VEGETARIAN DIET TIED TO LOWER STROKE RISK
VEGETARIAN DIET TIED TO LOWER STROKE RISK
Check out this article in MedPage Today about a study of the members of the Tzu Chi Buddhist communities in Taiwan who ate vegetarian diets and were then shown to have a markedly lower stroke risk than non-vegetarian members.
MedPage Today: Vegetarian Diet Tied to Lower Stroke Risk
“Overall, our study found that a vegetarian diet was beneficial and reduced the risk of ischemic stroke, even after adjusting for known risk factors like blood pressure, blood glucose levels and fats in the blood,” Lin said in a statement. “This could mean that perhaps there is some other protective mechanism that may be protecting those who eat a vegetarian diet from stroke.”
“Research about diet and stroke risk has produced mixed results. Among women, a Mediterranean diet has been tied to reduced stroke risk, and a meta-analysis has tied meatless diets to lower blood pressure.”
“The findings contrast with the recent EPIC-Oxford study which found a higher stroke risk for vegetarians, driven largely by a higher rate of hemorrhagic stroke, Lin and co-authors noted. “Nearly 80% of vegetarians in the EPIC-Oxford study drank varying degrees of alcohol, but most participants in our studies avoid alcohol…,” they pointed out. Asian Buddhists also avoid garlic and other allium vegetables, they added.”
If you or someone you know would like to get on the road to healthier eating and learn how powerful food as medicine can be, please contact us today. We have a fantastic team including a registered dietitian, nurse practitioner, and behavioral counselor here to help support the use of whole foods in your diet, investigate laboratory abnormalities, and help you develop lifelong habits for improving your health and optimizing the state of your gut microbiome.
Call us at 224.407.4400 or visit our website www.compgihealth.com to request an appointment with any of our providers to get started! TELEMEDICINE visits are available now!