from Tufts University

Genetics doesn't have to be destiny when it comes to heart disease - not if you eat right. That's the surprising finding of a new Canadian study of people with genes known to predispose them to heart attack and cardiovascular disease.

Scientists found that a healthy diet, especially one rich in raw fruits and vegetables, could significantly counter the genetic dangers. They looked at data on 8,114 people with 4 genetic variants linked to heart disease in the INTERHEART study and on a specific chromosome linked to cardiovascular risk in the 19,129-person FINRISK study.

In the first study, eating raw vegetables was strongly related to reduced heart risk. In the second, a diet high in vegetables and fruits, especially berries, appeared to help protect against cardiovascular disease. - PLoS Medicine