Posts Tagged mediterranean diet blog

Mediterranean diet good for the heart

January 28, 2010 at 9:00 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , , ,

Mediterranean diet good for the heart

New research from Spain confirms the benefit of a Mediterranean diet to a healthy heart.

In an analysis of more than 40,000 Spanish adults followed for an average of 10 years, researchers found that sticking to a Mediterranean diet significantly reduced the risk of a first heart attack or other heart disease-related event.

Specific components of a Mediterranean diet differ from region to region but, generally, the key features include high consumption of olive oil, plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds. Fish is favored over other meat sources with relatively low consumption of red meat. Alcohol, especially red wine, and dairy products are used in moderation.

For years, evidence has been accumulating regarding the protective effects of a Mediterranean diet against heart disease, Genevieve Buckland and associates at the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona note in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Studies of varying sizes and designs have shown that a Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of death in people who’ve had a heart attack, curb the risk of stroke, and boost survival in people living with heart disease, they note.

However, Buckland and associates were concerned that weaknesses in previous research limited the strength of conclusions. To investigate further, they used data collected between 1992 and 2004 from 41,078 healthy men and women from five Spanish centers involved in the 10-country European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, or EPIC, study.

The participants, whose average age was 49 at enrollment, provided information on what and how much they ate. The researchers also took body measurements, asked about behaviors such as smoking and physical activity, and medical history.

Each participant was given a score on an 18-point scale based on how closely their diet adhered to the Mediterranean ideal; the higher the score, the higher the adherence.

During an average follow-up of 10.4 years, 609 of the study participants suffered a heart attack or severe chest pain called unstable angina requiring intervention. Nine of them died.

When the researchers compared these heart events with Mediterranean diet scores and adjusted for confounding factors, they found that the higher the score (and adherence to the Mediterranean diet) the lower the risk of heart disease.

Specifically, high adherence, compared with low adherence, to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a 40 percent reduced risk of a first heart disease-related event, they report.

Heart disease is a top killer worldwide, accounting for roughly 30 percent of all deaths, equal to approximately 17 million deaths annually, the investigators note. Nearly half of these deaths are due to heart disease.

It’s thought that 80 percent of heart attacks and related events could be prevented by modifying behaviors — like adopting a healthy diet. And the current study suggests that drastic diet changes may not be necessary.

Each 1-unit increase in the Mediterranean diet score was associated with a 6 percent reduced risk of heart disease, Buckland and colleagues report. Even a 2-unit increase in Mediterranean score, “which required less drastic and more feasible dietary changes, has a protective effect,” they report.

The researchers say more study is needed to pinpoint key protective components of the Mediterranean diet and how these components confer their protective effects.

In the meantime, however, their results add to a growing body of evidence pointing to the heart health benefits of a diet rich in olive oil, plant-based foods, and fresh fish and low in red meats.

SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, December 15, 2009.

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Mediterranean diet cuts stomach cancer risk

January 26, 2010 at 4:36 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , ,

Mediterranean diet cuts stomach cancer risk

Apart from its various health benefits, following the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer, a new study finds.

The Mediterranean diet had long been linked to a reduced risk of a number of diseases including depression, inflammation, premature death, diabetes, birth defect, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity.

Rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, cereals and olive oil, with a relatively low intake of red meat and dairy products, Mediterranean diet is believed to protect individuals against gastric cancer, stressing that other diets may boost the risk of the disease.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adopting the diet lowers by 33 percent the risk of gastric cancer — the second-leading cause of cancer death worldwide.

The study found the stronger the adherence to the diet, the lower the risk of developing the condition became.

“The results add to the evidence for the role of the Mediterranean diet in reducing cancer risk and add further support for the need to continue to promote the Mediterranean diet in areas where it is disappearing,” concluded lead researcher Carlos A. Gonzalez of the Catalan Institute for Oncology in Barcelona.

Scientists urged individuals to adopt a healthy diet and identify dietary recommendations effective in reducing the incidence of this cancer.

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6 Easy Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet

January 19, 2010 at 10:04 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , ,

6 Easy Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet

By Janis Graham / Readers Digest

If you’re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your doctor will almost certainly tell you that you need to lose some weight. Now research identifies the best way to do it: Eat the Mediterranean way.

