The Mediterranean Diet boosts the Brain

We’ve long talked about the Mediterranean diet as heart-healthy. But a new study shows that it’s “brain-healthy” too.
According to the research, the diet may help protect against brain blood-vessel damage, which in turn cuts the risk of stroke and memory loss.
The diet has long been shown to lower the risk of heart ailments such as stroke and heart disease, as well as cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. It consists largely of vegetables, fruit, fish, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and moderate consumption of alcohol, with limited intake of red meat, sweets and refined grains such as white bread.



The study, which was published in the Archives of Neurology, was the first to look at how the diet affects the brain.
The researchers, from the University of Miami and Columbia University, looked at food surveys filled out by nearly 1,000 subjects in a larger, ongoing Northern Manhattan Study and categorized the groups based on how much their diets resembled a typical Mediterranean-style one.
They then used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scans of the subjects’ brains to look for damage to small blood vessels that causes so-called silent strokes, which do not cause immediate symptoms but build up over time to hurt cognitive performance.



The results generally showed that the people who scored highest for adherence to the Mediterranean diet had the lowest amount of blood vessel damage. Also, the people who ate more of the kind of fat found in olive oil showed less of the damage to their small blood vessels.
The study does not demonstrate that a Mediterranean-style diet causes less brain damage, so more study is needed. But it may help protect small blood vessels in the brain.

Mediterranean diet components could prevent pancreatitis

Researchers know fish oil and virgin olive oil are both good for health. Now researchers have discovered that virgin olive oil and fatty acids in fish that are components of a Mediterranean diet can protect from acute pancreatitis.

The disease is simply inflammation of the pancreas, which can strike both children and adults. Pancreatitis can be mild and self-limiting, but severe cases can lead to multi system organ failure and death.

A significant number of cases are from chronic alcohol abuse. Gallstones can also lead to acute pancreatitis because they block the flow of digestive enzymes. Other causes include some medications. Examples are ACE inhibitors which are a class of blood pressure medicine, thiazide diuretics (e.g. HCTZ), steroids and the anti-seizure drug valproic acid.

Excessively high triglycerides can also inflame the pancreas that produces symptoms of epigastric pain and tenderness, fever, nausea and vomiting and abdominal bloating.

For their research, Scientists at the University of Granada were able to show that oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, which is found in high levels in virgin olive oil, and fish fatty acids, relieve symptoms of pancreatitis.

In this study the researchers observed how the fatty acids affect the cellular membrane to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation to relieve symptoms of pancreatitis, using in vitro models.

Study author, María Belén López Millán says, "There is increasing evidence that there are oxidative-inflammatory processes involved in the origin of chronic diseases and that diet plays an important role in such processes. The antioxidant (phenolic compounds) and anti-inflammatory (omega-3 fatty acids) effects of diet components (nutrients and bioactive compounds) prevent/mitigate the pathological incidence of oxidative-inflammatory processes".

Virgin olive oil and fish are part of a Mediterranean diet, that has been well studied for its health benefits. Millán says the finding that virgin olive oil ingredients and fatty acids from fish can help prevent and alleviate pancreatitis; published in the journal Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, provides scientific evidence of how components of the Mediterranean diet work to promote better health.

EmaxHealth

Mediterranean Diet key to undisturbed Sleep, researchers say!

Greekresearchers have outlined how following a Mediterranean diet and keeping activecan help improve some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome(OSAS).

OSAS is a sleeping disorder characterised by abnormal pauses in breathing orinstances of abnormally low breathing during sleep. Each pause in breathing -an apnoea, can last anything from a few seconds to a few minutes and may occur5 to 30 times or more in an hour. OSAS is one of the most common sleep-relatedbreathing disorders, with approximately 2% to 4% of adults suffering from thecondition. Obesity significantly increases our chances of developing thedisorder, and doctors often advise losing weight as a means of combating it. 

Writing in the European Respiratory Journal, the team present their findingsbased on an analysis of how the Mediterranean diet affected obese peoplesuffering from sleep apnoea compared to those on a prudent diet, that is, onelow in total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium. 

The most common understanding of the Mediterranean diet, notwithstandingregional variations, is based on what was traditionally eaten in Crete, manyparts of Greece and southern Italy. This is a diet that consists of plenty ofplant foods, fresh fruit, and olive oil as the principal source of fat, as wellas dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. Those on a Mediterranean dietconsume low-to-moderate levels of fish, poultry and red meat, and a maximum offour eggs a week. 

The team, made up of researchers from the University of Crete in Greece,examined 40 obese patients suffering from OSAS. Half the patients were given aprudent diet to follow, while the other 20 followed a Mediterranean diet. Bothgroups were also encouraged to increase their physical activity, and wereadvised to aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of walking every day. 

