Reader’s Digest just named veganism the best diet for people who suffer from heart disease and – more specifically – clogged arteries.
“That’s the word from this year’s American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions, where this groundbreaking new study was presented,” wrote RD writer Lauren Cahn.
However, there’s nothing new about the link between eating animal products and heart disease. It has been proven that eating lots of red meat is linked to clogged arteries, while the vegetarian diet slightly clogs the arteries, and the vegan diet keeps the arteries nice and clear.
“The study authors began with the notion that inflammation plays a central role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis (also known as “coronary heart disease” or “CAD”), a form of heart disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries and that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and death,” Cahn continued.
“In fact, previous studies indicated that 30 percent of people suffering from CAD have elevated blood levels of an inflammation marker known as High Sensitive C-reactive Protein (“HSCRP”) and reducing inflammation would improve outcomes in patients with CAD.”
The researchers suggested that ditching all sources of animal protein and shifting over to a fully plant-based diet would help people who suffer from CAD. Furthermore, switching to the plant-based diet early on would help prevent CAD altogether.
The study involved 100 participants (volunteers with CAD) to participate in eight weeks of eating either a vegan-protein-based diet or an animal-protein-based (AHA) diet. By the end of those eight weeks, the participants who chose to follow the vegan diet had drastically lower levels of HSCRP in their blood, as compared to the participants who continued with the animal-protein-based diet.
The AHA had previously recommended that patients with CAD should eat a diet that was low in saturated and trans fats and high in fruits and vegetables. However, they saw better results after eliminating animal products altogether.
In addition, the volunteer patients who tried the vegan diet found it much easier to follow than the AHA diet.
Considering heart disease is a leading cause of death amongst Americans, it’s clear that adopting the vegan diet isn’t such as bad idea after all.
#vegan #health
