The DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and One's Risk for Heart Disease

The DASH diet also called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension can substantially lower one's risk for hypertension and cardiovasular disease.  The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, while reducing the intake of saturated fats such as red meat, sweets, and sugar-containing beverages.  The DASH diet was associated with an eight percent decrease in LDL ( low-density lipoprotein ) cholesterol and a reduction of the systolic blood pressure by 6 mm Hg.  The DASH diet showed a ten year cardiovascular reduction of eighteen percent.

Another study on how the diet can lower our risk for heart disease.

Processed Meat Linked to Cardiovascular Disease & Diabetes

This is the first study done that shows that processed meat not unprocessed meat can increase one's risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  The study in Circulation May 2010 shows that eating 50 grams of processed meat such as a hot dog or two slices of deli meat increases one's risk for cardiovascular disease by forty two percent and increases one's risk for diabetes by nineteen percent.  Red meat and processed meats have the same amount of saturated fats and cholesterol but processed meat has four times the amount of sodium and fifty percent more preservatives such as nitrites than unprocessed red meat.  Processed meats included smoking, curing and salting.  Processed meats have also been associated with increasing blood pressure because of the sodium content and nitrate preservatives have been shown to promote atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance. With a forty percent increase risk of heart disease with 50 grams or less than two ounces which is easily eaten for one meal one can double their risk for heart disease. 

This study does not suggest that unprocessed red meat is healthy.  Unprocessed red meat is loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat thus also increases one's risk for heart disease and high cholesterol.

Eliminating Saturated Fats & Carbs Reduces the Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

A meta-analysis study published in March 23, 2010 in PLoS Medicine shows that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats such as fish and vegetable oils such as canola, soybean, salflower or sunflower oil reduced once risk for heart disease significantly.  Many individuals have replaced saturated fats with refined carbohydrates.  Recent meta-analysis studies show that replacing saturated fats with refined carbohydrates does not lower one's risk for cardiovascular disease. In order to lower one's risk for cardiovascular disease both saturated fats and refined carbohydrates need to be reduced. The risk of cardiovascular disease was reduced by 19% for those individuals who lowered their saturated fat intake and increased polyunsaturated fats.  With each 5% increase in polyunsaturated fats there was a 10% decrease in heart disease.  This study is significant.  If your decreasing saturated fat intake and replacing the saturated fats with refined carbohydrates there is no benefit. 

Cinnamon Can Lower the Risk For Diabetes

This was a double blind placebo controlled study published in Diab Med 2010 thirty diabetes with a glycolated hemogoblin of greater than 7 were given 2 grams of cinnamon per day for 12 weeks vs a placebo group.  After 12 weeks the glycated  hemogoblin decreased by 0.36% in the cinnamon group vs a 0.12% increase in the placebo group.  Also the blood pressure decreased in the cinnamon group.  What if the study was done over a longer period in other words one year would the glycated hemogoblin  decrease even further? 

Alcohol and Nicotine Feed Each Other

A study conducted in Additions 1995 found that 80% to 95% of alcoholics smoke, compared with 25% to 30% of nonalcoholics.  Even among nonalcoholics, those who smoked were reported to drink twice as much alcohol as did nonsmokers.  This indicates that alcoholic programs should also have smoking cessation programs in there facilities.

Cigarette Smoking Increasing One's Risk for Arthritis

A study reported in the December issue of  Arthritis & Rheumatism states that cigarette smoking increases the risk for rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans.  The study showed a two fold increase in rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans who were heavy smokers.  The study also showed that one in six cases of rheumatoid arthrtis can be prevented through smoking cessation or by limiting exposure to 10 packs per year.  The risk attributed to smoking is highest in African Americans who are positive for the gene HLA-DRB1 SE alleles.

Another Study States That A Healthy Lifestyle Lowers Your Risk For Breast Cancer

A study in Breast Cancer Research 2010 shows that obesity, inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption increases one's risk for breast cancer.  It does matter if there is a family history of breast cancer or not. There were 85,644 postmenopausal women enrolled in this study. Approximately 25% of the sample were over the age of 70 years at baseline, approximately 83% were of white racial/ethnic background, and approximately 39% had completed a four-year college degree.  Twelve percent reported a family history of breast cancer (in a first-degree relative at the age of 45 years or more). Eighty-seven percent of participants drank less than seven alcoholic beverages per week, 24% exercised for at least 20 minutes at moderate/vigorous intensity at least five times per week, and 23% maintained a healthy weight.  The rate of invasive breast cancer among women with a family history of breast cancer who participated in exercise, less than 7 drinks a week and were at their ideal weight was 5.94 per 1,000 woman-years, compared with 6.97 per 1,000 woman who participated in none of the behaviors. The rate among women with no family history for breast cancer who participated in all three behavioral conditions was 3.51 per 1,000 woman-years compared to 4.67 per 1,000 woman for those who participated in none of the behaviors. 

This study indicates that a healthy lifestyle really does reduce one's risk for breast cancer regardless of a family history.