“Live sensibly - among a thousand people, only one dies a natural death; the rest succumb to irrational modes of living.” - Maimonides Cardiovascular diseases in India cause 3 million deaths/y, accounting for 25% of all mortality (1). The World Health Organization predicts that deaths due to circulatory system diseases are projected to double between 1985 and 2015 (2-4). Moreover, research on Indian Asians living abroad indicates a 40% higher risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality than that for Europeans (5). Dietary factors that may contribute to a high IHD risk in India include low intakes of vitamin B-6 and folate (6) and high intakes of trans fatty acids, which have been associated with risk in studies conducted in the West (7-14). In parts of India, trans fats from hydrogenated vegetable oil in the form of vanaspati are consumed in greater quantity than in the United States (10, 15). In contrast, in North India, the most commonly used oil in cooking is mustard oil. Mustard oil (Brassica juncea), like canola oil, is produced from rapeseed, a member of the crucifer family that is rich in α-linolenic acid (18:3n−3), which may reduce the risk of IHD (16-18). Saddened to witness an increasing number of persons succumb to death due to heart disease/ strokes in my area.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 04:39:10 +0000