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Proper nutrition will keep you from having another stroke and heart attack
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Eating healthy can help prevent future strokes and heart attacks.
Many people with cardiovascular disease mistakenly believe that taking medications to lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels is enough to reduce their risks and prevent strokes and heart attacks.
However, scientists from the Canadian Institute of Health Research at McMaster University in Ontario warn that patients with such diseases should not rely on medications alone, because healthy eating is no less important in preventing and preventing strokes and heart attacks. In addition, proper diet is very important for those who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, because changes in gastronomic habits can save a person's life and reduce the risk of premature death.
The study involved 31,546 people living in 40 countries, aged 64 to 67, who suffered from either diabetes with organ damage or cardiovascular disease. The study participants were followed for almost five years. Before the experiment, all volunteers were questioned about their culinary preferences. The experts were interested in the products that the subjects preferred over the previous year, as well as how often such products as fish, milk, meat, vegetables, poultry and whole grains were present in their menu.
Over the entire study period, 5,190 strokes and heart attacks were recorded. Those who ate healthy food were less likely to suffer cardiovascular events.
An analysis by experts found that study participants who ate foods that were good for heart health had a 35% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. They also had a 14% lower risk of having a second heart attack, a 19% lower risk of stroke, and a 28% lower risk of congestive heart failure.
Experts say that maintaining healthy eating habits is not that difficult. It is enough to just eat whole grains, more fruits, nuts and fish. Scientists also recommend reducing the consumption of meat products and eggs.
The volunteers who showed the best results included five servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, three servings of whole grains and one serving of nuts in their diet daily. This study once again confirms previous studies that considered poor nutrition as a threat to the development of cardiovascular diseases.
"Doctors should educate their patients about the benefits of proper nutrition and the dangers associated with unhealthy food, recommending to include fruits, vegetables, grains and fish in the diet. This will help save hundreds and thousands of lives," the scientists comment on the results of their study.
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