Many people wish to prevent diseases through diet, and we do realize this to some extent. Yes, a healthy diet not only strengthens the body, but also reduces the risk of disease. The Europeans were the first to do this, and the Mediterranean Diet was introduced by them and quickly became popular around the world. What is the “Mediterranean Diet”? There are many countries along the Mediterranean Sea, among which the French, Spaniards and Greeks have a unique dietary habit of eating foods such as olive oil, nuts, red wine and fish. It is rumored that this diet prevents cardiovascular disease and is also effective in weight loss. As a result of the rumors, the exact efficacy of how unknown, but got a name – the Mediterranean diet. In order to prove that the Mediterranean diet “miracle” is not false, the Spanish researchers convened more than 7,000 volunteers between the ages of 55-80 years old, their common characteristic is that initially there is no cardiovascular disease, but there is a great risk of disease such as type 2 diabetes, smoking, a family history of heart disease and so on. The researchers randomly divided them into two groups, one of which was to strictly follow the “Mediterranean diet”, and the other was to follow it as it pleased. The trial was originally planned to conclude in five years, but ended prematurely for other reasons. Even so, the results were exciting: the Mediterranean diet group had a 30% lower risk of heart disease! Why does the Mediterranean diet prevent cardiovascular disease? We first need to observe the characteristics of the Mediterranean diet: high fiber, high vitamin, low-fat, low-calorie, and this is exactly the cardiology doctor three times warned the majority of cardiovascular disease patients to “reasonable diet” of the best summary. 1, nuts Instead of snacking on potato chips, why don’t you come to a few nuts, almonds, cashews and walnuts mixed together to eat the best. These nuts are not low in fat, but the unsaturated fatty acids can improve the total cholesterol content in the blood. And rich in various antioxidants can slow down inflammation and provide positive cardiovascular protection. Of course, the caloric content of nuts is very high, so it is only recommended that nuts as a “snack” to eat. 2, red wine In fact, from the cardioprotective effect point of view, all contain “alcohol” drinks, including any fruit wine, including the form of drinking and regularity is the most important. Basic research has found that red wine contains antioxidants such as flavonoids and resveratrol, which can improve endothelial function and reduce inflammation. This is why studies have found that as alcohol intake increases, the number of deaths due to heart disease decreases. Of course, it is true that “a little alcohol is good for the heart, but a lot of alcohol hurts the body”, and if you take the population’s cardiovascular benefits are maximized, the lowest risk of alcohol consumption is usually defined as follows: the average daily amount of alcohol consumption of women does not exceed 1 unit (containing about 12g of alcohol, the equivalent of 350ml of beer, 150ml of wine, or 45ml of 40 degrees or 30ml of 50 The average daily alcohol consumption for women should not exceed 1 unit (about 12g of alcohol equivalent to 350ml of beer, 150ml of wine, or 45ml of 40-degree or 30ml of 50-degree spirits), and that for men should not exceed 2 units. 3, fish People often say that the lighter the color of the meat, the healthier, in fact, think about it is not unreasonable. Although the role of fat and nutrients in fish has not been fully deciphered, at least for the time being, we are sure that the protein in fish is rich and easy to digest, rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the occurrence of inflammation. In addition, eating more fish can increase the amount of HDL in the blood, which is significant in improving blood lipid levels. We did research many years ago, such as China’s Zhejiang Zhoushan Islands, the incidence of coronary heart disease among fishermen is generally very low, and the local people eat fish than Koreans eat kimchi as indispensable, which also reflects the side of the “fish” the importance of cardiovascular health. 4, olive oil Research has found that the human body intake of fat, if “ω-3” and “ω-6” the ratio of the two groups of essential fatty acids in the 1:4 or so, the human body is easy to maintain the function in the efficient peak state. What is saddening is that the ratio of these two fatty acids in our bodies often exceeds 1:30 or even 1:50! That is to say, our intake of omega-3 is too little, and omega-6 is too much! This is directly related to the fact that we usually have too much high-fat and high-protein diet. Olive oil, compared to animal oil and peanut oil, omega-3 content is much higher. So for those who have a beer belly, usually love to eat meat, eat more olive oil is also able to effectively regulate their own blood lipids, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease! 5, vegetables The benefits of fruits and vegetables needless to say, because they contain essential vitamin C, beta-carotene, folic acid, etc., one of the important functions of these nutrients is to reduce the incidence of heart disease and various cancers. The Mediterranean region, with its abundant sunshine and favorable winds and rains, produces high-quality grapes and citrus, which are rich in resveratrol and orange peel glycosides that can well inhibit the formation of blood clots. Garlic, one of the main characters in the diet of the Mediterranean coastal countries. In addition to sterilizing garlic, its “garlic essence” is effective in regulating blood pressure, and to a certain extent, it also helps the body to dissolve clots and improve microcirculation. I have read a study in a professional journal, which describes that regular consumption of garlic can reduce the incidence of high blood pressure by more than 1/3!