Popular Diets Can Unclog Arteries
A new study demonstrated that any one of
three heart-healthy diets -- low-fat, low-carbohydrate,
Mediterranean -- can reverse the thickening of artery walls
that can lead to heart attack and stroke.
The key appears to be adherence to a sensible
diet. Once someone sticks to such a diet over a period of
time, regression of atherosclerosis is possible.
Atherosclerosis involves a thickening and narrowing of blood
vessels. When narrowing leads to a full blockage of blood flow,
heart attacks or strokes are the result.
Researchers put 140 middle-aged, overweight men
and women into one of three low-calorie diets: low-fat;
low-carbohydrate; or the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes
fruits, vegetables and healthy fats such as those found in
olive oil.
About one-third of the participants were taking blood
pressure medications and one-quarter were taking
cholesterol-lowering medications, mostly statins.
The researchers tracked the participants' adherence to the
recommended diet, as well as their weight and blood pressure.
Using ultrasound scans to obtain three-dimensional images, the
team also assessed the volume and thickness of the carotid
arteries, the major vessels carrying blood to the brain.
After two years, the researchers found that dieters
experienced a significant 5 percent reduction in average
carotid artery wall volume and a 1.1 percent reduction in
carotid wall thickness.
There were also moderate reductions in blood pressure and
average weight.
Overall, better living with diet and moderate weight loss
and improvement in blood pressure, a reversal of plaque
build-up can occur.
All three diets had certain elements in common -- an
increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and decreased
consumption of dangerous trans-fats, especially those found in
processed foods.
Overall, researchers feel that no matter how weight loss is
attained, it bodes well for the carotid artery. Weight
loss improves many things for the body according to doctors,
however they stress that anyone starting a diet must be
prepared to adopt it for the long haul.
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