The study—which was led by Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, a stroke neurologist based in New York City—found that sticking to the Mediterranean diet can lower the risk of stroke by an incredible 18 per cent.
The study, which was based on data associated with 134,000 middle-aged female teachers from California, involved asking participants about their lifestyles, including their eating habits. Sherzai and her team found that the participants whose diets most closely reflected the Mediterranean diet were less likely to suffer a stroke.
This is not the first study to suggest that consuming a diet high in lean protein, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables can help keep us healthy. The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a report making a direct connection between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Right now the AHA, which has launched an initiative to reduce the number of people developing heart disease by 20 percent by the year 2020, openly recommends Americans embrace the Mediterranean diet.
Of course, it’s important to note that the Mediterranean diet may not be for everyone. People interested in losing weight or reducing their risk of heart attack or stroke should speak with their doctor before launching any new diet.
