Monthly Archive for September, 2010

Exercise, Health and Longevity

Published on September 29, 2010 in exercise and healthy aging spotlight. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
Exercise, Health and Longevity

The research is clear: Regular exercise extends human life. Among the data confirming this observation are the results of the Harvard Alumni Health Study.1 Over the 15 years during which these 13,486 men were studied, age at death was increased significantly in proportion to the distance walked daily, the number of stories of stairs climbed daily and the amount of vigorous physical exercise that was included in each day’s activities. Another study of 19,223 initially healthy men found that cardiorespiratory fitness reduced both the incidence of premature death and the incidence of death from cardiovascular disease by 54%.2

The close relationship between physical activity and life extension was confirmed by the 24-year prospective Nurses’ Health Study.3 Among these 116,564 women in the US, increasing the amount of routine physical activity performed daily decreased the chances of dying prematurely, with the decrease first appearing when regular physical activity exceeds 3.5 hours per week. These investigators estimated that the combination of smoking cessation, maintaining BMI below 26 and participation in regular physical activity in excess of 3.5 hours per week could prevent 31% of all premature deaths.

One group of investigators concluded that increasing the amount of routine physical activity can reduce the risk for premature death by about one quarter.4 Another group estimated that “at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week” can reduce the risk of premature death by about one-third.5

Among a 69,693-woman subset of the Nurses’ Health Study, the likelihood of suffering a heart attack was doubled in women who habitually failed to exercise at least twice weekly, while 4 or more hours of exercise a week cut the risk of dying from a heart attack in half.6 The cardioprotective properties of regular habitual exercise also are apparent in men; in the 12-year prospective Physicians’ Health Study, the chances of dying from a heart attack were reduced by 85% in men who habitually exercised at least 5 times weekly.7 The data collected during that study indicate that simply running for one hour per week or lifting weights for 30 minutes once a week reduces the chances of developing heart disease.8 Similarly in the US, the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study of 73,743 postmenopausal women observed a 20% decrease in the incidence of cardiovascular disease among women who exercised routinely.9 Other scientists have concluded that, on average, the likelihood of dying from heart disease is about 90% greater in sedentary adults than in those who are physically active.10

The author of a comprehensive examination of the health benefits of physical activity, published recently in Australian Family Physician concluded that a 40-minute session of resistance exercise, only once or twice a week (but at least 48 hours apart to allow for maximum muscle recovery and growth) will increase strength and neuromuscular coordination in older men and women.11 Greater strength and coordination will improve mobility and will make stumbling and falling – and breaking bones – less likely. The risk of fractures is exceedingly high with advancing age. Weight-bearing exercise is critical for retaining healthy bone density and strengthening bone matrix. Healthier bones lead to a decreased risk of osteoporotic bone fractures.

Regular Exercise Reduces Systemic Inflammation

Exercise also contributes to the health of the entire body – even those “parts” not involved in the exercise itself. Scientific evidence presented in an article published recently in the Journal of Applied Physiology demonstrates that because exercise increases the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), by muscle cells into the blood stream, and IL-6 inhibits the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) throughout the body, regular participation in physical activity will decrease the level of disease-causing inflammation throughout the body.12

Regular Exercise Reduces Cancer Risk

Several specific examples of the positive benefits of regular exercise on inflammation and the immune system are obvious. The scientific evidence is consistent: the enormous amount of data collected from the 51,529 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the 121,701 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study confirm that regular participation in physical activity cuts the chances of developing cancer of the colon or pancreas by half.13-15 In its 2006 “white paper,” published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology concluded that regular exercise decreases the chances that a women will develop breast cancer and decreases the chances that a breast cancer survivor will suffer a recurrence.16

According to the results of a recently published study, participation in regular physical activity has been proven to slow down the rate at which existing prostate cancer worsens.17 Women benefit, too – research published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that one hour of regular physical activity daily increases the survival of women with breast cancer.18 Further research demonstrates that one hour of regular physical activity daily increases the quality of life and decreases fatigue in breast cancer survivors.19

Regular Exercise Reduces ALL Disease Risk

The author of a comprehensive examination of the health benefits of physical activity concluded that “there is irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression, osteoporosis and premature death.”20 The greater the increase in physical fitness, the greater the reduction in the risk of premature death. Overall, doubling the exercise capacity of an individual reduces the risk of premature death by about 50%.

