Weight Maintenance
Another winner for veggies is keeping to an optimal weight. Numerous studies show that, as a group, vegetarians are slimmer than their meat-eating counterparts . It goes without saying of course that a well balanced vegetarian or vegan diet together with regular exercise is the key to healthy weight maintenance. You can have your cake (chocolate and vegan of course!) and eat it - but best keep it for special occasions only!Vegetarian Diet Clears Up Arteries and Offers Alternative to Aspirin
That vegetarian diets can also play a therapeutic role in heart disease treatment has long been known. The Reversal Diet devised by Californian clinician Dr Dean Ornish strongly demonstrates the power of a vegetarian diet to reverse even severe CVD. Patients in his studies who follow the near-vegan diet show a significant reduction in the hardening of their arteries .Whilst aspirin is widely prescribed to reduce the risks of heart disease, there are downsides to this in terms of cost and the increased risk of ulcers. Can plant-based diets offer any alternatives here? You bet they can! A neat little study by Scottish researchers found that levels of salicylic acid - the main component in aspirin - was found to be up to 12 times higher in vegetarians than meat-eaters (20). Not surprising really when you consider that salicylic acid is widely present in fruits and vegetables- a major component of vegetarian diets.
Overall Strategy for Healthy Hearts
There are clearly huge benefits to be had from eating a diet that is plant-based. In terms of what types of foods should be chosen a few simple strategies emerge Firstly, get the right source of fat in your diet. Fats are vital for the heart but not all fats are equal! Use unsaturated fats instead of saturated (mainly animal) fats. Plant sources of fat from beans, (including soya), seeds (including flaxseed), nuts (unsalted) and their oils provide the essential omega-3 & 6 fats the heart needs. Whilst oily fish contain omega-3 fats they come ready packaged with those nice little extras such as toxic chemicals! Olive oil is also heart friendly. Trans -fats (altered fats found in many processed foods) are bad news for hearts and should also be avoided. Secondly, eat plentiful amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Thirdly, eat wholegrains such as wholemeal breads -processed white flour foods like white bread along with sugar are best avoided. Fourthly, eat moderate amounts of healthy sources of protein such as beans (of all types), lentils, nuts and seeds.Good vegetarian diets are based on these four dietary strategies. Regular physical exercise, healthy weight maintenance and avoidance of smoking are, of course, also necessary in keeping hearts healthy.
Wake Up To Plant-Based Diets
There is now a large body of scientific evidence that demonstrates unequivocally the power of plant-based diets for maintaining a healthy heart. Go veggie - your heart will thank you for it!Summary
- Over 235,000 people die every year in the UK from cardiovascular disease.
- Compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians have a 25% lower risk of dying from heart disease.
- Major risk factors for heart disease are smoking; lack of exercise; high blood pressure; high cholesterol levels; diabetes and being overweight.
- Vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure levels, lower cholesterol levels and, as a group, are slimmer than comparable meat-eaters.
- The most powerful cholesterol-lowering agents are all found exclusively in plant foods.
- Homocysteine is a recently discovered risk factor for heart disease. Adequate intakes of folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 are needed to lower levels in the body.
- Vegetarian diets can help reverse cardiovascular disease by reducing the hardening of the arteries.
- Optimal dietary strategy for hearts:- plant-based diets with saturated (unhealthy, mainly animal fats) replaced with healthy, plant-based fats and oils; plentiful servings of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and plant proteins like lentils, beans and soya. Plus regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and avoidance of smoking.
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/)
