New Study Reveals How the Paleo Diet Could Be the Key to Fighting Heart Disease
A new study has revealed that the paleo diet could hold the key to fighting heart disease. The research, conducted by scientists at the University of California San Francisco, found that adopting a paleo-style diet can have a significant impact on cardiovascular health.
The paleo diet, which is also known as the “caveman diet”, is based on the concept of eating only whole, unprocessed foods that were available to our hunter-gatherer ancestors. This means that the diet is heavy on lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and avoids processed foods, grains, and dairy products.
The study, which was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at a group of 44 healthy participants over the course of eight weeks. Half of the participants followed a paleo-style diet, while the other half followed a diet based on American Heart Association guidelines.
At the end of the eight-week period, the researchers found that the paleo-style diet had a number of positive effects on cardiovascular health. Participants who followed the paleo-style diet had a 35% reduction in levels of interleukin-6, a biomarker of inflammation that is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. They also had a 36% reduction in triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the blood that is also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
In addition, the researchers found that the paleo-style diet had a positive impact on other markers of cardiovascular health, including cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
One of the key benefits of the paleo-style diet is that it promotes the consumption of unprocessed, whole foods that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. These foods can help to reduce inflammation in the body, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.
Another benefit of the paleo-style diet is that it is low in refined carbohydrates, which can cause the blood sugar spikes and crashes that are linked to a higher risk of heart disease. By avoiding these types of foods, the paleo-style diet can help to keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.
While further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of the paleo-style diet for cardiovascular health, these findings are certainly promising. If you’re looking to improve your heart health, it might be worth considering adopting a more paleo-style way of eating, at least in part. By incorporating more whole, unprocessed foods into your diet and avoiding refined carbohydrates, you could help to reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health and wellbeing.