Want to live longer? Well here’s one way to do it if you’re a heart attack survivor: Eat more fiber.
The new research was reported on April 29 in the online version of the British Medical Journal.
“[The study] gives us another piece of information we can use to advise our heart patients on how to be as healthy as they can be,” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of the Women and Heart Disease program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “A diet high in fiber is a good idea.”
This hasn’t been the first time fiber has been shown to be good for heart problems. Studies in the past decade have also shown that those who eat a high fiber diet face a lower risk of heart disease–and in some cases, may lower the chances of a heart attack. But this study is the first to show that fiber has benefits even after a cardiovascular event, something scientists previously believed wasn’t the case.
But the kicker here was the type of fiber they ate that made the serious difference. According to the study, those who got most of their fiber from “cereal fibers,” such as whole-wheat pasta or oatmeal, were 27 percent less likely to die.
“Greater intake of dietary fibre after myocardial infarction (MI), especially cereal fibre, was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality,” write researchers. “In addition, participants who increased their dietary fibre intake after MI had lower long-term rates of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.”
What Did the Study Find?
The research initially looked at how different fiber levels affected people after a heart attack, something that had not been previously investigated by researchers. To do so, they recruited over 4,000 heart attack survivors, of which 1,133 died during the study. Examining how much fiber they consumed in their diets, researchers found something incredible: Every 10g increase in fiber decreased their risk of death by 15 percent. Moreover, those who ate the most amount of fiber were 25 percent less likely to die; this increased by 2 percent for those who mostly ate cereal grains.
In turn, it also had an effect on their risk of dying from heart disease: Having more fiber decreased it by 13 percent.
“Possible mechanisms for the beneficial effects of a high-fibre diet on coronary heart disease risk and mortality include reductions in systemic inflammation, lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, reduced lipid peroxidation, improved insulin sensitivity, overall better glycemic control, and a beneficial gut microbiota environment,” say researchers.
What You Should Do
So it’s now a fact: Fiber not only could help you avoid a heart attack, it can also help you live longer after it happens. To lengthen your longevity after a cardiovascular event, the treatment couldn’t be more simple–get more fiber in your diet, and make sure you’re eating cereal grains too. In the study, those who ate the most cereal grains faced around a 30 percent reduced risk of death from heart complications.
Readers: How much fiber do you get in your diet?
Sources:
Benefits of Fiber – NZHerald.co.nz
High Fiber Diet May Aid Heart Attack Survivors – Philly.com
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