Healthcare News

Caveman diet could reduce stroke risk
09/05/2008
A diet of lean meat, berries, nuts and vegetables can reduce the risk of a stroke, according to research.

A prehistoric diet could reduce peoples' risk of developing heart disease, it has emerged.

Recent conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that a diet which is rich in lean meat, vegetables, berries and nuts – reminiscent of the food it is thought cavemen ate - is enough to lower the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

The Daily Mail reports that the team behind the research claims that this because the human body is still genetically programmed to eat these types of foods.

During the study, 20 participants lived on the diet for three weeks and were assessed on weight, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol at the beginning and end of the experiment.

Upon completion of the trial, the 14 individuals who successfully completed it were found to have an average weight loss of five pounds.

Body mass index dropped by 0.8 and blood pressure fell by 72 per cent.

However, study leader Dr Per Wendell told the news provider that one negative effect of such a diet could be a high risk of osteoporosis due to decreased calcium intake.

It was recently reported that a lack of vitamin D can cause depression along elderly individuals.