Blood Pressure

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, middle-aged Americans face a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure during their lifetime. That’s why doing everything you can to prevent those numbers from creeping up now could help save your life down the road. Hypertension is more deadly than most of us realize—accounting for 70 percent of all strokes. Besides shaking the salt habit, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly and quitting smoking can all greatly reduce your risk of high blood pressure. For a heart-healthy diet, look to the cardiologist-recommended DASH or Mediterranean diets that promote whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, plenty of fruits and vegetable, and unsaturated fats, like olive oil.