The Mediterranean Diet & Heart Health
❤️ February is American Heart Month, and I’ll be focusing on heart-health-related issues all month long.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men AND women in the United States.
This is why SCREENING and PREVENTION are so important.
For this reason, I am aggressive in screening for cardiovascular disease in my patients. I test beyond a basic lipid panel with advanced cardiovascular laboratory panels, genetic markers of risk, nutritional testing, coronary artery calcium CT scans, and more.
I also spend a lot of time counseling patients on cardiovascular risk reduction. Like most conditions I treat in my Integrative and Functional Medicine practice - these conversations often start with FOOD.
Not only do your food choices impact the way that you feel, but your food choices also significantly impact your risk of chronic disease and most cancers.
The Mediterranean Diet - Your First Step to Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk
The Mediterranean Diet is research-proven to lower the risk of cognitive decline, promote longevity, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and cancer - but perhaps most compelling is the data on the Mediterranean Diet and reduced risk of heart disease.
The Lyon Heart Study
The Lyon Heart Study, a groundbreaking clinical trial conducted in the 1990s, marked a significant turning point in our understanding of how diet impacts heart health. This study was primarily focused on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular health, particularly in individuals who had already suffered a heart attack. The study was unique as it targeted a high-risk group and was able to observe the impacts of dietary changes on secondary heart disease prevention.
The study's results were so compelling that it was stopped early; the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in reducing the risk of recurrent heart attacks were clear and undeniable.
The Lyon Heart Study demonstrated a 50-70% reduction in the risk of recurrent heart attacks, sudden death, and other cardiovascular events among those who followed the Mediterranean diet compared to a control group on a standard Western diet.
The diet's high content of antioxidants, healthy fats (particularly omega-3 fatty acids), and fiber, along with a low intake of red meat and processed foods, was thought to be the key to its success. This study not only bolstered the evidence supporting the Mediterranean diet's heart-healthy benefits but also inspired a paradigm shift in how diet is perceived in the prevention and management of heart diseases.
Overview of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes:
▪️ Vegetables, fruits, beans, & whole grains
▪️ Healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts, & seeds
▪️ Protein from fish, poultry, beans, & eggs (only small amounts of red meat, avoiding processed meat)
▪️ Some dairy products
▪️ Limited sugars and processed foods
🫒 My patients often hear me recommend “The Modified Mediterranean Diet” - which I explain means a Mediterranean diet without bread and pasta - especially the white stuff.
Bottom line:
This approach to eating, focusing on nutrient-rich foods and limited processed items, is more than a diet; it's a powerful tool in cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
Food is Medicine 🥦🫐🍅
My dietary recommendations vary for each patient - taking into account their unique situation, lab tests, genetics, and personal goals. This is a highly individualized process. As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I can help you “think outside of the box and dig deeper with a variety of laboratory testing to help uncover the underlying root causes of your symptoms and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to get started!