However, there are other approaches that can be tried, including low-carbohydrate diets.

We advocate that the cardioprotective diet constructed around the traditional Mediterranean eating pattern (based around vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, and unrefined cereals, with modest amounts of fish and shellfish, and fermented dairy products) is still important. The inclusion of food-based recommendations aids the practitioner to help the patient make genuine and meaningful changes in their diet. This approach is fundamental to practice, as clinical guidelines have focused on macronutrients without necessarily considering their source, and ultimately people consume foods containing multiple nutrients. We suggest there must be a refocus away from macronutrients and consideration of whole foods when advising individuals. This paper covers dietary patterns that are associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, including the Mediterranean Diet but also low-carbohydrate diets and the potential issues encountered with their implementation.

This is compounded further by the inherent difficulties in performing double-blind randomised controlled trials. As a field of research, nutrition science is constantly evolving making it difficult for patients and practitioners to ascertain best practice. Nutrition has a central role in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease yet only relatively recently has food been regarded as a treatment, rather than as an adjunct to established medical and pharmacotherapy.

Jane green epub