The Medical Advisor

The Mediterranean diet , which features a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and olive oil, has long been studied for its beneficial effects on heart health.  Endothelial dysfunction has been identified as an important underlying contributor to many kinds of heart problems. The endothelium is a thin layer of protective cells that line the inner walls of the arteries and heart. It helps ensure efficient blood flow around the entire body. An impaired or dysfunctional endothelium is a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease.2 A recent study published in PLOS Medicine measured the effect of the Mediterranean diet on endothelial function, compared to a low-fat diet, assessed byflow-mediated dilation (FMD).3 The FMD is an ultrasound test, which measures blood vessel health and helps predict cardiovascular disease risk. Higher FMD results are a favorable outcome. What the Study Found This study is based on the data set from the Spanish COR...

Imagine a condition affecting nearly one-third of the global population, often silently progressing, and deeply intertwined with prevalent health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It's characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, which can lead to more severe liver pathologies, including inflammation, fibrosis, and even liver cancer. Given its rising prevalence and strong links to other cardiometabolic diseases, MASLD presents a significant global health challenge. While pharmacological treatments are emerging, lifestyle and dietary modifications remain the cornerstone of MASLD management. Our recent systematic review published in Nutrients dives deeply into how various dietary patterns can impact MASLD and its coexisting conditions, offering insights into effective strategies for better health outcomes. MASLD is a com...

The American Stroke Association updated its guidelines for the first time in 10 years. In a major update to its stroke prevention guidelines, the American Stroke Association (ASA) announced Monday that up to 80 percent of the 610,000 first-time strokes that occur every year could be prevented through early screening and lifestyle changes. With strokes claiming nearly 160,000 lives each year in the United States, the ASA’s new guidelines call for proactive prevention measures. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, causing brain damage and potentially severe disabilities affecting thinking, speech, and mobility. Health disparities make certain populations more susceptible, underscoring the need for enhanced screening and prevention. The updated 2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke, the first revision since 2014, emphasizes routine screening for key risk factors, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, high blood sugar, and obesity. These r...

Changing your diet could help preserve your brain as you age, a new study suggests. Researchers found that following a Mediterranean-style diet rich in green plants, tea, and nuts may slow age-related brain shrinkage by as much as 50 percent. The key appears to be maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. The study, published in the November issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that reductions in HbA1c, a marker of long-term blood glucose control, were linked to less shrinkage in crucial brain regions like the hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum.“Our findings suggest that the Mediterranean diet is indeed one of the best dietary patterns for supporting brain health, largely due to its benefits for blood sugar control,” Iris Shai, the study’s lead researcher and an adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard University, told The Epoch Times. “This diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, along with moderate fish and poultr...