MINNEAPOLIS — A Mediterranean diet with extra servings of olive
oil or mixed nuts reduced the risk of a first heart attack,
stroke and death by almost 30 percent in less than five years,
according to a study from Spanish researchers. The research
involved 7,477 high-risk volunteers, all of whom were diabetic
or had a host of risk factors including obesity, high
cholesterol, family history of heart disease or smoking. Heart
damage was significantly more likely to occur in people told to
watch their fat intake than in those given olive oil or nuts and
told to follow a Mediterranean diet, according to the study in
the New England Journal of Medicine. The study was halted after
the benefits of the diet became clear, the researchers said. The
findings add more weight to the benefits of a Mediterranean diet
rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and oils, the researchers said.
While numerous studies show healthy eating can cut complications
in people who already have heart disease and help ward off
ailments including Alz