Heart disease is of concern to the people of Syracuse. In consideration of the horrible pain and loss of productivity for the individual and the community when heart disease hits effective and safe manners to prevent heart disease are of interest here. And nutritional perspectives on heart disease prevention are always welcomed by people in Syracuse in order to help avoid potentially harmful dependence on drugs.
An report on the value of a Mediterranean diet to promote a heart healthy life is therefore of interest here in Syracuse. EurekAlert has reported on the value of this diet for heart health in the article "Mediterranean diet: A heart-healthy plan for life", http://bit.ly/hPIf8Z. A new study which has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports that the Mediterranean diet has been proven to have beneficial effects not only regarding metabolic syndrome, but also on its individual components including waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol levels, triglycerides levels, blood pressure levels and glucose metabolism, http://bit.ly/eX4keE.
This study which is a meta-analysis includes results of 50 studies on the Mediterranean diet, including an overall studied population of about half a million subjects. The lead research investigator, Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D., associate professor in Biostatistics-Epidemiology of Nutrition, Department of Science of Dietetics - Nutrition, Harokopio University of Athens, has said "The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is increasing rapidly throughout the world, in parallel with the increasing incidence of diabetes and obesity, and is now considered a major public health problem. Additionally, the metabolic syndrome is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease (directly or indirectly), associated with personal and socio-economic burdens. As a result, prevention of this condition is of considerable importance."
EurekAlert reports that the dietary pattern of the Mediterranean diet consists of high consumption of "monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily from olives and olive oils; daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products; weekly consumption of fish, poultry, tree nuts, and legumes; a relatively low consumption of red meat; and a moderate daily consumption of alcohol, normally with meals". According to Dr. Panagiotakos and Christina-Maria Kastorini, MSc, Ph.D. candidate, the Mediterranean diet, is one of the best-known and well-studied dietary patterns, which has been shown to be associated with decreased mortality from all causes, lower risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancer.
In consideration of the limited financial resources many countries face in the 21st century, better eating is clearly an effective and affordable means for preventing cardiovascular diseases, at the population level, Dr. Panagiotakos has also suggested. And in consideration of the uncertain economic conditions right here in Syracuse coupled with the added benefits of good nutritional patterns even when the economy is good the Mediterranean diet serves as a rational way for people in Syracuse too to protect themselves from heart disease.
Photographer: Suat Eman
