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Foods such as kale, cantaloupe, and quinoa can boost the amount of nutrients you consume without increasing calories.

Getting enough nutrients through diet is challenging as we age. Our bodies don't absorb nutrients as well as they once did, yet we tend to need fewer calories and eat less. So it's important to make the most out of the foods we do eat. One way is by choosing more nutrient-dense foods, which provide more nutrition bang for the calorie buck. "They contain an abundance of nutrients and other healthful substances—vitamins and minerals, fiber, lean protein, and unsaturated fats—but are not excessive in calories. This is compared with foods of low nutrient density that are high in calories," says Liz Moore, a registered dietitian at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

High levels of these fatty particles in the blood means you may need to step up healthy lifestyle changes.

Some commercial weight-loss plans may help you lose a few pounds, but long-term weight control depends on healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

Q. The article in your December 2014 issue about women's waistlines expanding the past few years intrigued me, because I have experienced an increase, and I have not gained weight. My theory is that the styles of the past few years—pants riding low on the hips, no belts at the waist, and loose shirts—may have caused my waist to increase from 24 to 25½ inches. I am 59 years old, so it also could be aging in general, but I still think the belted styles kept women smaller. Am I right?

A. There is no evidence that the physical effect of wearing a belt influences waist circumference. At best, wearing a belt is one way to keep tabs on your waistline. While having to loosen their belt a notch may drive some women to re-examine their diet and exercise routines, it doesn't sound as if you need to do that. I think your alternative explanation that aging is responsible is more likely to be true.

Physical therapy and weight loss can relieve knee pain and protect your mobility.

Substantial research proves the Mediterranean and DASH eating plans offer important health benefits for men.

Maintaining a healthy weight is the best way to rein in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic heartburn, according to a study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Researchers found that GERD symptoms increased for every incremental rise in body mass index (BMI), which measures the ratio of weight to height.

In GERD, the acidic contents of the stomach back up into the lower esophagus, causing burning pain. The most effective treatment for GERD is taking an acid-reducing proton-pump inhibitor medication, such as omeprazole (Prilosec). People who are overweight are much more likely to develop GERD.

People with high blood pressure could benefit from a B vitamin known as folate if they are not getting enough from their diets, according to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study included more than 20,000 adults in China with high blood pressure who had never had a stroke or heart attack. Participants who took folate supplements along with a blood pressure medication had fewer strokes over the four-and-one-half-year trial than those who only took the medication.

The new recommendations for healthy eating emphasize diet over individual nutrients and overturn some long-held beliefs.

Munching a small handful every day may protect your heart.