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High blood pressure is among the most important public health challenges. More than 70 million Americans are estimated to have hypertension, but less than half achieve blood pressure control. A study led by Mark C. Houston, MD, reports that increased intake of potassium, (and possibly magnesium and calcium) by dietary means may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension. High intake of these minerals also may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

According to the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, if Americans were able to increase their potassium intake, the number of adults with known hypertension with blood pressure levels higher than 140/90 mm Hg might decrease by more than 10 percent and increase life expectancy. Similar studies show that diets high in magnesium (at least 500 to 1,000 mg/d) and calcium (more than 800 mg/d) may also be associated with both a decrease in blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. Commented Dr. Houston: "If we were to achieve the correct potassium/sodium ratio through dietary means, there would be less hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the population as a whole."

• Good food sources of potassium: sweet potatoes, tomato paste, soybeans, bananas.
• Good food sources of magnesium: pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, spinach, unrefined grains.

A Little Dark Chocolate for the Heart

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardio-vascular disease, which includes the specific diseases of heart attacks, heart failure and high blood pressure (hypertension), accounts for 30 percent of deaths worldwide. Dark chocolate contains high concentrations of flavonoids, a potent antioxidant compound. Romina di Giuseppe, from the Laboratory of Genetic and Environmental Epidemiology at Catholic University (Campobasso, Italy), and colleagues evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of dark chocolate in a group of 5,000 study participants in generally good health. Researchers collected the subjects' dietary habits via food surveys and measured serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood marker of inflammation. The team determined that CRP levels were 17 percent lower in the study subjects who consumed dark chocolate as compared to those who did not consume any at all.

As reported in the October 2008 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the researchers found: "Consumers of up to 1 serving (20 g) of dark chocolate every 3 days had serum CRP concentrations that were significantly lower than nonconsumers or higher consumers. Our findings suggest that regular consumption of small doses of dark chocolate may reduce inflammation." According to the team, these reductions in CRP translate into a 33 percent risk reduction of cardiovascular disease in women and a 26 percent risk reduction in men.

Calcium: Not Just for Strong Bones and Teeth

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and Europe and is a significant cause of long-term disability. To investigate the association between calcium intake and risk of cardiovascular disease (including stroke), Mitsumasa Umesawa, from the University of Tsukuba (Japan), and colleagues followed 41,526 Japanese men and women (ages 40 to 59 at the study's start) for 13 years. Men and women who consumed the highest calcium from all dietary sources lowered their risk of stroke by 30 percent, reported the study, published in the July 17, 2008 issue of Stroke.

• Good food sources of calcium: fortified cereal, plain yogurt, cheese.

Your doctor can provide you with more information on how sound nutrition can positively influence your health and well-being. For compre-hensive listings of good food sources of these and other nutrients, search the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Data Laboratory online (www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search).

Ronald Klatz, MD, is the president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging (www.worldhealth.net), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, detection and treatment of aging-related disease.