The Mediterranean diet is regarded as being extremely healthful because it emphasises whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats in addition to fish and seafood for protein for health .
According to earlier studies, a few of the foods that are high in the Mediterranean diet can help reduce LDL cholesterol. These consist of nuts Trusted Source, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids Trusted Source, olive oil Trusted Source, and whole grains.
According to a May 2017 study, persons at high risk for cardiovascular disease who followed a Mediterranean diet had lower levels of LL cholesterol, especially when the diet was enhanced with virgin olive oil.
According to a July 2020 study, study participants who were overweight or obese saw a decrease in cholesterol when they switched to a Mediterranean diet.
In a similar vein, a June 2020 study discovered that individuals with hypercholesterolemia, or elevated LDL cholesterol, who combined the Mediterranean diet with the Portfolio DietTrusted Source, saw a 25% reduction in their LDL cholesterol levels.
Last but not least, a comprehensive analysis of 13 studies on the Mediterranean diet and high cholesterol that was published in March 2021 discovered that the diet had positive effects on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Higher levels of HDL cholesterol, which is regarded as the “good” cholesterol, in the body may help reduce a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.Reliable Source.
There were no discernible changes or effects.
Three cross-sectional studies were carried out for this study utilising data from Lausanne, Switzerland residents. Approximately 4,200 study participants had their food intake evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire.
Researchers assessed the study participants’ adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as well as their levels of triglycerides, LDL, and HDL cholesterol. The blood contains a form of fat called triglycerides. A person’s risk of heart problems can be increased by having high triglyceride levelsTrusted Source in addition to low HDL and/or high LDL cholesterol levels.
After analysis, the researchers discovered that a participant’s lipid profile—a measurement of their levels of triglycerides and cholesterol—was unaffected by how strictly they followed the Mediterranean diet.
Researchers found no discernible differences between study participants diagnosed with incident dyslipidemia—a lipid imbalance in the blood—and those who followed the Mediterranean diet.
In participants without a dyslipidemia diagnosis, researchers found a negative correlation between triglyceride levels and adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a positive correlation between HDL cholesterol. For LDL and total cholesterol, however, no significant correlations were found.
Overall, the researchers noted in their study that their findings call into question the one-size-fits-all approach to treating a particular medical condition, like lipid imbalance, and emphasise the need for additional research on long-term dietary investigations across populations.
No diet that is “one-size-fits-all”
The results were not surprising, according to Monique Richard, a registered dietitian nutritionist, owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics, and non-participant in the study.
Richard informed us that his colleagues and I, as registered dietitian nutritionists, are aware of the bio-individuality and a host of other factors, including genetics, ethnicity, activity, nutrient adequacy, prescription medication/medication interactions, metabolic cofactor functioning, bowel movements, gut health, gallbladder and bile duct functionality, and more, that affect lab values and biomarkers that measure cholesterol levels.
She issued a warning, saying, “One particular medication, diet, or exercise is not, and never will be, a ‘cure-all’ or ‘one size fits all.'”
Richard drew attention to the fact that GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company that produces cholesterol-lowering drugs, was listed as a funding source for the study even though a conflict of interest was not declared.
Richard’s assessment was supported by Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Centre in Fountain Valley, California, who was not involved in the study.
There isn’t really a diet that works for everyone in the short term. We have been searching for the best diet from an extended perspective. I continue to believe that you won’t make a mistake if you follow the Mediterranean diet, which has the most research behind it.
But Dr. Ni also expressed to MNT his concern that after reading this study, people would conclude there are no advantages to the Mediterranean diet.
He went on, “I don’t want people to think that when you say something like that, you’re throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” “I believe there are a few minor variations in cholesterol. I just don’t think that one study’s findings—that perhaps there isn’t a difference depending on adherence—will mean that you should stop following the Mediterranean diet.
There is more to lowering cholesterol than just diet.
He said to us, “Whenever I advise my patients on what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, I mean it—it’s a way of living.” It goes beyond what goes in your mouth. As significant as that is—in fact, I contend that for some—it is the primary factor influencing their chance of developing heart disease. It’s not the only thing, though; everything else matters as well.
