Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) or heart blockages occur due to buildup of fat in the arteries of the heart. Heart attacks and strokes account for more than 80% of the 17 million annual deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases in India. Several young Indians fall prey to heart attacks in the prime of their lives.
The National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health estimated that 62 million people in India would have CAD by 2015, with 23 million of these below 40 years of age. CAD is often called a lifestyle disease since our daily way of living significantly contributes to it.
One of the key reasons for heart blockages is our poor eating habits. With urbanization, traditional Indian diets have changed from a wholesome balanced thali to refined cereals, processed foods with low consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet is a balanced diet in terms of macro and micronutrients. It should include whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, liquid plant oils, and beneficial herbs and spices. Non-vegetarians should consume more fish and poultry rather than red meat.
One of the diets inclusive of these constituents is the Mediterranean diet. Scientific evidence supports its role in reducing major cardiac diseases. The Mediterranean diet preserves cardiovascular health and has anti-inflammatory properties as reflected in a low Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII).
We have proposed diet plans and recipes similar to the Mediterranean diet based on commonly consumed Indian recipes curated to improve heart health. Our team of cardiologists, nutritionists, biochemists, and public health nutritionists have created culturally rooted recipes that are nutritionally similar to the Mediterranean Diet.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
― Hippocrates