Nearly half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure. And 90 percent of us will develop it as we get older, raising our risk of a heart attack or stroke. The good news: Eating well and exercising regularly can lower your pressure. Here’s how...and why it’s worth taking your pressure at home.
Poor diet is a leading cause of death in the U.S. and has been linked to over 500,000 deaths per year. The rates of diet-related disease among adults in the U.S. are abysmal: over 70% have overweight or obesity; about 50% have diabetes or prediabetes; and over 90% have suboptimal cardiometabolic health, characterized by excess weight; high blood glucose, blood pressure, or lipids (or taking medications for any of these conditions); or a history of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the direct medical costs and loss of productivity associated with excess weight and diet-related disease is estimated to be almost $1 trillion annually. And that’s before the advent of the new, hugely expensive diet drugs.
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Not sure which foods protect (or harm) the blood vessels that feed your heart and brain? Here’s a rundown of the American Heart Association’s 10 recommendations to cut the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and maybe type 2 diabetes, memory loss, kidney disease, and more.