Every year, in more than 300 cities, over a million people participate in the American Heart Association's Heart Walk to raise money and awareness about heart disease. And you can reduce your risk of heart disease by participating!

Walking is great for heart health (and everything else!), but you need to keep it up. Well, a new review reveals how you can do just that. It looked at evidence from 18 studies that followed healthy adults, tracking whether they walked in groups, alone or not at all. The researchers found that those who participated in group walking were most likely to stick with it (the researchers checked in at six months). That's because a buddy system builds the 3Cs: commitment, community and continuity.

So if you and your friends have been talking about starting a walking routine:

Make a plan with a pal (or two or three or more) and sign a Buddy Exercise Agreement. Google "Making a Buddy Exercise Agreement" for tips and a form.

For your walks, try different neighborhoods, local trails or parks.

Check in regularly with anyone who misses a session to help them get back on track (you'll benefit too).

And don't put it off: Getting outside in the sunshine can raise your spirits, boost your vitamin D and help strengthen your bones. Plus, exercise helps make you less vulnerable to colds and flu.

False readings

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that many children who get a high blood pressure reading don't actually have hypertension. Researchers looked at data on over 755,000 kids ages 3-17 and found that although nearly 25 percent of them had an HBP reading at their primary-care doctor's office, less than half were confirmed with a second check. And only 2.3 percent of those kids had sustained high blood pressure over time!

So, if your child gets a HBP reading, test again, and if it's elevated, monitor over time to see if it stays high. If it does, do whatever is needed to get it under control.

Q: My dad had a stroke last year that affected his left side. He's doing pretty well at physical therapy, but he can't cook for himself right now, so I'm helping out. Is there anything specific I should know about what his diet should be?

Shannon L., Brooklyn, New York

A: Your timing is excellent. A new study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference focused on how a version of the Mediterranean Diet helps people avoid post-stroke cognitive decline. (Stroke survivors are twice as likely as the general population to experience cognitive decline.)

The researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the MIND Diet - that's the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The diet study was tested by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and it's the Mediterranean Diet on, well, we'll go ahead and say it: steroids. The nutrients emphasized in the MIND Diet are folate, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids and flavonoids. That's because those nutrients, the researchers say, "are associated with slower rates of cognitive decline, while substances such as saturated and hydrogenated fats have been associated with dementia."

To follow the MIND Diet, make sure your dad:

Gets three servings of whole grains and a combo of green leafy vegetables and other colors every day, along with a glass of wine.

Snacks on nuts most days.

Has beans every other day.

Enjoys skinless poultry and berries at least twice a week.

Eats fish at least once a week. We recommend twice weekly with either salmon or sea trout.

And does not eat: red meat, dairy, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast food.