Heart Patient Diet - Mediterranean Diet Shown to Improve Heart Function

For those who have heart problems, especially those who need a special heart patient diet, what we have been hearing for years is the focus of a study recently released. This research used twins who share identical genes to determine the effects of eating a Mediterranean diet as opposed to a typical Western-style diet. Because twins share the same genetic information, making them equally susceptible genetically to heart disease and other illnesses, they are a favorite of researches attempting to determine the effects of environmental factors like diet.

The researchers looked at just one indication of heart health, the heart rate variability (HRV). This is a measure of the interval between heartbeats; a reduced heart rate variability is a risk for coronary artery disease that may lead to sudden death. Put in layman's terms, what they found was the Mediterranean diet improved the nervous system's control of heart rate.

Eating a Mediterranean diet does not mean the typical American style Italian meal, pasta with heavy sauces, pizza, or high-fat lasagna. What it does mean is a diet rich in low saturated fats such as monounsaturated olive oil and an abundance of heart healthy foods like legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables and moderate alcohol consumption. Finding authentic cookbooks that have recipes from Spain, Italy, Greece, and the Middle East can help determine what are really the foods most commonly eaten in this area. Exciting spices add rich flavors to relatively simple meals featuring a wide variety of vegetables, grains, fish and lean meats.

Many studies have shown a correlation between a Mediterranean diet and improved cardiovascular health. Olive oil is believed to lower LDL, bad cholesterol, levels in the blood while leaving HDL, good cholesterol, levels intact. Other studies have looked at the relationship between drinking red wine and heart health. All indicate that a diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, and olive oil have benefits to arteries, capillaries, the heart, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, lowering the risk for heart attacks and stroke.

This study was very specific, looking only at the difference in the HRV between the pairs of twins who participated. Almost all of the participants were white males and the researchers say that the results cannot be generalized to include women and other ethnic groups. Their purpose was to seek the exact biological mechanism by which diet effects heart health in an attempt to better understand the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health.

Overall, for those with heat problems who need a special heart patient diet, the Mediterranean diet is a great one to consider!

Monique Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality, natural, alternative health products to treat and prevent heart disease. To learn about how to prevent and treat heart disease naturally, visit her blog for weekly tips at moniquerhawkins.com heart patient diet