Improve Heart Health With an Apple a Day

Improve Heart Health With an Apple a Day

“For those at low risk, eating an apple a day has an equivalent risk reduction for myocardial infarction as taking a statin."  Dr Aseem Malhotra, Frimley Park Hospital

Cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra and Professor Simon Capewell of Liverpool University argue that statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs, bring terrible side effects and have little impact on those at lower risk. They claim that industry sponsored studies do not back up real-world data which shows up to half of patients eventually give up taking statins within a year. More than 60 per cent of individuals surveyed say it was because of side effects such as muscle pain and fatigue.

“The focus in primary prevention should the form be on foods and food groups that have a proven benefit in reducing hard endpoints and mortality.”  Dr Aseem Malhotra, Frimley Park Hospital

These doctors encourage that more should be done to educate individuals in the right diet and lifestyle choices to improve their cardiovascular health, and that prescribing pills is not the answer. They suggest that more should be done to encourage people to include more fruits and vegetables and to exercise regularly to improve the condition of their heart rather than to simply rely on prescribing drugs.

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Dr Malhotra, of Frimley states that:

“The published literature states an unequivocal mortality benefit for patients with established heart disease. However the same does not apply to primary prevention, especially in individuals of low risk.

“More than 80 per cent of cardiovascular disease is attributable to environmental factors, notably unhealthy diet and also smoking, alcohol and physical inactivity.

“The focus in primary prevention should the form be on foods and food groups that have a proven benefit in reducing hard endpoints and mortality.”

While the role of statins in high-risk individuals is still unquestionable, diet and lifestyle changes will provide low-risk individuals with adequate improvement without the side effects.

Read more here:

Source:

telegraph.co.uk: Swap statins for a daily apple to improve heart health, say health experts

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Lisa Roth Collins, RHN
Lisa Roth Collins is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN) and is the Marketing Manager at NaturallySavvy.com. She is passionate about health and wellness and tries her best to make healthier choices every day for herself and her family. Her journey to natural health was driven by her own struggles with digestive discomfort, depression, and anxiety. Lisa returned to school in 2014 to study nutrition at the Canadian School for Natural Nutrition. She threw herself into her studies so she could learn as much as she could to help herself feel better and thrive. Upon completing the program and being certified as an RHN, Lisa began her work at Naturally Savvy where she has been able to help so many people learn to make healthier choices for themselves. Through her work, she has connected with so many incredible people in the industry whether other authors, influencers, or brands. Plus, she is affectionately known as "Techie Spice" because of her ability to wrap her head around technology. Every day she gets up with a renewed sense of energy and ready to make a difference. You can read all of Lisa's content here. In her spare time, Lisa loves to try new recipes, make delicious and nourishing meals, and she is an avid reader. For more information about Lisa, check out her profile on here.