Greens chase plaque blues away
While mothers have uttered "eat your vegetables" for eons, the refrain's heart-healthy connection is now backed up by hard science.
Dr. Michael Adams, a pathologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and colleagues found that mice fed a vegetable-rich diet had a marked reduction in atherosclerosis and "bad" cholesterol compared with controls (J Nutr 2006;136:1-4).
The mice were specially bred to rapidly develop atherosclerosis. In those fed a mixture of freeze-dried broccoli, green beans, corn, peas, and carrots, researchers found arterial plaques were 38% smaller than in those fed vegetable-free diets. The veggie-fed mice also had a 32% reduction in LDL cholesterol, while HDL cholesterol was unaffected.
The underlying mechanism remains unclear, but a 37% reduction in a mouse marker of inflammation suggests that vegetables inhibit atherosclerosis progression through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways.
Current and Emerging Perspectives on Contrast Media in Radiology
November 1st 2023In a recent video interview series, Dushyant Sahani, M.D., discussed the critical role of contrast media in diagnostic imaging, lessons learned from the contrast media shortage, key considerations with generic agents and currently unmet needs with contrast agents.
