Jane, my best friend and her parents and siblings also have serious heart problems and all have had surgeries. Her hubby, otoh, who is now 83 eats a deplorable diet, try coke and choc chip cookie for fav. breakfast, bologna sands...and does not take a single med...neither otc nor prescribed. Best friend is highly conscious of and adheres to her strict diet. Hubby has the best bp in the county, is strong as an ox and in the 20+ years I've known him was hospitalized once for kidney stones...we know about kidney diets but.....