Coronary Artery Disease - Preventive Diets

Preventive Diets

It has been suggested that coronary artery disease is partially reversible using an intense dietary regimen coupled with regular cardio exercise.

• Vegetarian diet: Vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% reduced risk of dying of heart disease.
• Cretan Mediterranean diet: The Seven Countries Study found that Cretan men had exceptionally low death rates from heart disease, despite moderate to high intake of fat. The Cretan diet is similar to other traditional Mediterranean diets: consisting mostly of olive oil, bread, abundant fruit and vegetables, a moderate amount of wine and fat-rich animal products such as lamb, and goat cheese. However, the Cretan diet consisted of less fish and wine consumption than some other Mediterranean-style diets, such as the diet in Corfu, another region of Greece, which had higher death rates.

The consumption of trans fat (commonly found in hydrogenated products such as margarine) has been shown to cause the development of endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to atherosclerosis. The consumption of trans fatty acids has been shown to increase the risk of coronary artery disease

Foods containing fiber, potassium, nitric oxide (in green leafy vegetables), monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saponins, or lecithin are said to lower cholesterol levels. Foods high in grease, salt, trans fat, or saturated fat are said to raise cholesterol levels.