several servings daily of low-fat dairy products; some fish, poultry, dried beans, nuts, and seeds; and minimal red meat, sweets, salt, and sugar-laden beverages.