Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of form of breast cancer – study

Following a Mediterranean diet could help reduce the risk of contracting one of the worst types of breast cancer by 40%, according to a large study for the World Cancer Research Fund.

The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, fish, fruit, nuts, vegetables and wholegrains, has well-publicised benefits, including reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

The study published in the International Journal of Cancer on Monday suggests it could also significantly reduce the chances of women getting oestrogen-receptor-negative (ER-negative) breast cancer, a postmenopausal form of the disease that cannot be treated with hormone therapy.

The study’s lead researcher, Prof Piet van den Brandt of Maastricht University in the Netherlands, said:“Our research can help to shine a light on how dietary patterns can affect our cancer risk.

“We found a strong link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced oestrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, even in a non-Mediterranean population. This type of breast cancer usually has a worse prognosis than other types of breast cancer.”

The researchers examined 62,573 women aged 55 to 69 over two decades. They were all participants in the Netherlands Cohort Study examining diet and cancer, which began in 1986. Their diets were tracked to see how closely they followed the Mediterranean pattern, which also has a low intake of red meat, sweets and refined grains such as white bread or white rice.

Traditionally it includes moderate consumption of alcohol, but because alcohol is a known risk factor for breast cancer this was excluded from the study. Almost 12,000 cases of breast cancer could be prevented in the UK each year if nobody drank alcohol, previous research has suggested.

Of the women included in the study, 3,354 contracted breast cancer, but 1,033 of the cases were not included in the analysis because the women had a history of breast cancer and/or had incomplete or inconsistent dietary data. The analysis looked at the different components of the Mediterranean diet individually, concluding that nut intake was most strongly inversely associated with ER-negative breast cancer, followed by fruit and fish.

The researchers concluded that, assuming causality, if everyone ate the highest defined Mediterranean diet, around a third (32.4%) of ER-negative breast cancer cases and 2.3% of all breast cancer cases could be avoided.

They said their findings were confirmed in a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Dr Panagiota Mitrou, director of research funding at the World Cancer Research Fund, said it was an important study. “With breast cancer being so common in the UK, prevention is key if we want to see a decrease in the number of women developing the disease,” he said. “We would welcome further research that helps us better understand the risk factors for the different breast cancer subtypes.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK, with more than 53,000 new cases each year Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK, with more than 53,000 new cases each year. A small study published last year and presented at an American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting suggested eating a Mediterranean diet may help prevent breast cancer returning.

Emma Pennery, clinical director at Breast Cancer Care, described the latest research as “intriguing”. She said: “We know how devastating a diagnosis is and this study adds to evidence that a healthy diet, full of ‘good’ low-saturated fats, plays a part in lowering risk of the disease.

“However, it’s important to remember while lifestyle choices like eating a well-balanced diet and taking regular exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer, they don’t guarantee prevention. So it’s crucial women know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and contact their GP with any concerns.”

People who have heart disease are already recommended to follow a Mediterranean diet in the UK. Public Health England has said the Mediterranean diet is similar to the official UK advice, which recommends cutting back on sugary, fatty and salty food and drinks.

Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of form of breast cancer – study

11 Delicious Key Ingredients that Make The Mediterranean Diet So Nutritious

The Mediterranean diet represents the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries like Italy and Greece in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Studies have shown that the diet can be beneficial to cause weight loss and help prevent heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes and premature death.

This article will discuss 11 amazing ingredients in the Mediterranean diet by focusing more on the traditional diet eaten during that period.

Olive Oil 

Olive oil dominates the varying dietary patterns that make up the overall Mediterranean diet. Olive oil, especially extra-virgin, is rich in tocopherols, carotenoids, and polyphenols, all of which provide it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

One of the polyphenols, a major antioxidant known as hydroxytyrosol, has been shown by a study that it may prevent cancers by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells and inhibit cancer cell-division cycles. Oleuropein is another antioxidant/anti-inflammatory polyphenol that has been studied extensively.

Olive oil is the principal source of dietary fat, used for cooking and baking. Contrary to popular beliefs, high-quality extra-virgin olive oil has a high smoke point up to 410 degree Fahrenheit due to lower free fatty acid contents. Polyphenols in olive oil are said to act as natural preservatives that protect it from heat degradation.