Regular Exercise Enhances the Quality of Old Age

One of the greatest fears of adults is reaching old age in a debilitated, dysfunctional condition – riddled with disease and on multiple medications. Aging this way is not necessary — by slowing down the march to diseases and debilitating conditions, doubling your musculoskeletal fitness can delay the onset of loss of functional independence by 10 to 30 years.20 Exercise significantly enhances quality of life and overall productivity.

Regular Exercise as a Key to Weight Management

Exercising on a consistent basis (along with healthy dietary practices) enhances our ability to maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight or obese is a major factor in developing several chronic diseases. Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces our risk of developing those same diseases by reducing overall inflammation in the body.

By being overweight, we put ourselves at increased risk of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, respiratory disease, sleep issues, asthma, digestive disorders, liver problems, joint conditions and arthritis, and several types of cancer.21 Cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, prostate, kidneys, breast and reproductive organs are all more common in individuals who are overweight.22

Establishing a regimen of regular, routine exercise can help us ensure that we burn off the excess calories we get from our diets. By helping us reach a body weight that is healthy, exercise wards off diseases and lays the foundation for health. By exercising regularly, we can all more fully experience the wonders of life in a healthier and more active state for much, much longer.

Top Tips for Longevity Enhancement through Exercise

  • Get Some! It doesn’t matter so much whether you walk, run, lift weights or whatever – just get moving!
  • Stretch before starting and after finishing – reward your muscles for their hard work.
  • Start slowly and build up speed and intensity only gradually – your engines need to warm up for best performance.
  • Between 30 and 60 minutes a day, 5 or 6 days a week, is ideal for movement activities.
  • If you are uncertain about how to do something, ask a pro – only if done correctly can activities benefit you.
  • If you experience unusual pain, stop! Pain is nature’s way of telling you something may be wrong. Check in with a medical professional.
  • If something is hurting, don’t push it. It will heal but you must give it time to do so. Don’t be afraid to take off a few days with alternative activities. (Twist an ankle? Do arm lifts while you sit with good posture.)
  • To help your muscles work better, recover more quickly and grow bigger and stronger, feed them high-quality protein and plenty of antioxidants.
  • To keep your muscles well-fed, ensure you are maintaining healthy circulation. • Make sure to get enough sleep. Sleep helps the body recover by providing it critically important down time.
  • If you’re not exercising now, check with your physician first about how to start.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Healthy Digestion: The Key to a Healthy You

