Olive oil and nuts in diet control heart disease better than dangerous drug therapies

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 by: John Phillip
Tags: olive oil, heart disease, health news

(NaturalNews) More vindication for a natural Mediterranean-style diet, including plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and nuts, was revealed in an advanced study published by the prestigious journal Atherosclerosis. Early results from a Spanish study with more than 7500 participants demonstrates that high quantities of dietary EVOO and a variety of different species of nuts is more effective in managing and preventing a heart event than traditional drug therapy. Many physicians place their patients on the standard prescription of beta blockers and ACE inhibitors in a desperate effort to prevent advancing heart disease, even though repeated studies prove these drugs are detrimental to long-term health. Include copious amounts of EVOO and nuts in your diet to dramatically lower heart disease risk and avoid the need for risk drugs.

To conduct the study, researchers placed the participants into one of three groups following a Mediterranean style diet: a diet receiving 30 liters of EVOO over a 90 day period, a nut group consuming 30 grams per day of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts or a standard low-fat diet. Among those participants over the age of 55, the scientists found that carotid artery thickness was significantly reduced in the EVOO and nut groups for individuals with already thickened arterial walls.

Study Provides Proof of Natural Diet over Drugs in the Fight against Heart Disease

Researchers commented, "A modification in the entire diet pattern managed to achieve in just one year, results that pharmaceutical drugs did not - even after two years of treatment." Lead study author, Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez was impressed that a diet concentrated on natural food sources high in beneficial fats improved cardiovascular risk outcomes more than Pharma options. The study also found that the traditional low-fat (high carbohydrate) diet frequently prescribed by physicians and dieticians today has no health benefits and allows for heart disease to progress unabated.

Most alternative health practitioners understand that a dramatic reduction of wheat-based carbohydrates coupled with increased monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 sources can provide for vascular elasticity to lower risk of heart disease and stroke. No drug can make the same claim, despite billions of dollars spent to market and promote unnecessary pharmaceutical options to millions of unsuspecting patients.

Dr. Martinez-Gonzalez concluded "We thus observed... a significant improvement and regression of lesions having taken place in those cases that had followed a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil or nuts." After just 90 days of EVOO or nut consumption, lipoprotein ratios improved enough to deliver significant improvement in heart disease risk for both men and women following the diet. To lower your risk of heart disease, adopt a Mediterranean-style eating pattern and be certain to include a healthy dose of EVOO (unheated) and unprocessed nuts (not roasted, cooked or heated).

Sources for this article include:

http://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/artic...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21640348
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Oli...

About the author:
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.