Olive

Olive fruits, commonly known as olives, are universally eaten whole, and widely used for cooking and flavoring. The fruits, which the oil is derived from, are rich sources of fiber, carotenoids, and polyphenols. The last two phytochemicals exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Wheat

Wheat is the main grain eaten as a staple in the Mediterranean. Farro or emmer, an ancient wheat, is likely to be found accompanying dishes in many Mediterranean restaurants. Durum is another wheat variety famously used in an unrefined form in making pasta and bread. Its yellow color is due to beta carotene. Both farro/emmer wheat and durum offer high fiber, vitamin Bs, and antioxidant contents. They are good sources of proteins and mineral, including magnesium, zinc, and iron.

Wine

Antonia Trichopoulou, in a review article, states that alcohol consumption was common in the traditional Mediterranean diet, but generally in moderation and in the form of wine and, as a rule, during meals.

NOTE: Consider the following advice by Harvard School of Public Health on alcohol consumption, 

‘Moderate drinking can be healthy—but not for everyone. You must weigh the benefits and risks; For most moderate drinkers, alcohol has overall health benefits especially for middle-aged individuals; Non-drinkers, shouldn’t feel the need to start drinking to improve their health; Heavy drinkers, with their increased risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, cirrhosis, and dependence should cut back or stop drinking altogether.’

Wild Greens

Greens are used to make tortes/tortas and savory pies, a staple dish, in Southern France, Italy, and Greece as well as other countries of the Mediterranean. On the Greek island of Ikaria alone there are more than 150 types of wild greens, some of which includes fennel, dandelion greens, rocket (arugula), cardoon, purslane, and chicory.

Dark leafy greens are rich in carotenoids, bioflavonoids, vitamins C and E, and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron. Their nutritional composition may vary between species, varieties, and cultivars.

In North America, available edible wild greens include chicory, chickweed, dandelion greens, milk thistle, watercress, and purslane, among others.

Consuming a varied intake from different species over time is a great way to get an array of other nutrients and phytonutrients.

Capers

Capers, the unripened flower buds of Capparis spinosa var. dermis, prickly, perennial plants native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia, are generally used as a flavorful seasoning or garnish, and are an important ingredient in tapenade. Their use, mentioned as food in the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh, dates back to more than 2000 B.C.

Antioxidant-rich capers have long been a favorite in the Mediterranean region. They impart a piquant sour and salty flavor to salads, sauces, dressings, vegetables and a variety of main dishes. Capers’s pungency and sharp flavor made it particularly common in Sicilian cooking and used in the Milanese sauce with anchovies.

Studies have exhibited that capers may have strong antioxidant activity and contained high levels of antioxidant compounds. A study has shown capers to contain several types of polyphenols which may be responsible for their antioxidant properties. The same study also found capers to contain high zinc and iron levels.

The authors conclude that capers appear to be a good source of antioxidants and minerals that might serve to protect the health and combat several diseases.

Chickpeas (Garbanzos)

Chickpeas, one of the earliest known cultivated legumes, are the key ingredient in hummus, a famous creamy sauce.  The soup consists of black and regular chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, and whole wheat is an important traditional dish in Puglia, Italy.

Chickpea flour is traditionally used to make a pancake or crêpe in Italy and France.

Chickpeas high proteins (15% Daily Value (DV)) and fiber contents (25% DV) help increase satiety. Glycemic index of chickpeas is 28, which falls into the range for low-glycemic index foods. They are good sources of iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, potassium, thiamine, folate, riboflavin and vitamin B-6.

Lemons

Lemons and oranges originate from the Far East, and Arabs brought them to the Mediterranean. A typical habit in the Mediterranean is to squeeze lemons on salads, soups, beans, fish, and into drinking water, which help lower the glycemic load of the entire meal.

The acidity and high flavonoid content of lemon peels found to be a mechanism of lemon beneficial impact on blood glucose that can help control or prevent diabetes.

Lemon bioflavonoids, limonoids, coumarins, vitamin C and citric acid contents exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic

Garlic is an essential ingredient in many Mediterranean cuisines and it varies in it uses from province to province. Garlic contains approximately 33 sulfur compounds responsible for its pungent odor and most of its health benefits, which include anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.

Herbs

Herbs and spices are widely used in the Mediterranean cuisine. Herbs are sources of high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, especially polyphenols. They have been found to contribute significant flavonols and flavones in levels via overall dietary intake of the traditional Greek cuisine.

Feta and Yogurt

Traditional feta is a white salty Greek cheese made from the milk of ewes or goats. The Turks are believed to have first introduced yogurt, which was more commonly used in the old Ottoman Empire (eastern Mediterranean).

