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Proper nutrition will protect against repeated stroke and heart attack
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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A healthy diet can help prevent a second stroke and heart attack.
Many people suffering from cardiovascular diseases erroneously believe that to reduce risks and prevent strokes and heart attacks, it will be enough to take medications that lower blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol.
However, scientists from the Canadian Institute for Health Research at the University of Macmaster in Ontario warn that patients with these diseases can not rely only on drugs, because healthy food is no less important in preventing and preventing the occurrence of strokes and heart attacks. In addition, the right diet is very important for those who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, because changes in gastronomic habits can save a person's life and reduce the risks of premature death.
The study of scientists involved 31 546 people living in 40 countries, aged 64 to 67 years, who suffered from either diabetes mellitus with organ damage or cardiovascular diseases. Observation of the participants of the study lasted almost five years. Before the experiment began, all volunteers were interviewed for culinary preferences. Specialists were interested in products that the subjects preferred over the previous year, as well as how often their menu included products such as fish, milk, meat, vegetables, poultry and wholemeal products.
During the entire period of the study, 5,190 strokes and heart attacks were recorded. Those who ate healthy food were less likely to become victims of cardiovascular events.
An analysis conducted by experts showed that participants in the study who consumed products that benefited heart health, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 35%. In addition, the risk of recurrent myocardial infarction also decreased - by 14%, the risk of stroke decreased by 19% and the risk of congestive heart failure decreased by 28%.
Experts say that sticking to healthy eating habits is not so difficult. It is enough only to consume whole grains, more fruits, nuts and fish. Also, scientists recommend reducing the consumption of meat products and eggs.
Those volunteers who showed the best performance, included daily in their diet five servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, three portions of whole-grain foods and one serving of nuts. This study once again confirms the previous, in which malnutrition was seen as a threat of the development of cardiovascular diseases.
"Doctors should educate their patients about the benefits of proper nutrition and the dangers associated with unhealthy foods, recommend including in the diet fruits, vegetables, cereals and fish. This will help save hundreds and thousands of lives, "scientists comment on the results of their research.
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