foodconsumer.org: Diet affects cardiovascular disease

Diet affects cardiovascular disease
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admin on 07/14/2008 20:50:00
 
MONDAY JULY 14, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Increased intake of minerals such as
potassium and possibly magnesium and calcium through diet may reduce the risk of
high blood pressure, and lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, a new
study suggests.
Additionally, increased intake of these minerals in the diet may reduce the risk
of coronary heart disease and stroke, according to the study published in a
supplement appearing with the July issue of The Journal of Clinical
Hypertension.
Vegetarians and people consuming primitive diets have low cardiovascular disease
rates, due probably to high intake of dietary potassium and low sodium
consumption.   These people consume large amounts of fruits and vegetables and
only one percent of them have hypertension.
In comparison, in the industrialized countries where people consume high amounts
of processed foods and dietary sodium, one in every three people has
hypertension. In the U.S., people eat double the recommended amount of sodium,
but only half the recommended amount of potassium.
Increasing intake of potassium could reduce the rate of hypertension in adults
in the U.S. by more than 10 percent, and life expectancy would also increase,
according to the study report.
By Sue Mueller, and edited by Heather Kelley.
Jul 14, 2008 - 4:45:24 AM