Outsmart late-summer puffiness

Tired and puffy? Sluggish kidneys may be to blame. The organs keep fluid levels in balance and flush draining toxins and waste from the bloodstream.

- Melissa Gotthardt

And healthy kidneys do more than just block bloat and energy dips: German scientists say they cut heart disease risk by up to 69%. But summer heat strains the organs. Plus, kidney function slows by up to 44% between our 40s and 50s and can continue to decline over time. Here’s what can help

Spoon up baked beans  

Or enjoy three-bean salad. Eating 1⁄2 cup of legumes like kidney beans or navy beans daily slashes your odds of kidney slowdowns by 50%. So say researchers reporting in the British Journal of Nutrition, who found that the soluble fiber in legumes protects against bloodsugar spikes that can damage kidneys over time. Other foods that deliver a kidney- friendly fiber boost: chickpeas, green peas and lentils.

Stroll the neighborhood