Both feta and yogurt are fermented, provides additional proteins, make them good additions to the Mediterranean diet that’s largely plant-based.

Studies have shown probiotics play significant roles in not only taking care of your gut microbiota diversity but also have a positive influence on the immune system and the brain.

Take Home Message

The Mediterranean diet offers a flavorful template of healthful plant-based meals to your daily diet. If you’re not local to the Mediterranean you could try to adjust your diets to the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet.

As for the types and nutritional values of foods are concerned, you can always acquire new and dynamic knowledge readily available 24/7 by reading great articles on the net written by dietetics or nutrition experts.

11 Delicious Key Ingredients that Make The Mediterranean Diet So Nutritious

Mediterranean diet "could prevent 19,000 deaths a year in UK"

Thousands of deaths from heart disease and stroke could be prevented if everybody ate a Mediterranean diet, a major study of the UK’s eating habits has shown.

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil and fruits and vegetables, are well-known, but the study is the first to look at it in the real world of the UK. Gathering data about eating habits among nearly 24,000 people in Norfolk over an average of 12 to 17 years, the researchers found that 12.5% of heart attack and stroke deaths that occurred could have been prevented. In the context of the UK as a whole, that would be 19,000 deaths averted out of the 155,000 that occur as a result of heart disease every year.

Dr Nita Forouhi, lead author from the Medical Research Council epidemiology unit at the University of Cambridge, said: “We estimate that 3.9% of all new cardiovascular disease cases or 12.5% of cardiovascular deaths in our UK-based study population could potentially be avoided if this population increased their adherence to the Mediterranean diet.”

In spite of the name, the Mediterranean diet does not have to feature squid, anchovies, hummus and pitta bread. It is descriptive, not prescriptive – taken to mean a diet that includes a lot of fruit and vegetables, olive oil, nuts, legumes, some fish and dairy and little red and processed meat. It usually includes a small amount of red wine.

The difficulty for the researchers was in pinning down how much of the diet of the participants in the study, which began in the 1990s, qualified as “Mediterranean”. After a considerable amount of work searching the literature, and with reference to the Mediterranean diet pyramid produced by the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, they worked out a way to score the food families consumed. The top possible score would be a diet with 15 Mediterranean elements. They found the maximum score among their participants was 13.1 and the lowest score was 3.

In spite of the name, the Mediterranean diet does not have to feature squid, anchovies, hummus and pitta bread. Photograph: Teodora Djordjevic/Getty Images/iStockphoto

They found that those with higher scores – more elements of the Mediterranean diet in their daily meals – were less likely to get heart disease and to die as a result of it after taking into account other problematic factors such as smoking, weight and physical activity.

Forouhi said one of the messages from their work was that the “superfoods” approach often promoted by society, advocating kale or certain types of berry for greater health, was not the answer. Nor was a focus on reducing single dietary elements like sugar or fat. “It is very much more a balance across the range of foods available to us,” she said.

People who have have heart disease are already recommended to follow a Mediterranean diet in the UK. The new study shows it is helpful for everyone else as well, said Forouhi.

Dr Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at Public Health England, said: “The Mediterranean-style diet in this study is in fact similar to official UK advice, as shown in the Eatwell Guide. We also recommend cutting back on sugary, fatty and salty food and drinks and being mindful of calories to help protect your heart and general health.”

Mediterranean diet "could prevent 19,000 deaths a year in UK"

The Mediterranean Diet: The World’s Healthiest Diet

The Mediterranean region is famous for its healthy recipes and eating habits which emphasize seasonality, traditional preparations, and natural produce. The Mediterranean diet has various sources of food and focuses mainly on the intake of olive oil as an important source of beneficial fat. The diet has been studied since the 70s, and researchers have found that the Meditteranean population has low rates of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

The Mediterranean menu includes whole grains, legumes, beans, vegetables, fruits, and fish. The diet also encourages to eat less red meat products because they have a high percentage of fat, calories, and cholesterol. Also, as a traditional diet; 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan has awesome daily recipes that are weight loss friendly and offer a traditional Meditteranean flavor. The 4 weeks nutrition program reduces the proportion of cholesterol and modulates blood pressure without depriving the body of the various important nutrients needed.

Mediterranean diet foods:

1. Eating small amounts of yogurt and special kind of cheese because they contain calcium.

2. Whole grains and starches such as pasta, bread, rice, bulgur, bran, and potatoes.

3. Fish is usually steamed or grilled, which is advised to eat several times per week, you can also have tuna or salmon or mackerel, and avoid fried fish.