Both groups of patients also received continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) therapy, which involves wearing a mask that generates an air stream,keeping the upper airway open during sleep. At the start of the study period,the researchers monitored the patients during a sleep study, also known as apolysomnography. This type of study looks out for several OSAS indicators suchas electrical activity in the brain, eye movements and snoring. Six monthslater, the team analysed the patients once more to see if the dietary changeshad had an effect on their sleeping rhythm. 

The findings reveal that patients on the Mediterranean diet had a reducednumber of apnoeas during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep - a stagewhich usually accounts for approximately 25% of total sleep during the night. 

Lead study author Christopher Papandreou comments: 'This is the first studyexamining the impact of the Mediterranean diet in combination with physicalactivity on OSAS via changes in the human body. Our results showed that thenumber of disturbances during REM sleep was reduced more in the Mediterraneandiet group than the other group. Recent reports have related an increase indisturbances during REM sleep with the risk of developing significant systemicconsequences like diabetes type II. However, its clinical significance remainsunclear. Finally, more studies are needed to examine the effect of the abovediet on this sleep-related breathing disorder, taking into account itsanti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.'

For moreinformation, please visit:

European Lung Foundation:
http://www.european-lung-foundation.org/

Its official! Mediterranean diet can help improve heart health

Johns Hopkins researchers including one of Indian-origin have provided further evidence that a Mediterranean-style diet is good for your heart.

The observed diet replaces white bread and pasta carbohydrates with unsaturated fat from avocados, olive oil and nuts — foods typical of the “Mediterranean diet.”

The researchers said swapping out certain foods could improve heart health in those at risk for cardiovascular disease, even if the dietary changes aren’t coupled with weight loss.

“The introduction of the right kind of fat into a healthy diet is another tool to reduce the risk of future heart disease,” said Meghana Gadgil, M.D., M.P.H, a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Gadgil and her colleagues analysed data from the OmniHeart Trial, which studied the cardiovascular effects of three different balanced diets on 164 people with mild hypertension but no diabetes.

The researchers compared the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and maintain healthy insulin levels while on a carbohydrate-rich diet, a protein-rich diet and a diet rich in unsaturated fats.

People whose bodies fail to effectively use insulin usually develop type 2 diabetes, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

The researchers found that a generally balanced diet higher in unsaturated fats such as those in avocados, olive oil and nuts improves insulin use significantly more than a diet high in carbohydrates, particularly such refined carbs as white bread and pasta.

The preferred diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, inspired by the foods of southern Italy and Greece and emphasizing healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

Daily News Analysis

The Mediterranean Diet Improves Liver Health

The benefits of the Mediterranean Diet go beyond weight loss, even when weight loss isn't achieved. Researchers from St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, studied 12 patients without diabetes who had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the results of their study demonstrated that liver health was improved even without weight loss. "Subjects had a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity, indicating a reduction in the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This was demonstrated without weight loss, thus suggesting that a change in macronutrient intake alone without weight loss can improve metabolic health," said Marno Ryan, MBBS, MD.

Dr. Ryan, continues, "This small, highly controlled study demonstrated that a 6-week Mediterranean Dietary intervention could lead to a reduction of liver fat by 39% compared with a current recommended healthy diet. This has significant implications for patient care. Previously dietary studies in NAFLD have been lacking. We can now offer patients evidence-based dietary advice that will reduce their risk of diabetes and liver disease even without weight loss."

NAFLD is a cause of fat deposited in the liver and not associated with alcohol use; instead, it's associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The condition could affect up to 30 percent of the US population, and can be detected through blood tests measuring for liver enzymes or ultrasound, but liver biopsy is the surest way of confirming NAFLD. All 11 subjects in this study had NAFLD confirmed by liver biopsy.

This study compared the Mediterranean Diet to the National Heart Foundation Diet, and concluded that the former diet significantly reduces both liver fat and inflammation and significantly improves insulin sensitivity. There was no significant change in any of these three measurements for patients while on the National Heart Foundation Diet. "Weight loss is difficult to achieve and maintain; however this has previously been the only accepted therapeutic strategy for NAFLD," said Dr. Ryan, "We have now demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean Diet can reduce liver fat, and improve insulin sensitivity, without weight loss, thus reducing the risk of development of liver disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus."

Abstract title:

The Mediterranean Diet: Improvement in Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Sensitivity in Individuals with NAFLD

AASLD is the leading medical organization for advancing the science and practice of hepatology. Founded by physicians in 1950, AASLD's vision is to prevent and cure liver diseases. This year's Liver Meeting®, held in San Francisco, California, November 4 - 8, will bring together more than 8,000 researchers from 55 countries.

A press room will be available from November 5 at the annual meeting. For copies of abstracts and press releases, or to arrange researcher interviews, contact Gregory Bologna at 703-299-9766.

Press releases and all abstracts are available online at www.aasld.org .

SOURCE American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)