References:
1. Lee I-M, Paffenbarger RS Jr. Associations of light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity with longevity. The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Am J Epidemiol 2000;151:293-299.
2. Katzmarzyk PT, Church TS, Blair SN. Cardiorespiratory fitness attenuates the effects of the metabolic syndrome on all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in men. Arch Intern Med 2004;164:1092-1097.
3. Hu FB, Willett WC, Li T, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Manson JAE. Adiposity as compared with physical activity in predicting mortality among women. N Engl J Med 2004;351:2694-2703.
4. Iestra JA, Kromhout D, van der Schouw YT, Grobbee DE, Boshuizen HC, van Staveren WA. Effect size estimates of lifestyle and dietary changes on all-cause mortality in coronary disease patients. A systematic review. Circulation 2005;112:924-934.
5. Oguma Y, Sesso HD, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Lee I-M. Physical activity and all cause mortality in women: A review of the evidence. Br J Sports Med 2002;36:162-172.
6. Whang W, Manson JAE, Hu FB, Chae CU, Rexrode KM, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Albert CM. Physical exertion, exercise, and sudden cardiac death in women. JAMA 2006;295:1399-1403.
7. Albert CM, Mittleman MA, Chae CU, Lee IM, Hennekens CH, Manson JE. Triggering of sudden death from cardiac causes by vigorous exertion. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1355-1361.
8. Tanasescu M, Leitzmann MF, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Exercise type and intensity in relation to coronary heart disease in men. JAMA 2002;288:1994-2000.
9. Manson JE, Greenland P, LaCroix AZ, Stefanick ML, Mouton CP, Oberman A, Perri MG, Sheps DS, Pettinger MB, Siscovick DS. Walking compared with vigorous exercise for the prevention of cardiovascular events in women. N Engl J Med 2002;347:716-725.
10. Berlin JA, Colditz GA. A meta-analysis of physical activity in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Am J Epidemiol 1990;132:612- 628.
11. Taaffe DR. Sarcopenia—exercise as a treatment strategy. Aust Fam Physician 2006;35:130-134.
12. Petersen AM, Pedersen BK. The anti-inflammatory effect of exercise. J Appl Physiol 2005;98:1154-1162.
13. Rockhill B, Willett WC, Hunter DJ, Manson JE, Hankinson SE, Colditz GA. A prospective study of recreational physical activity and breast cancer risk. Arch Intern Med 1999;159:2290-2296.
14. Giovannucci E, Ascherio A, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Physical activity, obesity, and risk for colon cancer and adenoma in men. Ann Intern Med 1995;122:327-334.
15. Michaud DS, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Fuchs CS. Physical activity, obesity, height, and the risk of pancreatic cancer. JAMA 2001;286:921-929.
16. Herbst RS, Bajorin DF, Bleiberg H, Blum D, Hao D, Johnson BE, Ozols RF, Demetri GD, Ganz PA, Kris MG, Levin B, Markman M, Raghavan D, Reaman GH, Sawaya R, Schuchter LM, Sweetenham JW, Vahdat LT, Vokes EE, Winn RJ, Mayer RJ. Clinical Cancer Advances 2005: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening—A Report From the American Society of Clinical Oncology. J Clin Oncol 2006;24:190-205.
17. Giovannucci EL, Liu Y, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. A prospective study of physical activity and incident and fatal prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med 2005;165:1005-1010.
18. Holmes MD, Chen WY, Feskanich D, Kroenke CH, Colditz GA.. Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis. JAMA 2005;293:2479-2486.
19. McNeely ML, Campbell KL, Rowe BH, Klassen TP, Mackey JR, Courneya KS. Effects of exercise on breast cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. CMAJ 2006;175:34- 41.
20. Warburton DE, Nicol CW, Bredin SS. Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence. CMAJ 2006;174:801-809.
21. Malnick, S.D.H., Knobler, H. (2006). The medical complications of obesity. QJM 99: 565-579. 22. Calle EE, Rodriguez C, Walker-Thurmond K, Thun MJ. Overweight, obesity, and mortality from cancer in a prospectively studied cohort of U.S. adults. N Engl J Med 2003;348:1625-1638.

The Mediterranean Diet Will Benefit Your Health

Published on September 28, 2010 in healthy aging spotlight and mediterranean diet. 0 Comments Tags: , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
The Mediterranean Diet Will Benefit Your Health

What does this mean for us? The jury’s still out. However, one thing seems clear – the “Mediterranean Diet”, can certainly enhance health and well-being and may be protective of the heart, arteries, brains, muscles and numerous other tissues. The Mediterranean dietary lifestyle is health-promoting and life-enhancing.

The Mediterranean Diet – Can you do it?

There is no reason why we all can’t incorporate more of the health-promoting dietary practices as advocated by the “Mediterranean Diet” into our daily lives. This requires increased emphasis on fresh foods and may require increased efforts in food preparation, which is not that appealing or convenient. When eating out, it requires thinking about making healthier choices.