4. Boil eggs, several times a week,

5. Eating red meat, no more than once a week.

6. Two vegetarian meals at least once each week.

7. Eating various kinds of legumes, vegetables, herbs, grains, fresh fruits, to help reduce LDL cholesterol in the body, leading to weight loss.

8. Nuts, they contain a high proportion of fat except for walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds. Also, beware not to consume them to a large degree unless you’re exercising daily.

9. Eating vegetables steamed or boiled without high-calorie extras.

10. Always use olive oil instead of butter and other oils, for example, you can make a sauce for pasta by adding one tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, onion and one tablespoon of tomato sauce to prepare a healthy sauce for your pasta.

11. Eating fresh fruits instead of sweets.

12. You can have coffee, tea, but without sugar and in moderation.

Foods that should not be eaten in this diet:

1. Processed foods.

2. Fried foods in general.

3. Junk food – fast food.

4. Sugary drinks like regular soft drinks and diet kinds, as well manufactured juices.

5. Sausage, hamburgers, and bacon.

6. Cakes and cookies and chocolate cake.

7. Processed meat, high-calorie.

That’s it,

The Mediterranean diet has been around for decades now and received no criticism by the World Health Organization, in contrast to other diets. It also ranked third out of 35 diets according to U.S. News & World Report.

References:

1. http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20141014/another-study-links-mediterranean-diet-to-better-heart-health


2. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801


3. http://www.herbalismchoice.com/2016/09/28-day-mediterranean-diet-plan.html

The Mediterranean Diet: The World’s Healthiest Diet

What actually is the Mediterranean diet – and does it work?

It is said to be better at lowering cholesterol than statins, and able to prevent dementia and heart disease, and will not make you fat. Anything that good for you might be expected to smell foul and come in a medicine bottle, but the Mediterranean diet is generally considered to be delicious, except by those who hate olive oil.

It is a potential answer to the obesity crisis crippling healthcare systems, but few understand exactly what the diet is and most of us do not follow it, including increasing numbers of people who live in the Mediterranean. The scientist Ancel Keys and the cookery writer Elizabeth David, two of the pioneers who helped open the eyes of northern Europeans to the wonders of the Mediterranean diet, must be turning in their graves.

We are constantly presented with paeans to the Mediterranean way of life and were faced with yet another this week, when a study presented at a heart disease conference in Rome claimed that those who ate a diet rich in vegetables, nuts, fish and oils were 37% less likely to die early than those who ate red meat and butter.

But ask anybody what the Mediterranean diet actually is and few will give you the same answer. It is not a weight-loss regime such as the Atkins or Dukan diets. It is actually not a prescriptive diet at all, rather a pattern of eating. In spite of the name, it has less and less in common with the way that many people in southern Europe live and eat today.

In the Greek tavernas, thronged with British holidaymakers in the summer months, the Mediterranean diet so highly regarded by health experts can turn into a lamb kebab with rice and chips, washed down with lager. Pasta, which used to be a side dish, overflows the enormous bowls in which it is served in Italian restaurants. The French have finally lost the battle against the Big Mac.

Seafood, including octopus, is a component of the traditional Mediterranean diet, but consumption varied according to location. Photograph: Alamy

The Mediterranean diet is based on a rural life where people ate what they grew, which is fast disappearing. The UN has recognised the diet as an endangered species. In 2013, Unesco listed the Mediterranean diet as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Portugal.

Even health experts and nutritionists differ on the detail of the Mediterranean diet, but the principles are fairly clear. It is about an eating style based on large amounts of fruit and vegetables, legumes such as beans, lentils, peas and peanuts, whole grains and especially olive oil.

Fish and seafood are part of it, but their consumption varied in the past according to how close people lived to the sea. Chicken, eggs and small amounts of dairy, such as cheese and yoghurt, are there in moderation, but red meat and sweets would rarely be consumed. The diet includes a small amount of wine with meals. Pasta, bread and potatoes are variables from one region to another. It is quite a high-carbohydrate diet, which was fine when people were physically active on farms or fishing boats.

Notably, none of this comes in a box. The supermarket spaghetti bolognese does not count. The Mediterranean diet has no preservatives. It is freshly picked, plucked and cooked.