In the study, 215 overweight people with diabetes followed either a classic, low-fat regimen (based on American Heart Association guidelines) or a higher-fat, Mediterranean-style diet (lots of olive oil, as well as vegetables, whole grains, and fish and poultry). After four years, both groups had lost similar amounts of weight—but only 44 percent of the Mediterranean-style eaters needed diabetes drugs, compared with 70 percent of the low-fat dieters.

The benefits come partly because a Mediterranean diet is full of healthy foods and partly because it doesn’t rely on fat-reduced foods high in refined carbs, says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Read on to find out which foods will help your blood sugar.

Eat less of these: Beef, lamb, pork

And more of these: Fish, poultry, beans

Eat less of these: Butter, margarine, butter substitue

And more of these: Extra-virgin olive oil or other vegetable oils such as soy bean and canola

Eat less of these: Low-fat crackers, chips

And more of these: Walnuts or other nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, olives

Eat less of these: Reduced-fat cookies

And more of these: Fresh fruit

Eat less of these: Egg substitute; fat-free yogurt; reduced-fat American, Cheddar, and Swiss cheese

And more of these: Whole eggs; whole yogurt; feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese

Eat less of these: Baked potatoes, bread, rice

And more of these: Roasted or sautéed vegetables tossed with herbs and drizzled with olive oil

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NYTimes: Study Foresees an Increase in Obesity and Its Costs

November 18, 2009 at 7:31 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , ,

While Congress searches for ways to slow the growth of health care spending, a new study suggests that its efforts may be overwhelmed by the surging prevalence of obesity.

The report, to be issued Tuesday, projects that if current trends continue 103 million American adults will be considered obese by 2018. That would be 43 percent of adults, compared to 31 percent in 2008, according to the research by Kenneth E. Thorpe of Emory University, an authority on the cost of treating chronic disease.

Mr. Thorpe concluded that the prevalence of obesity is growing faster than that of any other public health condition in the country’s history. Health care costs related to obesity — which is associated with conditions like hypertension and diabetes — would total $344 billion in 2018, or more than one in five dollars spent on health care, if the trends continue. If the obesity rate were held to its current level, the country would save nearly $200 billion a year by 2018, according to the study.

Mr. Thorpe said in an interview that the health care bills in Congress limit their attack on obesity to a few community-centered pilot programs with insufficient funding. Congress has steered clear of measures that might have a more direct impact, like taxing sugary sodas and fat-laden snacks.

“If we’re interested in bending the cost curve we’ve got to go back to the source of what’s driving spending,” he said. “And if you go back 5 or 10 years it’s not technology at all. It’s the explosion of chronic disease.”

The study is the first to project obesity levels for individual states, according to Mr. Thorpe. He found that by 2018, Colorado would be the only state where less than 30 percent of adults would be obese. In six states — Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota — more than 50 percent of adults would be obese.

The research was conducted for the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention.

COMMENTS: It’s odd that there is a spike in obesity when there is so much emphasis on healthy eating and exercise. But I suppose jogging, cycling and the Mediterranean diet are mostly middle-class yuppie activities. Half a century or more ago we ate and drank anything we wanted (and could afford) and never walked if we could ride. The only people who ran were on the track team. I’ve long given up cheeseburgers and Cokes and I still weigh about 130 as I did in high school.

You can read the article in its entirety here.

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CBS News: Super-Healthy Eating, on a Shoestring

November 15, 2009 at 3:20 am · Filed under Mediterranean Diet Recipes, mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , , ,

As seen in CBS News Nov 14 2009:

Food & Wine Magazine’s Gail Simmons Preps Mediterranean Meal Packed with Grains and Power-Proteins, on a Slim, $35 Budget!

(CBS) A big part of living a long, healthy life comes down to the way we eat, and a Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world.

On “The Early Show Saturday Edition,” Food & Wine magazine Special Projects Manager Gail Simmons accepted our “Chef on a Shoestring” challenge of making a super-healthy, three-course, Mediterranean-syle meal on a meager budget of $35.

Simmons utilized ingredients and flavors found in that region.

Her menu is full of longevity-aiding, heart-healthy olive oils, protein-packed grains and cholesterol-reducing seafood. It includes: Quinoa and Shaved Vegetable Salad, Shrimp Skewers with a Feta-Dill Sauce, and Honey-Drizzled Panna Cotta Yogurt.

“Early Show” recipes galore!
Read more about Healthy Living

And, as our “Chef on a Shoestring,” Gail was automatically entered in our “How Low Can You Go?” competition. The “Shoestring” chefs with the lowest ingredients totals will be invited back to prep our big, year-end holiday bashes.

