Dual Approach Confers Heart Benefits

Endothelial cells line the blood vessels, for which healthy blood flow is critical to maintaining cardiovascular health.  Markos Klonizakis, from Sheffield Hallam University (United Kingdom), and colleagues studied a group of 20 healthy but sedentary men and women, average age 55 years.  During an eight-week period, one group was encouraged to eat more vegetables, fruit, olive oil, tree nuts and fresh oily fish – and engage in a program of moderate exercise regime; the second group engaged in exercise only.  While both groups showed improved microvascular responses, the group on the Mediterranean-style diet plus exercise demonstrated a stronger improvement.  Importantly, these improvements were sustained one year later, whether or not the subjects still followed the study-related lifestyle guidelines.  The study authors submit that: “a brief intervention combining [Mediterranean-style diet] with exercise in this group [at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease] promises long-term halth benefits.”