Mediterranean Diet

Take Heart: Mediterranean Diet Combats Type 2 Diabetes, Study Says

Food.FruitsAdhering to a so-called Mediterranean diet may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, especially if you’re at high risk for heart disease.

That’s the finding of researchers who reviewed 19 studies that included more than 162,000 people in different countries for an average of 5.5 years.

The analysis revealed that a Mediterranean diet – which is rich in fish, nuts, vegetables and fruits – was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with other eating patterns.

A Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of diabetes even more – by 27 percent – among people at high risk for heart disease. Diabetes prevention is especially important for people at risk of heart disease, according to the authors of the study, which is to be presented Saturday at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.

“Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture,” lead investigator Demosthenes Panagiotakos, a professor at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, said in a college news release. “This diet has a beneficial effect, even in high-risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet.”

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Source: MedicineNet.

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Study Further Illuminates Heart-Healthy Benefits of Mediterranean Diet

Food.Diet.ListNew research further illuminates the heart-healthy benefits of the Mediterranean diet, tying the eating plan to lower levels of platelets and white blood cells, two markers of inflammation. Inflammation has an association with greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Mediterranean diet, characterized by generous servings of foods such as greens, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, has long been hailed as a heart-healthy eating plan. While the link between the diet and a reduction in inflammation has been established, the connection between the eating plan and levels of platelets and white blood cells, two specific inflammatory markers in the body, has remained unclear. Specifically, high platelet counts are associated with both vascular disease and non-vascular conditions such as cancer, and a high white blood cell count is a predictor of ischemic vascular disease.

“An important finding of this study is that it indicates that the Mediterranean diet as a whole, and not just a few specific ingredients, is likely responsible for the beneficial health outcomes among the healthy population and should be encouraged as part of healthy eating habits,” said lead study author Marialaura Bonaccio.

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Source: Medical News Today.