Heart problems on heavy smog days? Does wine and chocolate help?

Flavonoid-rich foods like wine and chocolate are studied as they act as shield for the heart during heavy smog days.

Zhong’s mentor, Dr. Andrea Baccerelli, an associate professor of environmental epigenetics at the Harvard School of Public Health, says, “We as individuals have no regular means to protect ourselves from air pollution. Here we have a potential avenue where we can protect ourselves.”

A new research suggests that to protect people from heart disease caused by air pollution, a diet rich in chocolate, fruits, wine, and vegetables must be served with every meal. (HealthDay).

For their study, the analysts concentrated on 573 Boston-area elderly men taking part in an aging study. They thought about clinical estimations taken of the men against air quality measures for their group, and had the men round out eating regimen poll. According to the researchers, tested on elderly men, flavonoids-rich foods are agents in helping the heart from altering its function during heavy smog days. Flavonoids are antioxidants found in plants.

Jia Zhong, a doctoral student at the Harvard School of Public Health, said that everyday consumption of about 100 grams of blueberries which is about three-quarters of a cup helps protect older men from smog-related heart disease,

Flavonoids helps prevent or cause delay to cell damage and are well-known antioxidants. Flavonoids are compounds that are naturally found in plants which gives them their color.

Smog can affect the normal function of the heart and can link to other diseases

The men had a tendency to experience the ill effects of reduced heart rate variability when exhaust cloud levels ascended for 48 hours, the scientists found in over an 11-year period, Smoggy air can decrease the heart’s capacity to shift its cadence. Reduced heart rate variability has been connected to death from heart assaults and heart disease among more seasoned individuals, Zhong said.

“We were looking if there were any variables that could make the mischief less significant,” Zhong said.

The impact was far more terrible for men whose hereditary qualities had a tendency to stifle a protein called toll-like receptor 2, which recognizes outside substances and goes on signs to the insusceptible framework.

Flavonoids might secure against contamination related heart problem by directing the body’s invulnerable framework reaction, they said. Be that as it may, the air pollution and hereditary qualities had a far weaker impact in men who expended elevated amounts of flavonoids in their eating regimens, the specialists found.

A well-balanced diet – an important factor in fighting heart diseases

“Diet has any kind of effect,” Baccarelli said. “The measure of flavonoids found in chocolate or blueberries can reconstruct our qualities.” The scientists cautioned this shouldn’t be taken as a sign to glut on chocolate bars or chug wine. “On the off chance that you eat an excess of calories, that is not going to be useful for your heart,” Baccarelli said.

Baccarelli included that in light of the fact that the study is observational, it doesn’t demonstrate any circumstances and end results join between flavonoids and heart rate variability. Clinical trials will be required before any dietary changes can be suggested. The exploration was planned to be exhibited Monday at the American Heart Affiliation yearly meeting in Chicago. Research exhibited at restorative gatherings ought to be seen as preparatory until distributed in an associate looked into the medical journal.

Dr. Russell Luepker, an educator of the study of disease transmission and group well-being at the College of Minnesota School of General Wellbeing, concurred that these outcomes ought not lead anybody to definitely change their eating regimen.

“There are an entire bundle of connections here that are theoretical, and a study that discussions about affiliations can’t fill in these theoretical connections,” Luepker said. “This is just an initial step. We require significantly more before we begin advising individuals to do different things.”

To those who are allergic to wine or chocolate or pregnant, eating fruits and vegetables like apple, banana, celery, peaches, parsley, tomatoes, and onions provide significant amounts of flavonoids but with less side-effects.

Written by Roy Patrick Gencianeo