The use of olive oil is interesting, according to Tom Sanders, an emeritus professor of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, who has carried out studies involving Mediterranean diets. “If you are trying to get people to eat a lot of vegetables and salad, it’s quite difficult to do without oil,” he says. “And if you are putting oil on top of salad, it also has a bit of a satiating effect. Aubergines or tomatoes in oil – you can have enough of that quite quickly. Whereas something that you’ve got saturated fat in, such as cake or biscuits, it’s easy to knock them back and you don’t realise how much is going in.”

But there is more to the Mediterranean diet than the food on the plate. Unesco waxes wistfully lyrical on a whole idealised lifestyle that may appear to have little to do with the modern Mediterranean as we know it. “The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking and particularly the sharing and consumption of food.

“Eating together is the foundation of the cultural identity and continuity of communities throughout the Mediterranean basin. It is a moment of social exchange and communication, an affirmation and renewal of family, group or community identity,” the citation says.

Fresh produce at a street market stall in Naples, Italy. The key element of the diet is eating a large amount of vegetables. Photograph: Alamy

“The Mediterranean diet emphasises values of hospitality, neighbourliness, intercultural dialogue and creativity, and a way of life guided by respect for diversity.”

Shared family meals, it is now widely understood, help people eat well and avoid excess, while the TV dinner habit is linked to obesity.

Keys, a Minnesota academic, started to investigate the health benefits of Mediterranean eating in the 1950s, after a visit to Naples. He was concerned about the large numbers of men dying from heart attacks in the US. An Italian colleague had told him that the heart attack rate among labourers in the Neapolitan area was low. It led to the Seven Countries Study, an enormous project that continues today. The first pilot studies were set up in Nicotera, a village in Calabria, southern Italy, and in six villages on Crete.

The study compared middle-aged men with different lifestyles and diet: on the US railroads, in the villages of North Karelia, Finland, where many men died as a result of heart disease, in the Netherlands, in Italian villages, but also workers on the railroads in Rome, in Crete and Corfu, in villages in Croatia, and in farming and fishing communities in Japan.

It uncovered a link between eating high levels of saturated fat, found in red meat and dairy products, and cholesterol in the blood, and heart disease. The scientists could not prove that saturated fats were the cause, but the finger of suspicion was firmly pointed, leading to changed dietary guidelines in the US and the eventual craze for low-fat everything, with the resulting rise and rise of sugar to make processed food and drinks taste better. Keys has more recently been heavily criticised for opposing John Yudkin, who argued in the 1970s that sugar, not fat, was the problem.

Nowadays, Mediterranean food is often served with chips, while in Italy, pasta has gone from being a side dish to a huge main course. Photograph: Alamy

What did not happen as a result of the study was the wholescale adoption of the Mediterranean diet, although Keys, who died aged 100 in 2004, promoted it in popular books and practised what he preached.

David, a debutante, adventurer and lover of the Mediterranean sunshine, had an influence with her articles and books, describing dishes with aubergines, courgettes and other exotica that were all but unavailable in northern Europe in the 1950s and 60s. But the era of convenience food and the sheer quantity that became available, whether in supermarkets or from takeaways, had a greater impact on working populations.

Nonetheless, Sanders says northern Europe is generally healthier than the Mediterranean regions. Things have changed.

“That sort of diet was accompanied by quite a lot of physical activity. There were moderate intakes of wine, but it wasn’t huge: it was about 300ml or 400ml at most a day. And these guys, particularly in Crete, which was looked at, were pretty active and were quite thin.

“If you look at a follow-up of their kids, the second generation in the Seven Countries Study, they tend to be overweight and eating something quite different – a lot more deep fried food. The equivalent of Colonel Sanders really. And what you are seeing in southern Europe, Greece, is one of the highest increases in rates of cardiovascular disease, so there’s been a switchover.

Obesity is increasing in Greece, which topped the OECD childhood obesity league in 2014, ahead of the US, Italy and Mexico. Photograph: Alamy

“If we look at life expectancy, I think it’s longest in Iceland. Whereas southern European countries, they still have a lot of poverty and they’re not doing so well. And they’re becoming more sedentary.”

Greece topped the OECD child obesity league published in 2014, using data from 2010, with 44% of boys aged 5-17 overweight, followed by Italy on 36%. Both countries had higher rates than the US and Mexico.

Studies continue to show the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. In June, the respected Predimed study in Spain found that overweight and obese people, with heart disease and diabetes, who ate a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetable fat, because of additional olive oil or nuts, did not gain weight, compared with people on a low-fat diet.

