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The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
The first article we want to highlight this week is a review that summarizes the evidence on the role of diet in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially regarding its effect on atherosclerosis. This review focuses on the benefits of the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet and concludes that both diets are beneficial in the prevention of atherosclerosis due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipoprotein-modulating effects, especially if the diet is rich in olive oil, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, as well as nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fish.
To delve deeper into the benefits of the noble olive tree, our next study is a review and meta-analysis of how olive leaf extract may also influence our cardiometabolic health. This extract, rich in phenolic compounds, showed a positive correlation with improvements in glucose metabolism, blood pressure, lipid profile and inflammatory markers in several randomized clinical trials. Although more research is needed, these results suggest the potential of olive leaf extract to improve cardiovascular health.
Finally, let us take a closer look at a study conducted in the context of the PREDIMED-Plus trial on the effect of the Mediterranean diet on lipoprotein profiles in patients with metabolic syndrome. In this study, participants who followed an energy-restricted Mediterranean diet and practiced physical activity showed significant improvements in body weight, lipid profiles and lipoprotein subclasses. These results highlight how the adoption of the Mediterranean diet and a healthy lifestyle can positively influence our cardiovascular health.
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