Better than drugs: DASH diet protects against heart disease
A nutrition study, which was accompanied by 4,500 people over 13 years, proves that a certain diet can reduce the risk for heart disease dramatically. In particular, persons under 75 years were able to benefit from the so-called DASH diet, the extra is designed to reduce the risks for high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and congestive heart failure.
A research team at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina recently published the results of a long-term study that observed the eating habits of 4,500 Participants, over a period of 13 years. The researchers showed that people who followed the concept of the DASH diet, diseases with a significantly lower risk of heart. Of those, the most they held strictly to the diet, as a rule of the DASH, were able to halve their risk of heart disease almost. According to the researchers, this is better than any available drug. The results were recently presented in the “American Journal of Preventive Medicine”.
DASH diet is more effective than drugs
“Only a few previous studies have examined the effects of the DASH diet on the incidence of heart failure,” says lead author Dr. med. Claudia L. Campos in a press release of the study results. This research have shown that adherence to the DASH diet the risk of heart failure can reduce by almost half. “This is better than any other medication,” stresses the Physician.
What is the DASH diet?
DASH is an eating plan that extra for the prevention of heart disease has been developed. DASH stands for the English expression “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”, so in English: Dietary approaches for hypertension. The diet focuses on the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain products, poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products.
Less heart disease through proper nutrition
The Participants had to answer at regular intervals in a questionnaire about their diet and were divided into one of five groups. After 13 years showed, were represented in the group, which had held most closely to the DASH-principle, about 40 percent fewer incidents of heart weakness, as in the group, the concept was the furthest from this diet way.
On these food you should avoid better
While healthy foods are promoted, should unhealthy be greatly reduced or omitted. According to the recommendations of the DASH diet, a high salt intake, red meat, sweets and sugar-containing beverages are to be brought to the food, the diseases, the most with the emergence of the heart in connection. Also high-fat dairy products and alcohol should be under the DASH concept is an exception in the diet.
Heart failure is one of the most common health problems
“Heart failure is a common cause for hospital stays among older adults and is associated with considerable costs for health care,” says Dr. Campos. Therefore, it is an important goal of the public health, to identify modifiable risk factors for heart failure and other heart diseases. Due to the exceptional results of this observational study should now be in a clinical study will test whether the DASH diet can be specifically for the prevention of heart diseases.
Overall, the DASH diet is a particularly promising diet approach, because it unfolds not only in relation to heart health positive effects. As was shown in previous studies that the DASH diet also reduces the risk of cancer and the life expectancy is significantly increased. The now identified preventive effect against heart disease, therefore, is just one of the many scientifically proven benefits of the DASH diet.(vb)