FOOD FACTS

QUINOA: Although quinoa is new to the American market, it was a staple of the ancient Incas, who called it “the mother grain.” To this day it’s an important food in South American cuisine. Hailed as the “supergrain of the future,” quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. It’s considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids.Quinoa is also higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates that most grains, and it provides a rich and balanced source of vital nutrients. Tiny and bead-shaped, the ivory-colored quinoa cooks like rice (taking half the time of regular rice) and expands to four times its original volume. Its flavor is delicate, almost bland, and has been compared to that of couscous Quinoa is lighter than but can be used in any way suitable for rice. (Source: “Food Lover’s Companion”)

FETA CHEESE: Traditionally made feta contains only 264 calories in 3.5 ounces, lower than all other whole-milk cheeses except ricotta and mozzarella. The lower calorie count stems from the lower fat content, at 21 grams per 3.5 ounces. Adding protein rich feta to salads and wraps will boost your protein intake while adding a rich, tangy flavor without adding many calories. (Source: LiveStrong.com)

SHRIMP: Shrimp are anything but small in their nutrient density. Our food ranking system qualified shrimp as an excellent source of selenium and unusually low-fat, low-calorie protein – a four-ounce serving of shrimp supplies 23.7 grams of protein (that’s 47.4 percent of the daily value for protein) for a mere 112 calories and less than a gram of fat. Shrimp also emerged as a very good source of vitamin D and vitamin B12. (Source: WHFoods.com)

GREEK YOGURT: Yogurt promotes intestinal and vaginal health, improves lactose intolerance, builds stronger bones, enhances immunity, lowers blood pressure, and may even have anticancer and weight-loss effects. In a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers found that obese adults who ate three servings of fat-free yogurt a day as part of a reduced-calorie diet lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat than those who just cut calories. A plus for Greek yogurt, in particular, is that it doesn’t give you the sugar overload of what you usually find in U.S. grocery stores. To save on fat and calories, reach for a low-fat version. (Source: Health.com’s Healthy Eating section

RECIPES

Quinoa Salad with Shaved Vegetables

Quinoa is a delicious, hearty grain and can be cooked and eaten hot, or prepared cold in a salad, which we’re going to do today. It’s originally from South America jam-packed with protein, vitamins and nutrients (which is why it is sometimes called a SUPERFOOD), and can be combined with many different ingredients. Here is a recipe that is a great way to kick off a meal full of delicious flavors.

INGREDIENTS:
8 large red radishes or 1 large watermelon radish
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 medium fennel bulb, cored
1 cup quinoa, preferably red, rinsed
2 1/2 cups water
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD:

Using a mandoline, thinly slice the radishes, carrot and fennel bulb. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until crisp.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 20 minutes. Let cool.

Drain and dry the vegetables. In a bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice with the oil. Add the quinoa and toss; season with salt and pepper. Serve the quinoa in bowls, topped with the vegetables.

Read the entire article here.

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Atkins Diet Overview

November 11, 2009 at 5:01 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged ,

Introduction to Atkins:

Put “Atkins” right up there with “Kleenex” and “Band-Aids” — in the minds of many, the Atkins Diet IS low-carb dieting. Indeed, Atkins is often called the “Father of Modern Low-Carb Diets”. The essence of the Atkins program is 1) a diet of lower carbohydrate intake to intervene into what Atkins reckoned to be the underlying causes of overweight and 2) mechanisms to tailor the diet to the individual.

Restricted Foods on Atkins:

Total carbohydrate intake is counted, without much regard to where it comes from, though in Atkins for Life he had begun to talk more about advising less glycemic carbohydrate. Still, added sugars and refined grains are pretty much off the list for the rest of your life (which is the norm with low carb diets).

Amount of Restriction:

Starts out with a lot of restriction in the Induction phase. After that the amount of restriction is tailored to the individual, depending upon their response to the diet.

Amount of Structure:

The phases are quite structured, with detailed instructions on adding small amounts of carbohydrate. Within that structure, however, the dieter has a lot of choice about what to eat and how much.
Individual Variation:

The program focuses on helping people find their individual carbohydrate tolerance levels. Atkins also introduces a concept he called “metabolic resistance,” which will partly determine this level.