All of these apparent obstacles can be overcome if you are serious about your health and simply make up your mind to live a healthier lifestyle. Once you decide to improve your health by adopting healthful dietary practices, you need to make a plan. Start by taking small steps towards eating better by making gradual changes that are in line with the recommendations provided here. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. That may lead to frustration if you’re not able to follow through completely. Making incremental changes over a period of time leads to better compliance. If you fall off the wagon occasionally, don’t beat yourself up over it. Just get back on and move forward. Healthy eating leads to healthy bodies.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Exercise, Health and Longevity

The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Wine?

Published on September 22, 2010 in healthy aging spotlight and mediterranean diet. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Wine?

Another vital component of the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle is the enjoyment of one or two glasses of wine in moderation, usually red, every day (or nearly so). Can red wine be another link between the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle and good health?

Many scientists have examined this question during the last decade. They have found that the regular daily consumption of one or two glasses of red wine, once a day during or just after a meal, can:

  • reduce the risk of having a heart attack by about 50%.
  • reduce the likelihood of developing congestive heart failure by about 50%
  • cut the chances of dying from heart disease or cancer by up to 50%.

More recently, a group of European investigators have published in the scientific journal, Physiological Research, the results of a formal analysis of the tremendous volume of scientific research linking red wine to cardiovascular health.11 They concluded that red wine:

  • reduces the ability of arterial plaques to form or enlarge
  • reduces the ability of arterial plaques to cause narrowing of the arteries
  • increases the health of heart muscle
  • increases resistance to developing high blood pressure

These conclusions are consistent with the results obtained by this group in their own research, as published in the journal Physiological Research.12

Finally, a group of Canadian cardiologists have “said it all” in their summary assessment published recently in the American Journal of Physiology.13 These experts have concluded that the consumption of one or two glasses of red wine, once a day during or just after a meal, can markedly reduce your chances of ever suffering from:

  • heart attack
  • angina
  • congestive heart failure
  • stroke
  • coronary artery blockages
  • atherosclerotic plaques
  • vascular thrombosis
  • peripheral arterial disease
  • intermittent claudication
  • hypertension

How can Red Wine be so beneficial?

Scientists know that when you drink a glass of red wine, for the next day or so you have decreased:

  • susceptibility of the cholesterol-laden lipoprotein particles in your blood to become oxidized.
  • susceptibility of the monocyte cells in your blood to become converted into plaque-forming cells.
  • release of monocyte-attracting chemicals by the cells lining the inner walls of your blood vessels.
  • migration of blood monocytes to the linings of the inner walls of your blood vessels.
  • ability of blood monocytes to attach to the linings of the inner walls of your blood vessels.
  • conversion of blood monocytes into cholesterol-laden foam cells within the inner walls of your blood vessels.

and increased:

  • resistance to stimuli that cause uncontrolled proliferation of the cells that line your blood vessels (which results in less narrowing of those vessels).
  • resistance to stimuli that cause uncontrolled proliferation of the smooth muscle cells that wrap around your blood vessels and control their diameter (which results in less narrowing and stiffness of blood vessels – major causes of high blood pressure).

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
The Mediterranean Diet Will Benefit Your Health

References:
11. Pechanova O, Rezzani R, Babal P, Bernatova I, Andriantsitohaina R. Beneficial effects of provinols: Cardiovascular system and kidney. Physiol Res 2006;55(Suppl. 1):S17-S30.
12. Puzserova A, Csizmadiova Z, Andriantsitohaina R, Bernatova I. Vascular effects of red wine polyphenols in chronic stress-exposed Wistar-Kyoto rats. Physiol Res 2006;55(Suppl. 1):S39-S47.
13. Szmitko PE, Verma S. Antiatherogenic potential of red wine: Clinician update. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2005;288:H2023-H2030.

The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Oil?

Published on September 14, 2010 in healthy aging spotlight, mediterranean diet and omega 3 fish oil. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Oil?