There is no doubt that the Mediterranean diet is good for you. But shifting the habits of nations to adopt, cook and eat it regularly in societies dominated by packaged food manufacturers is quite a task.

What actually is the Mediterranean diet – and does it work?

Mediterranean diet better than statins for tackling heart disease – study

Heart disease is better treated with a Mediterranean-style diet than cholesterol-lowering drugs, it has been claimed.

A study found those who had a diet rich in vegetables, nuts, fish and oils were a third less likely to die early, compared with those who ate larger quantities of red meat, such as beef, and butter.

Speaking at a global conference on heart disease in Rome, Italy, leading heart disease expert professor Giovanni de Gaetano said: “So far research has focused on the general population, which is mainly composed of healthy people.

“What happens to people who have already suffered from cardiovascular disease?

“Is the Mediterranean diet optimal for them too?”

The study followed 1,200 people with a history of heart attacks, strokes and blocked arteries over seven years. During that time, 208 patients died but the closer people were to an ideal Mediterranean diet the less likely they were to be among the fatalities.

The conference was told those who ate mainly along Mediterranean lines were 37% less likely to die during the study than those who were furthest from this dietary pattern, after adjusting for age, sex, class, exercise and other habits.

Previously, cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins were believed to be the most effective method of combating heart disease, the leading cause of death in the UK.

Statins, which are among the world’s best-selling prescription drugs, are said to help reduce major heart problems by around 24%.

They are the most widely-prescribed drugs in the UK, with at least seven million users costing the NHS £285m a year.

According to the latest figures from the British Heart Foundation, cardiovascular disease causes more than a quarter (27%) of all deaths in the UK – around 155,000 deaths each year – an average of 425 people each day or one death every three minutes.

Sir David Nicholson, former chief executive of the NHS, entered the debate over statins in July when he said he had stopped taking them as part of his medication for diabetes. “If a lifestyle change works then why would you take the statin? The trouble is that they give you a statin straightaway, so you don’t know what is working,” he said.

Mediterranean diet better than statins for tackling heart disease – study

Mediterranean diet plan improves cognition, protects brain and heart, and decreases threat of type two diabetes by 52%!

Heart condition is the variety a single lead to of death in the United States. (one) There are quite few circumstances of heart illness in countries of the Mediterranean.  Researchers feel that their healthful diet program is the principal purpose for their lower costs of heart condition.(two)

The Mediterranean diet program is higher in plants including fruits, greens, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, nuts and seeds.  They also use massive quantities of olive oil and red wine along with reasonable servings of fish, poultry, dairy and eggs.  Red meat is seldom consumed in this region.(two)

Though this diet plan has been about for centuries, it is at the moment gaining mainstream acceptance due analysis.  Numerous research have proven that the Mediterranean diet is a very good way to improve your overall health and avert condition. (two)

Mediterranean diet regime benefits in younger brains, reduction of fewer brain cells and enhanced cognition!

One review discovered that those who eat the Mediterranean diet program have much less brain atrophy, resulting in the loss of fewer brain cells and improved cognition.  The examine found that eating less meat resulted in a bigger brain volume.  Eating much more fish was linked with improved cortical thickness.  The research divided participants into two groups, people who ate Mediterranean diet regime and people who did not. The group that did not eat the Mediterranean diet’s brains had aged five many years compared to the group who consumed the Mediterranean diet plan.  In the group who consumed the Mediterranean diet, their brain volume was 13 percent larger.(3)

A 2010 study supports this data rerouted that individuals who adhere to the Mediterranean diet regime had been 36 percent significantly less probably to have damage to the brain. (three)

The diet regime is not only very good for the brain, but is also useful in preventing diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.  (2)

Mediterranean diet decreases threat of stroke by 39 %!

A 2013 examine had a complete of seven,447 participants with higher threat of cardiovascular condition.  They were divided into 3 various diet plans, a Mediterranean diet regime with extra olive oil, a Mediterranean diet regime with extra nuts and a minimal-body fat management group.  The examine concluded that the threat of stroke went down by 39 percent in the Mediterranean diet regime groups.  Those with high blood strain, lipid problems or obesity responded ideal to the Mediterranean diet plan.(2)

A 2007 examine examined the influence of the Mediterranean diet regime on 372 folks who had been at high cardiovascular risk.  After 3 months, researchers assessed changes oxidative pressure.  Researchers identified that the diet plan result in reductions in LDL cholesterol along with enhancements in other threat factors. (2)

Mediterranean diet decreases threat of creating kind two diabetes by 52 %!