Learning Curve:

The biggest hurdle is simply learning how many grams of carbohydrate are in each food you eat. Here are the carb counts of many common foods.

Diet Phases:

The Atkins diet has four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), Pre-maintenance, and Maintenance. The length of these phases depends mainly upon how overweight a person is and how they respond to the diet. In his books, Atkins emphasizes the importance of each level, however, on the Atkins Web site it says, “Beginning with Induction is your choice — you can begin Atkins at any of the four phases. However, Induction will jumpstart your weight loss as you cut back significantly on carb consumption.”

As dieters proceed through the phases, they add more carbs, focusing on nutrient-dense ones, and avoiding refined grains and sugars. All the while, they are monitoring their weight and staying at a carb level where they are still losing. Gradually, they transition to Maintenance, or “Atkins for Life,” the lifelong program. At this point, individuals are eating at a carb level, which allows them to maintain their weight. Emphasis is on wise carb choices, with sugar and refined grains remaining verboten.

Read the article in its entirety here.

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The Independent: How to beat depression with the right diet

November 10, 2009 at 6:47 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , ,

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How to beat depression with the right diet

Feeling blue? There’s more to picking yourself up than reaching for a bar of chocolate. Scientific studies suggest that with the right diet you can even beat depression. Holly Williamsreports

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Feeling fresh: a diet rich in folate, found in fresh green vegetables, can help prevent depression and a shortage may contribute to psychiatric disorders

It will come as no surprise to hear that what we eat can have a big impact on how we feel, mentally as well as physically. After a hectic week, with too much fast food and hastily consumed coffee, or a couple of nights on the make-mine-a-double-and-a-doner diet, we may well feel what we’ve put into our bodies punishing our mind and mood.

But there are also foods that we might not even be aware of that are having a big impact on how we feel. And this can be more serious than just getting grouchy from overdoing it – there’s a wealth of research that suggests that certain types of food actually contain essential components for good mental health, with deficiencies potentially even worsening diagnosable mental disorders such as depression.

Two recent reports have hit headlines with the claim that a Mediterranean diet could protect against depression. With significantly fewer cases of depression in Mediterranean countries, researchers now think it may be the healthy diet, rich in fresh vegetables, whole grains and olive oil, that helps maintain mental health.

While depression is not caused by just one factor, eating well is a positive step in the right direction and in some cases deficiencies of certain vitamins, minerals, amino and fatty acids do seem to directly relate to our emotional wellbeing. “For somebody with mild depression, what they eat can really help. We can very easily keep people on track with good food,” says nutritionist Dr Caroline Longmore.

“Diet is one of the important factors for our mental health,” says Andrew McCulloch, the chief executive at the Mental Health Foundation. He suggests that the impact of diet on depression has been underestimated but that “there’s a lot of research going on now, and in the next 10 or 20 years we’ll understand a lot more.” In the meantime his advice is to “mix it up”. There is no “magic” ingredient or expensive supplement that cures depression, but McCulloch explains that if we eat a balanced, varied diet, we will naturally get all the mood-boosting proteins and fatty acids we need, as well as a full range of micronutrients.

Dr John Briffa also explains that our brains use a lot of energy, and need sustained fuelling from food – “just that one thing can make a difference to people who are prone to depression.” He also recommends eating a diet made up of foods as “natural and unprocessed as possible”.

This sound advice instinctively makes a lot of sense. But might there be a few easy changes or top foods we should ensure we munch on? Here are some of the diet choices and important ingredients that might help you eat yourself happy.

Follow a Mediterranean diet

We often hear about the physical benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet, but two recent studies concluded it could also have a positive impact on your mood. A diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, whole grains and olive oil could stave off depression, according to two separate studies conducted in Spain and London last month.

Spanish scientists from the Universities of Las Palmas and Navarra studied a group of 10,094 individuals over four years, and found that those who followed a classic Mediterranean diet were 30 per cent less likely to develop depression. Researchers from University College, London, who studied 3,486 civil servants over five years, also came up with exactly the same figure: Mediterranean-style eaters were 30 per cent less likely to develop depression. It is thought that while different aspects of the diet may have specific benefits, it may be the combined effect that has a big impact on mood.

“It is plausible that the synergistic combination of a sufficient provision of omega 3 fatty acids together with other natural unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants from olive oil and nuts, flavonoids and other phytochemicals from fruit and other plant foods and large amounts of natural folates and other B vitamins in the overall Mediterranean dietary pattern may exert a fair degree of protection against depression,” said the authors of the Spanish study in Archives of General Psychiatry.

