(Newswire.net — September 6, 2013) Portland, OR —
Vascular dysfunction slowly builds over decades as arteries become less elastic and blood pressure rises as people abuse their bodies with poor food and lifestyle.
The good news is that a plethora of research shows how the risk of stroke is dramatically lowered by making simple diet changes according to a team study out of Tufts University in Boston.
The team from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center published in the journal, Diabetes Care, that a gene variant strongly associated with development of type II diabetes appears to interact with a Mediterranean diet pattern to prevent stroke.
The scientists evaluated 7,018 men and women who participated in the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (PREDIMED) trial for a period of five years. The goal was to determine if a Mediterranean or a low-fat controlled diet had an effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack, as well as how played a part.
What researchers found was a gene variant called Transcription Factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) was key in glucose metabolism and could lead to the development of diabetes and heart disease. The research indicated that stroke incidence was greatly reduced by eating a Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean also appeared to negate the genetic predisposition leading to diabetes.
“Being on the Mediterranean diet reduced the number of strokes in people with two copies of the variant… the food they ate appeared to eliminate any increased stroke susceptibility, putting them on an even playing field with people with one or no copies of the variant,” according to lead study author, Dr. Jose Ordovas.
Previous studies have shown that as many as two-thirds of the population may possess one or two genetic variants which makes them susceptible to developing chronic illnesses including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Much published research has indicated that diet and lifestyle modifications can negate or eliminate genetic disposition toward diseases, and the Mediterranean-style diet has been shown to lower the risk of the develpment of diabetes development and its progression.
Sources:
http://care.diabetesjournals.org
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com