We’ve known for a long time that the Mediterranean diet is good for prevention, to prevent problems like diabetes … and high blood pressure … and heart disease … and Metabolic syndrome … and boring tasteless food … from happening to you in the first place.
From the standpoint of corporate wellness, prevention is all well and good but what happens to those who are already unwell?
This study shows that the Mediterranean approach also good for treatment. After you’ve eaten all the corn dogs dipped in Baconnaise, finished off your last can of aerosol spray cheese, and rinsed it all back with the 900-ouncer diet cherry cola for far too long, you’re going to be left with one gigantic dietary disaster.
It turns out that turning to a Mediterranean diet (real food, mostly veg, in control, with a focus on healthy oils) can help reverse the metabolic mess of Metabolic Syndrome. Not only does it help reverse the damage of Metabolic Syndrome better than the low fat diet, but it also helps you lower belly fat along the way.
From the research:
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In the study, Salas-Salvado’s team looked at almost 6,000 men and women at risk for heart disease. At the start, almost two-thirds had metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and death, according to the study.
Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when three or more of five risk factors are found: large waist, high blood pressure, low “good” (HDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides and high blood sugar, according to background information in the study.
After a follow-up period of about five years, 28 percent of those who had metabolic syndrome at the start did not have it, the study found. Those who ate the Mediterranean diet were more likely to reverse the condition, the researchers reported.
Those who ate the Mediterranean diet also had a decrease in belly fat, which is known to increase heart disease risk, according to the study.
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So put away your low fat, low taste processed food products and return to the diet that can help your body “right the ship”. You’re taste buds will also thank you!
