A rich chocolate cake is tempting you, but where is a dietitian when you need one? The e-Care for Heart Wellness study sought to solve this problem. In the study, Group Health patients who were overweight and had hypertension were more likely to have lost 10 pounds in six months if they had secure online access to a dietitian than if they received only information and usual care. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published the e-Care study. “One patient said, ‘It’s like having a dietitian in your pocket,’” said Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH, a family doctor at Group Health, an associate investigator at Group Health Research Institute, and an assistant clinical professor in family medicine at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine. “The patients really loved this intervention – and having access to a dietitian to work with them toward a healthier lifestyle.” In addition to team-based care led by a dietitian, the patients in the intervention group were given a home blood pressure monitor, a scale, and a pedometer. They each had one in-person visit with a dietitian where, together, they created a plan to reduce their heart risk, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, with eight to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. The DASH diet is not about eating less food, just more of the right food, Dr. Green said, quoting a patient who said: “All those fruits and vegetables kept me full and less likely to eat something I might regret later.”