Previously I wrote about some of the links between heart disease and lupus and how diet can be used to reduced the risk of heart disease – you can read that article here.  Depression is also commonly experienced by lupus sufferers and I have written extensively about diet and depression in various articles including these.   In my research review I write extensively about the link between both depression and heart disease with inflammation. Lupus is an inflammatory condition so it doesn’t surprise me that conditions such as depression and heart disease show up in lupus sufferers.   In a recently published study (1) research scientists wanted to evaluate the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The scientists concluded that “In SLE, depression is independently associated with vascular disease”. In fact they found that “psychological variable depression was associated with nearly 4-fold higher odds for vascular disease”. The study was only an association study and does not prove that SLE patients who suffer with depression are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke – but the study is interesting and does provide further evidence for links between these inflammatory conditions.   Although nutritional studies in lupus sufferers are limited it would seem sensible to look at the diet of the lupus sufferer. Many studies (as linked above) have shown the benefit of diet for reducing the risk of heart disease and depression and many studies indicate the importance of….

  Evidence suggests that individuals with lupus are at increased risk of heart disease.  This isn’t particularly great news, however there is a lot that can be done with diet to reduce heart disease risk and inflammation, which contributes to heart disease.   Here are a few links to articles I have written with regards diet/nutrition and heart disease: More evidence links high sugar diet to increased risk of heart disease Refined carbohydrates linked again with increased risk of heart disease Women eating foods with a high glycaemic index could be increasing their risk for heart disease Replacing dietary fat with sugar and refined carbohydrates is probably damaging to health   General articles I have written about heart disease and diet can be found here   For more specific information about lupus and the research linking diet and lifestyle please see my research review

This is a new format for the blog.  Each week I plan to update the blog with new research done in the general field of nutrition and health.  In addition to this I will be posting blogs specifically related to lupus so please keep checking back for new content.   * Research finds that women may reduce heart disease risk by eating omega 3 rich oily fish.  Read more about it here  .  For evidence based articles that I have previously written on heart disease please click here   * Research finds that stroke risk in women may be reduced by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.  Read more about it here.    For evidence based articles that I have previously written on stroke please click here   * Research reviews the risk of stroke, diet quality, overeating and weight.  Read more about it here   * Research finds that an intermittent, low-carbohydrate diet may be superior to a standard, daily calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and lowering blood levels of insulin.  Read more about it here   * Dr Briffa writes an evidence based article about calcium, vitamin D and fat.  To read it click here   Posted by Ani Richardson

It has long been thought that we cannot change the effect that our genes have in the body.  However, new research (1,2) suggests that the gene (known as 9p21) which is the strongest marker for heart disease can actually be modified by generous amounts of fruit and raw vegetables. In a press release (2) Dr. Jamie Engert, joint principal investigator of the study said “We know that 9p21 genetic variants increase the risk of heart disease for those that carry it,” “But it was a surprise to find that a healthy diet could significantly weaken its effect.” The research involved analysis of more than 27,000 individuals from five ethnicities (European, South Asian, Chinese, Latin American and Arab) and the impact that their diets had on the effect of the 9p21 gene.  The research represents one of the largest gene-diet interaction studies ever conducted on cardiovascular disease. The results suggest that individuals with the high risk genotype who consumed a prudent diet, composed mainly of raw vegetables, fruits and berries, had a similar risk of heart attack to those with the low risk genotype. Sonia Anand joint principal investigator of the study said (2) “We observed that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be mitigated by consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables,” “Our results support the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables as a way to promote good health.”  Lead study author Dr Ron Do added “Our research suggests there may….

Good quality dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids) is one of my favourite indulgences.  Two-three squares is enough to satisfy me.  I enjoy the complexity of flavours, the way it melts on my tongue and how it feels ‘special’.  Drinking black cocoa (just cocoa powder and boiling water) is also something I enjoy, many people find this bitter but to me the taste is intense and I don’t get the caffeine buzz and anxiety that coffee gives me.     Many studies have looked into the health benefits of dark chocolate, these benefits seem to be due to the flavonoids (bioactive plant compounds) that cocoa contains, many of which act as antioxidants in the body.   A study in 2009 found that dark chocolate may be useful in reducing emotional stress (1).  The study  was small and very preliminary but certainly interesting. The study participants were first tested using validated psychological questionnaires to see if they had low or high anxiety traits. They were given 40g of dark chocolate daily for two weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected 3 times during the study – at the start, middle and end. The samples were rigorously tested to see whether various measures of body chemistry of the individuals was changed by the chocolate eating and also to see whether specific processes of gut bacteria was altered.     Interestingly the participants with higher anxiety traits showed a distinct change in their metabolic (bodily chemical processes) profiles when eating the dark chocolate. Dark chocolate….