Healthy Eating Saves Lives

We have all heard that eating plenty of vegetables and fruit is good for the heart…but how helpful is a healthy diet really? According to a study just published in the journal Circulation, diet really does make a difference.
More than 30,000 older adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease were tracked for nearly 5 years. These people were all at least 55 years old and already had diabetes or history of a stroke or heart disease. They were volunteers in two drug studies, but meticulous information on dietary intake was also collected so that diet quality could be evaluated.
The Alternative Healthy Eating Index was used to standardize the diet score. Those in the top fifth of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index were 35 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular causes than those in the lowest fifth. This held up no matter which medications they took as part of the study. The scientists concluded that a healthy diet in combination with appropriate medications can really save lives.
If you feel you could use some help on how to improve your diet, we suggest you tune in to our forthcoming interview with Dr. John LaPuma, ChefMD. He has some wonderful suggestions on a healthful diet that can help control cholesterol and aid in weight gain. You may also be interested in our cookbook, Recipes and Remedies from The People’s Pharmacy. While the recipes are delicious, they were selected because they offer insight into a healthful way of eating.
[Circulation, online Dec. 3, 2012]