2/22/2012 4:28 PM ET
(RTTNews) - A new study from researchers at the University of Miami and Columbia University suggests that those who follow a Mediterranean style diet high in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, whole grains and low in red meat, may have healthier brains.
The research team examined 966 participants by issuing brain scans to identify traits of small vessel disease. They found that those who most closely follow a Mediterranean diet often had the fewest signs of hyperintensity volume, which is a common indicator of the diseases.
"Normally, these lesions are associated with hypertension, high-cholesterol, diabetes and age," said researcher Dr. Clinton Wright. "We saw that there was a relationship between diet and this marker of small vessel disease. Those who adhered to a more Mediterranean diet had less small vessel damage."
by RTT Staff Writer
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