Mediterranean countries are known to have lower levels of depression than those in the north of Europe, and this research suggests that it might be due to their swapping red meat and dairy for fish and olive oil, and ditching processed foods in favour of fresh fruit and veg.

You can read the entire article here.

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Examiner.com: Can your diet give you the blues? New study links junk food and depression

November 4, 2009 at 1:17 am · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , ,

If you’ve ever suspected that your love of junk food is ruining not only your physical health (hello, obesity!), but also your mental health, well, you may be on to something: A recent study out of Great Britain suggests that eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression. And, conversely, a healthy diet consisting of vegetables, fruit and fish can lower risk of depression.

The study, conducted on 3,500 middle-aged British civil servants, found that those who consumed large amounts of processed foods — such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products — had a 58 percent higher risk of depression than those who ate very few processed foods, reports the BBC.

Now, we’ve already reported on another study linking the Mediterranean diet with decreased risk of depression, so these latest findings are not that surprising. The scientists called for more research into the relationship between diet and mental health; but here’s one idea, based on common sense: Foods consisting of processed carbohydrates and sugars enter the bloodstream and get converted to energy very quickly, giving you that well-known “sugar rush.” But just as quickly, you come crashing down — both physically and mentally. You feel sleepy, sluggish and depressed!

In fact, there’s only one conclusion to reach from the growing pile of evidence: Junk food and junk drinks are the devil’s tool, and we’ve got to stop the madness!

You can read the entire article here.

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BBC: Depression Link To Processed Food

November 3, 2009 at 12:48 am · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged ,

Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests.

What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found.

Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants was compared with depression five years later, the British Journal of Psychiatry reported.

The team said the study was the first to look at the UK diet and depression.

They split the participants into two types of diet – those who ate a diet largely based on whole foods, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products.

After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in future depression risk with the different diets.

Those who ate the most whole foods had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who at the least whole foods.

By contrast people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate very few processed foods.

Mediterranean diet

Although the researchers cannot totally rule out the possibility that people with depression may eat a less healthy diet they believe it is unlikely to be the reason for the findings because there was no association with diet and previous diagnosis of depression.

Study author Dr Archana Singh-Manoux pointed out there is a chance the finding could be explained by a lifestyle factor they had not accounted for.

“There was a paper showing a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of depression but the problem with that is if you live in Britain the likelihood of you eating a Mediterranean diet is not very high.

“So we wanted to look at bit differently at the link between diet and mental health.”

It is not yet clear why some foods may protect against or increase the risk of depression but scientists think there may be a link with inflammation as with conditions such as heart disease.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said: “This study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health.

“Major studies like this are crucial because they hold the key to us better understanding mental illness.”

He added people’s diets were becoming increasingly unhealthy.

“The UK population is consuming less nutritious, fresh produce and more saturated fats and sugars.

“We are particularly concerned about those who cannot access fresh produce easily or live in areas where there are a high number of fast food restaurants and takeaways.”

Margaret Edwards, head of strategy at the mental health charity SANE, said: “Physical and mental health are closely related, so we should not be too surprised by these results, but we hope there will be further research which may help us to understand more fully the relationship between diet and mental health.”

You can read the entire article here.

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Chicago Tribune – Preventive Health: Beyond Screenings

October 27, 2009 at 3:25 pm · Filed under mediterranean diet blog ·Tagged , , ,

As excerpted from the October 26, 2009 Chicago Tribune’s Blog:

There’s more to health than health care

By Judith Graham and Julie Deardorff, Chicago Tribune reporters

As a young cardiologist, Steve Devries (left) noticed a disturbing pattern: His patched-up heart patients kept returning for repairs. It happened so often that Devries decided there must be another way to advance patients’ health.

Today, his thriving Chicago practice focuses exclusively on preventing disease, and Devries is far more likely to counsel patients about diet, sleep habits and exercise than to prescribe high-tech scans or cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Motivated by a growing sense that America’s health care system is broken, doctors such as Devries and public health experts are turning to preventive medicine for a potential fix. And lawmakers, eager to curb rising health care costs, are paying close attention.

Statins can reduce risk of heart events by one-third. But studies have shown the Mediterranean diet is associated with a 72 percent reduction in cholesterol levels, Devries said.

You can also read the article here.

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