A 2011 review, related to the 2013 study above, integrated 418 non-diabetic participants had been followed for 4 years.  Researchers examined their danger of building variety 2 diabetes.  The research identified that 10 and 11 percent of the men and women in the Mediterranean diet program groups became diabetic in contrast with 17.9 percent in the reduced-fat management group.  The Mediterranean diet reduced danger of establishing type two diabetes by 52 %!(2)

If you are not interested in providing up meat and dairy totally, the Mediterranean diet regime might be a excellent option that has quite a few well being positive aspects.

Sources incorporated:

(1) http://www.theheartfoundation.org/heart-condition-details/heart-illness-statistics/

(two) http://authoritynutrition.com/five-research-on-the-mediterranean-diet/

(three) http://www.sentinelsource.com/existence_and_type/lifestyles/mediterranean-diet regime-helps make-your-brain-younger/article_10f6ae0e-d7c3-5c3d-a10b-2f3ed9de2f8a.html

Mediterranean diet plan improves cognition, protects brain and heart, and decreases threat of type two diabetes by 52%!

A Quick Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet

Goal: about 4 tbsp/day
The quantity of olive oil includes oil utilised for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the residence. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet with further-virgin olive oil, the purpose was to consume 50 g (appx. four tbsp.) or a lot more per day of the polyphenol-wealthy olive oil provided, as an alternative of the ordinary refined range, which is lower in polyphenols.

A Quick Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet

A Fast Manual To The Mediterranean Diet

Purpose: about four tbsp/day
The amount of olive oil consists of oil used for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the residence. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet with additional-virgin olive oil, the aim was to eat 50 g (appx. four tbsp.) or much more per day of the polyphenol-wealthy olive oil supplied, rather of the ordinary refined selection, which is lower in polyphenols.

A Fast Manual To The Mediterranean Diet

A Fast Manual To The Mediterranean Diet

Aim: about four tbsp/day
The sum of olive oil contains oil utilised for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the property. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet program with further-virgin olive oil, the aim was to consume 50 g (appx. four tbsp.) or a lot more per day of the polyphenol-rich olive oil supplied, instead of the ordinary refined variety, which is reduced in polyphenols.

A Fast Manual To The Mediterranean Diet

Can the Mediterranean Diet regime Make Us Happier?

Residing on a private Greek island may be out of the cards for most of us, but that doesn’t indicate we can not consume like we’re on a Mediterranean vacation (with out leaving home). Research suggests the Mediterranean diet plan — consisting primarily of fresh fruits and greens, entire grains, beans, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and olive oil and supplemented with occasional dairy, poultry, fish, and red wine — doesn’t just advertise a healthful entire body, but can actually make us happier, as well. The diet plan has been touted by organizations like the American Heart Association, the Mayo Clinic, and the Cleveland Clinic as a heart-healthier, cancer-fighting, diabetes-stopping eating program [one]. But can it also boost our mood?

The Science

The examine compares how foods from a conventional Mediterranean diet program (exclusively vegetables, fruit, olive oil, legumes, and nuts) influence the all round mood when in contrast to a modern Western diet program hefty in sweets, soda, and quick foods  [2]. The evidence is in the pudding (or the hummus). Participants who ate plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, olive oil, nuts, and legumes were significantly happier than individuals who chowed down on desserts, soda, and rapidly foods. Interestingly, eating red meat and fast food put females in a negative mood, but did not appear to influence the men. It’s well worth noting the researchers did not handle for grain consumption — whether they white, entire-grain, or gluten-free — so we really don’t know how the kind or sum of grains eaten influenced these results.

Can We Trust It?

Maybe. The researchers recruited about 96,000 topics from the Adventist church all around the United States to fill out a questionnaire detailing how often they ate certain meals above the course of one yr. Subjects had been recruited and filled out questionnaires between 2002 and 2006 — every single particular person filled out the foods frequency questionnaire only as soon as. About 20,000 participants were randomly selected from the group to fill out a Constructive and Adverse Influence Routine (PANAS) survey in 2006. Of that variety, 9,255 participants returned the survey and had been incorporated in study’s last benefits. The two surveys had been self-reported, so there is a probability that some responses were biased or untruthful. The solutions look relatively black-and-white, but how reputable are these conclusions?