A mainstay of the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle is the copious use and consumption of high-quality extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil. Is this important? The results of a recently-published randomized controlled clinical trial has shown that the high phytonutrient content of extra virgin olive oil is “heart healthy,” producing increased serum HDL-cholesterol concentrations and decreased serum triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and oxidized LDL cholesterol concentrations.8 In addition, a laboratory study has shown that two of the polyphenol phytonutrients in olive oil, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, impair the ability of damaged blood vessel lining cells to trick white blood cells into helping them form an arterial plaque.9

These findings help explain the observation that the routine, life-long consumption of several tablespoons of high-quality olive oil daily (as salad dressing, cooking oil, salsa or olives) can reduce the chances of ever having a heart attack by 75% or more.10

Of course, the health benefits of olive oil extend far beyond the heart and cardiovascular system. For example a recently published review article demonstrated that breast cancer and colon cancer in particular are less likely to occur in adults who habitually practice a Mediterranean dietary lifestyle.2 These reviewers explained the mechanisms through which oleic acid, the major monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) in olive oil, suppressed several of the very first biochemical events that convert a normal breast or colon cell into a cancerous cell – a mechanism that could help oncologists understand better the value of olive oil both to their patients and as a “cancer preventive” option for the general population.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Wine?

References:
2. Colomer R, Menendez JA. Mediterranean diet, olive oil and cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 2006;8:15-21.
8. Covas MI, Nyyssonen K, Poulsen HE, Kaikkonen J, Zunft HJ, Kiesewetter H, Gaddi A, de la Torre R, Mursu J, Baumler H, Nascetti S, Salonen JT, Fito M, Virtanen J, Marrugat J, EUROLIVE Study Group. The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2006;145:333-341.
9. Carluccio MA, Siculella L, Ancora MA, Massaro M, Scoditti E, Storelli C, Visioli F, Distante A, De Caterina R. Olive oil and red wine antioxidant polyphenols inhibit endothelial activation: Antiatherogenic properties of Mediterranean diet phytochemicals. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003;23:622-629.
10. Fernandez-Jarne E, Martinez-Losa E, Prado-Santamaria M, Brugarolas-Brufau C, Serrano-Martinez M, Martinez-Gonzalez MA. Risk of first non-fatal myocardial infarction negatively associated with olive oil consumption: A case-control study in Spain. Intern J Epidemiol 2002;31:474-480.

The Mediterranean Diet and Health Benefits – What Does the Data Say?

Published on September 9, 2010 in healthy aging spotlight and mediterranean diet. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
The Mediterranean Diet and Health Benefits – What Does the Data Say?

The results of a large number of studies all point in the same direction – the eating practices of individuals on the “Mediterranean Diet” keep people healthier.

The results of an analysis that combined the findings of many studies in an attempt to find the patterns that have emerged was published recently in Nutrition Reviews.1 The paper considered all of the possible health benefits that could be obtained from this lifestyle. These researchers concluded that the “Mediterranean Diet” does indeed keep people healthier. People who lived this lifestyle their entire lives as well as people who adopted it during participation in a research study enjoyed lower serum total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) concentrations, lower plasma triglycerides, higher serum high-density-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) concentrations, greater total plasma antioxidant capacity, more responsive and compliant blood vessels, greater insulin sensitivity and tighter blood glucose control, less cardiovascular disease, fewer heart attacks, fewer and milder joint problems, a tendency to lower body fatness and fewer cancers.

These conclusions repeat those that were reached previously by other experts.4 Those earlier scientists concluded that a shift to the traditional healthy Mediterranean diet by people living in highly developed Western countries could reduce by 10% to 25% the occurrence of cancers of the colon, rectum, breast, prostate, pancreas and endometrium.

