A gluten-free vegan diet full of nuts, sunflower seeds, fruit and vegetables appears to offer protection against heart attacks and strokes for people with rheumatoid arthritis, Swedish researchers said on Tuesday.

Excerpt of "The Sonoma Diet," by Connie Guttersen

A gluten-free vegan diet full of nuts, sunflower seeds, fruit and vegetables appears to offer protection against heart attacks and strokes for people with rheumatoid arthritis, Swedish researchers have said.

Vegetarian diet could enable arthritis patients to protect themselves against heart attacks and strokes, a research has suggested.

Gorillas on Weight Watchers? Polar bears slurping sugar-free Jell-O shots? Giraffes nibbling alfalfa biscuits? The days of letting visitors throw marshmallows to the animals are mostly history at zoos around the country, replaced by a growing focus on diet and nutrition that parallels the fitness craze in humans.

WINTER HAVEN, FL- Joe Borowski's buffed body takes work - and sacrifice. First, 90 minutes a day of cardiovascular work in addition to a relatively normal amount of strength training and flexibility exercises. His diet is restrictive: no food after 6 p.m. and no complex carbohydrates. Pasta? Only a couple of times each year.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke.

A gluten-free vegan diet may improve the health of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research from the Swedish medical universit Karolinska Institutet. The diet has a beneficial effect on several risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients could reduce a high risk of heart attacks with a gluten-free, vegan diet, a study suggests.

Vegetarian diet could enable arthritis patients to protect themselves against heart attacks and strokes, a research has suggested. Rheumatoid arthritis can afflict people of any age, being more common in women than men.