While the study group was sizeable, it only incorporated a specific group of Americans. The subjects came from all all around the country, but the researchers excluded folks under age 35, smokers, non-Adventists, and any individual of an ethnicity other than black or white. The results could be different in other nations the place foods may be of higher or lower high quality, or in ethnic or religious communities with different lifestyles. In spite of the huge amount of individuals who participated, the study’s main weakness is a lack of diversity.

The Takeaway

Regardless of who the researchers integrated and who they did not, the outcomes demonstrate diet program certainly has an effect on how we really feel. The wholesome fats current in the Mediterranean diet regime may possibly be the important to a great mood. Changes in ranges of BNDF, a protein that controls numerous brain functions, may possibly contribute to psychological issues like schizophrenia and depression. Studies demonstrate consuming food rich in omega-3 fatty acids — located in fish and some nuts — can aid stabilize BNDF amounts [3]. Another review examined this theory on people and identified that participants with depression who stuck to a Mediterranean diet plan had consistently increased ranges of BNDF (the participants with no a history of depression skilled no adjust in BNDF amounts).

Other scientific studies show that fresh fruits, veggies, and a lot of greens are excellent for psychological well being, as well. Polyphenols, compounds discovered in plant-primarily based foods, can positively influence brain cognition [four]. In a nearly ten-yr survey, researchers discovered that higher fruit and vegetable consumption was linked to lower odds of mood issues like depression, distress, and anxiousness [5].

The new review has some limitations, but regardless, the outcomes are another good argument in a prolonged history of analysis advocating a plant-heavy diet regime. So take into account putting down the processed stuff and whipping up some stuffed grape leaves for a more healthy, happier way of life. (Not into grape leaves? Attempt one particular of these meals to enhance your mood!)

Would you try out a Mediterranean diet plan? Tell us your take in the feedback beneath or tweet the author @SophBreene.

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Functions Cited:

1. Mediterranean diet and diabetes prevention: Myth or reality? Kastorini CM, Panagiotakos DB. World Journal of Diabetes. 2010 July 15 1(3):65-67.
   
   
   


2. Intake of Mediterranean food items associated with positive affect and reduced damaging affect. Ford PA, Jaceido-Siegl K, Lee JW, Youngberg W, Tonstad S. Loma Linda University, College of Public Health, Division of Preventive Care, USA. Journal of Pscyhosomatic Study, 2013 February 74(2): 142-eight.
   
   
   


3. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids normalize BDNF ranges, reduce oxidative harm, and counteract finding out disability after traumatic brain damage in rats. Wu A, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. Division of Pscyhological Science, University of California at Lost Angeles, USA. Journal of Neurotrama, 2004 October 21(10):1457-67.
   
   
   


4. Organic mood meals: the actions of polyphenols towards psychiataric and cognitive disorders. Gomez-Pinilla F, Nguyen TTJ. Dietary Neuroscience. 2012 Could 15(3):127-33.
   
   
   


5. The association amongst fruit and vegetable consumption and mental wholesome issues: Evidence from five waves of a national survey of Canadians. McMartin SE, Jacka FN, Colman I. Department of Epidemiology and Neighborhood Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Preventive Medication. 2013 January 4.
   
   

Can the Mediterranean Diet regime Make Us Happier?

A Swift Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet regime

Purpose: about 4 tbsp/day
The quantity of olive oil involves oil utilised for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the residence. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet program with extra-virgin olive oil, the objective was to consume 50 g (appx. 4 tbsp.) or a lot more per day of the polyphenol-wealthy olive oil provided, as an alternative of the ordinary refined variety, which is minimal in polyphenols.

A Swift Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet regime

A Swift Manual To The Mediterranean Diet regime

Aim: about four tbsp/day
The quantity of olive oil contains oil used for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the property. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet regime with added-virgin olive oil, the objective was to eat 50 g (appx. four tbsp.) or more per day of the polyphenol-wealthy olive oil supplied, as an alternative of the ordinary refined range, which is minimal in polyphenols.

A Swift Manual To The Mediterranean Diet regime

A Rapid Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet regime

Objective: about four tbsp/day
The quantity of olive oil contains oil utilised for cooking and salads and oil consumed in meals eaten outside the home. In the group assigned to the Mediterranean diet regime with extra-virgin olive oil, the purpose was to eat 50 g (appx. four tbsp.) or much more per day of the polyphenol-rich olive oil provided, as an alternative of the ordinary refined assortment, which is minimal in polyphenols.

A Rapid Guidebook To The Mediterranean Diet regime