Another investigator has published the results of a more detailed examination of the specifics of the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle in the scientific journal, Public Health Nutrition, in an article titled, “Mediterranean Diet and Cancer.”5 This public health expert concluded that individuals who regularly consume at least 5 servings of fruits, at least 5 servings of vegetables, at least 1 serving of fish, at least one serving of whole grains and at least two tablespoons of olive oil (high in monounsaturated fats) every day, while eating red meat no more often than once every other day, would cut in half their chances of ever developing cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, urinary bladder or prostate (if male) or breast, endometrium or ovary (if female).

The results of a recently-completed “gold standard” randomized controlled clinical trial, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, are consistent with all of the previous conclusions and predictions concerning the health benefits of this lifestyle. In this study, two versions of the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle, differing in major fat source, were compared to a standard low-fat diet.6 Regardless of whether the additional dietary fat was in the form of olive oil or nuts, both versions of the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle produced much tighter control of blood glucose concentrations, promoted normalization of blood pressure, lowered serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations and reduced signs of systemic inflammation.

Beneficial effects on body weight probably contribute to these positive outcomes. As shown in the results of a study of over 3,000 men and women living in northeastern Spain, the closer an individual adheres to this lifestyle, the less likely he or she is to become overweight.7

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
The Mediterranean Diet – Is It The Oil?

References:
1. Serra-Majem L, Roman B, Estruch R. Scientific evidence of interventions using the Mediterranean diet: A systematic review. Nutr Rev 2006;64:S27-S47.
2. Colomer R, Menendez JA. Mediterranean diet, olive oil and cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 2006;8:15-21.
3. Simopoulos AP. The Mediterranean diets: What is so special about the diet of Greece? The scientific evidence. J Nutr 2001;131:3065S-3073S.
4. Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Kuper H, Trichopoulos D. Cancer and Mediterranean dietary traditions. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2000;9:869-873.
5. La Vecchia C. Mediterranean diet and cancer. Public Health Nutr 2004;7:965-968.
6. Estruch R, Martinez-Gonzalez MA, Corella D, Salas-Salvado J, Ruiz- Gutierrez V, Covas MI, Fiol M, Gomez-Gracia E, Lopez-Sabater MC, Vinyoles E, Aros F, Conde M, Lahoz C, Lapetra J, Saez G, Ros E; PREDIMED Study Investigators. Effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on cardiovascular risk factors: A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2006;145:1-11.
7. Schroder H, Marrugat J, Vila J, Covas MI, Elosua R. Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with body mass index and obesity in a Spanish population. J Nutr 004;134:3355- 3361.

The Mediterranean Diet

Published on September 3, 2010 in healthy aging spotlight and mediterranean diet. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
The Mediterranean Diet

The term, “Mediterranean Diet,” implying that all Mediterranean people have the same diet, is a misnomer. The peoples of the Mediterranean region have a variety of diets, religions and cultures, and their diets differ somewhat in fat, olive oil, meat, wine, fruit, vegetable and dairy product contents. What most people think of when they hear the phrase, “Mediterranean Diet,” actually is the traditional diet of Greece prior to 1960.3 Nonetheless, the concept of a “Mediterranean Diet” has become a permanent part of the public consciousness.

Dietary lifestyle patterns that now are considered to be reflective of the Mediterranean Diet include the consumption of abundant amounts of fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grain breads, beans, nuts and seeds.1,3 The fruits and vegetables usually are fresh, minimally processed, and grown relatively locally (with little commercial shipping). Concentrated simple sugars and processed flour products are avoided. In contrast to westernized practices, the major source of dietary fats is olive oil. Eggs, cheese, yogurt and lean red meats are consumed only occasionally and milk is avoided. Wine (more often, red wine) is consumed with restraint and with meals.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
The Mediterranean Diet and Health Benefits – What Does the Data Say?

References:
1. Serra-Majem L, Roman B, Estruch R. Scientific evidence of interventions using the Mediterranean diet: A systematic review. Nutr Rev 2006;64:S27-S47.
3. Simopoulos AP. The Mediterranean diets: What is so special about the diet of Greece? The scientific evidence. J Nutr 2001;131:3065S-3073S.