“A Mediterranean diet is a great choice if you’re thinking about eating differently in a more healthful way,” Dr. Ni continued. “Maybe that works for you, maybe that doesn’t. If not, you can look into alternative dietary choices.
Richard suggested that readers who wanted to reduce their cholesterol speak with a registered dietitian nutritionist to discuss their needs, objectives, potential cholesterol issues, and other potential influencing factors.
She went on, “Fibre is our friend with a capital ‘F.'” It will help remove extra cholesterol if you can increase your intake of both soluble and insoluble fibre and have a healthy digestive system. The basic [minimal] recommendation is 25–35 grams of fiber a day. Only about 5–9% of Americans are currently meeting that recommendation. Get it from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains.”
Reducing salt intake also benefits people on blood pressure medications.
One strategy to reduce daily salt intake is to cook meals at home. Xavier Arnau via Getty Pictures
Excessive salt consumption is common in the diets of middle-aged and older persons in the United States, and researchers believe this has led to an increase in mortality during the past ten years.
A low-sodium diet lowered blood pressure in almost three out of four participants in a recent study involving 213 individuals, as opposed to a high-sodium diet.
Researchers found that the drop in blood pressure they saw was unrelated to the presence of hypertension or the usage of blood pressure medications.
The anti-hypertensive impact of the low-sodium diet was equivalent to that of a commonly used blood pressure drug.
The American Heart Organisation states that nine out of ten AmericansTrusted Source consume too much sodium in their diet. The average sodium intake of middle-aged and older persons in the United States is 3.5 g, which is more than the World Health Organization’s recommended sodium reduction threshold (Trusted Source).
Even in people with normal blood pressure, high-salt diets are frequently linked to increases in blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular death.
For the general population, it is recommended to have a sodium intake of under 2300mg per day,” said cardiologist Dr. Bradley Serwer, chief medical officer at cardiovascular and anesthesiology services provider VitalSolution, in an interview with Medical News Today. We advise against taking more than 1500 mg daily if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. [..]To put this in perspective, there are roughly 2,300 mg of sodium in one tablespoon of salt.
Nonetheless, differing blood pressure reactions to salt ingestion have cast doubt on dietary sodium recommendations. Additionally, little research has been done to date on how eating sodium affects blood pressure in individuals on blood pressure drugs.
According to a cutting-edge study supported by Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, a low-sodium diet can lower blood pressure just as much as a prescription medication.
This work was done in collaboration with researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Northwestern University.
As a whole, these findings “may inform recommendations to patients; that is, safe and quick dietary sodium reduction can achieve clinically meaningful lowering of blood pressure within [one] week; an effect comparable with that of a common first-line antihypertensive medication,” according to the study’s authors.
This research can be found in JAMA NetworkTrusted Source
The relationship between blood pressure and salt sensitivity
The term “salt sensitivity of blood pressure” (SSBP) describes variations in blood pressure correlated with variations in salt consumption.
Naturally, blood pressure varies to keep the balance of sodium in the blood. Hormone imbalances governing salt excretion and retention may contribute to susceptibility to SSBP.
Although it is unclear how precisely salt affects blood pressure, vascular dysregulation may also be to blame.
Michelle Routhenstein, a preventative cardiology dietician at EntirelyNourished.com, who was not part in the study, spoke with Medical News Today about it.
IMPACT OF SALT CONSUMMATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE
“Eating too much salt can raise blood pressure by impairing the kidneys’ capacity to control fluid balance and by damaging the lining of blood vessels, which causes the blood vessels to tighten and raise blood pressure. Extended high blood pressure can cause damage to the kidneys, the heart, and raise the risk of cardiovascular events.
— Routhenstein Michele
According to preliminary study, eating too much salt may lead to inflammation, which in turn might elevate blood pressure.
“The first line of treatment for high blood pressure is always dietary restriction. Dr. Serwer clarified, “We start medication if someone is unable to achieve normal blood pressure with a low sodium diet.”
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