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After a myocardial infarction:
a Mediterranean diet is recommended

A diet rich in cereals, fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of another coronary event.

The so-called Mediterranean diet can prevent the recurrence of a coronary incident in people who have suffered a myocardial infarction. The main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet are: increased consumption of cereals (bread, pasta, rice, semolina, etc.) and potatoes, fruit and vegetables including beans, and nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds); olive oil as the main source of fats; fish and poultry, yoghurt and cheese eaten in moderate quantities; reduced consumption of red meat; possibly a moderate amount of wine drunk with meals. According to three studies carried out in France and India, a Mediterranean-type diet lessens the risk of a coronary accident recurring in people who have suffered a myocardial infarction, and causes no serious adverse effects. The effectiveness of this diet is limited. But the diet is not very stringent and appears to have no adverse effects. This also shows that non-drug preventative and therapeutic means can, and must, be evaluated too.

©Prescrire September 2005

Source: “Régime alimentaire “méditerranéen” chez les coronariens“ Rev Prescrire 2005 ; 25 (264) : 613-614.

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