How to boost your heart health? Fresh fruits, veggies prescriptions

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: American Heart Association
4 Sep 2023 23:20

Researchers study the impact of "produce prescriptions", which offer free fruits and vegetables to persons with diet-related disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

Shoppers at a grocery store in Glenview Illinois, United States, on July 4, 2022 (AP)

A new study has suggested that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may potentially improve heart health and keep the human heart running healthy.

In March, a global evaluation of the evidence revealed that a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, vegetables, and fish can reduce the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or early death for hundreds of millions of individuals who are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

The impact of "produce prescriptions" that offer free fruits and vegetables to persons with diet-related disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, was studied.

The research involved roughly 4,000 people from 12 different states in the United States who are unable to purchase healthy meals. They were given vouchers worth an average of $63 each month for up to ten months that could be redeemed for produce at retail stores or farmers markets in their area.

The study's author Kurt Hager, an instructor at UMass Chan Medical School, noted that staff were "excited" to see changes in weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

"Among adults with hypertension, we saw that systolic blood pressure decreased by 8 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure decreased by about 5 mm Hg, which could have a meaningful impact on health outcomes," Hager remarked.

A1C readings, which are a 2-3 month average of blood sugar levels in persons with uncontrolled diabetes, also decreased dramatically, by about 6%.

"The reductions we saw in blood sugar were roughly half of that of commonly prescribed medications, which is really encouraging for just a simple change in diet," Hager explained.

Nearly 85% of participants in the Sacramento County Health Center's prescription produce pilot initiative in Sacramento, California, reported improvements in their health.

Wholesome Wave's co-founder Michel Nischan noted that as a chef and father of children with diabetes, he was "not surprised".

He noted that his sons' A-1C went down and their insulin usage reduced after increasing fruits and vegetables "significantly".

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University, where the study took place, says anything that lowers A1C and improves blood pressure is beneficial, elaborating that it is challenging to maintain such changes.

"Improvements in blood glucose can significantly reduce the risk of conditions like eye disease, kidney disease, and nerve disease," he stated.

Hager believes it's time to "further invest in larger trials with comparison groups."

Holly Freishtat, director of the Feeding Change initiative at the Milken Institute, warns that diet-related illness in the US is on the rise; therefore, there is a rush not to delay with initiatives. "We must find a way to make it easier for individuals to know their benefit eligibility, track their benefit amount status, and understand where and how to utilize those benefits," Freishtat remarked.

Joan Erickson, a participant in the program, reported that once her vouchers ended, she could no longer afford the same food she was able to buy, impacting her health negatively.

"After I stopped the program, I saw my blood pressure going up," she says. "I would say there's a direct correlation."

As per cardiologist Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, persistence is key for long-term benefits. "If you get put on a blood pressure-lowering medication, you're not going to go off the medication in six months."