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Asthma and Diet

Friday, May 29th, 2009

bn248128The latest information from research carried out by universities and hospitals around the world indicates that how well you eat and how well you breathe are definitely related.

While current reports show that the percentage of Americans with asthma has risen by about sixty percent over the last 25 years, they also indicate that there is a way to lower the number of asthma sufferers. The solution, many experts claim, lies at least partly in a change of diet.

A direct correlation has been determined in the incidence of asthma to overweight and obesity. It has been estimated by the National Jewish Health Center in Denver that those who are overweight are about twice as likely to develop asthmatic symptoms as those who maintain their ideal weight.

A number of studies conducted by researchers in England, Greece, Spain and Portugal have produced similar findings on the subject of diet and asthmatic tendencies. Overall, the consensus seems to be that a diet along the lines of what is commonly known as the Mediterranean Diet is one good way to prevent or reduce asthma in adults and children.

The basics of the Mediterranean Diet are fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and olive oil as opposed to other cooking oils. These are, of course, basics of any healthy diet.

However, the Mediterranean life style is also a part of this approach, as it involves the freshest of fruits and vegetables and a minimal amount of pre-packaged food products. In addition, there is generally a lot more physical activity on a daily basis than most Americans undertake.

Ongoing research continues to find additional benefits in the use of olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fat and works as an anti-inflammatory agent. Another such agent is the omega-3 fatty acid found in cold-water fish. Among other studies, those at Harvard Medical School reported a significantly lower percentage of asthma symptoms in adults whose diets included at least five grams a day of fish oil.

Much of the research documented indicates that the polyunsaturated fats in cooking oils such as corn, safflower and sunflower are among the causes of inflammation leading to asthma attacks. These ingredients are also found in meat and processed foods, and should be avoided whenever possible.

The facts are not all in, but it seems clear at this time that the fiber, minerals and vitamins contributed by fresh produce and whole grains are strong contributors to good health in general. Specifically, omega-3 fatty acids in fish, avocados and olive oil reduce inflammation and help prevent many chronic diseases, including asthma.

Studies of the Mediterranean diet and life style over the past 50 years suggest one unarguable conclusion: the combination of fresh, unprocessed foods and regular physical exercise can prevent many of the ills to which Americans in particular are subject. If you can change a few bad habits, you can look and feel like a whole new man or woman.

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The Mediterranean Diet Beats Alzheimer’s?

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

the-mediterranean-dietIt has been found in past studies that a typical Mediterranean diet, which includes foods such as vegetables, fish, olive oil and fruit, will considerably limit the threat of diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension and be beneficial to our overall mental and body health.

A recent research by the Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s disease and the Aging of the Brain at Columbia University, has confirmed these theories, and goes on to suggest that this type of diet may also be beneficial for the functioning of the brain, notably in diseases such as borderline dementia, which can eventually develop into Alzheimer’s disease.

This research team from Columbia University studied and questioned 482 patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment and 1,393 people who had no brain disorders at all. This group was questioned in particular on their daily dieting habits and food preferences.

The result of this study, that spanned over a period of nearly five years, revealed that those people who consumed foods rich in vegetables, fruit, fish and olive oil and fewer dairy and meat products, were 28% less likely to succumb to mild cognitive impairments than the other 30% whose diet was lacking in these food types.

275 people, who at the beginning of the research showed no signs of mild cognitive impairment, later contracted this ailment, while a third of those who followed a typically Mediterranean diet had about 17 % less chances of succumbing to mild cognitive impairment than those who did not have the same eating habits.

About four years following the set out of the research, 106 out of the 482 patients who already suffered from a mild cognitive impairment, contracted Alzheimer’s disease, while the patients who followed a diet rich in vegetables, fish, fruit and rich in monounsaturated fats, were 48% less likely to succumb to Alzheimer’s compared to those whose dieting habits were low in these food types.

In has already been determined in previous studies that there is definitely a correlation between eating habits and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, however this recent study is a premier. It is the first time a study has positively demonstrated that people following a typically Mediterranean diet will diminish the risks of developing mild cognitive impairment.

Although these results are significant and motivating, Scarmeas underlines that further clinical studies must be carried out to determine with certainty, that a typically Mediterranean diet will indeed provide a resistance against mild cognitive impairment, before these results can be judge as valid.

An expert from the Duke University Medical Centre affirms that it is nonetheless fundamental to follow healthier dieting habits as soon as possible, for changes in the way the brain functions, such as loss of memory, can begin at a very early stage, even before one realises the onset of the disease is in process.

The sooner the our diet is richer in vegetables, fruit, fish, olive oil and lower in dairy and meat products, the sooner our body will start building up a defence against mild cognitive decline or even Alzheimer’s.

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Following the Mediterranean Diet

Monday, January 12th, 2009

meditarianA diet inspired from the healthy foods and fresh fruits from the coasts of Cyprus, Greece and Spain, the Mediterranean diet allows for lean proteins, meals filled with fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains with natural olive oils which can benefit the body. It is important to realize that the Mediterranean diet has experienced a shift from limiting the total amount that can be found within your diet to choosing fats which can bring benefits to the body.

There are multiple benefits to following the Mediterranean diet. The diet uses good fats as 40% of the diet but yet offers the followers an increase in life expectancy and a decreased chance of developing other diseases that are prevalent in most cultures.

Good fats are used as a significant portion of the diet, especially omega fatty acids which can increase the antioxidant properties within the body. Olive oil is consumed on a regular basis to ensure these high levels of antioxidants are replenished within the body. In the rest of the world, we do not use olive oil in a regular basis. When following the Mediterranean diet, you simply increase the amount of good fats which you are absorbing into the body. Consuming fish two to three times a week also increases the amounts of omega fatty acids which are found within the body.

There are very low amounts of red meat which are eaten when you choose to follow the Mediterranean diet. This combined with the fact that whole grains are used in pasta and nuts are used in many foods, salads and rice on a regular basis ensures that you obtaining the most from the food that you are choosing to put into your body.

There are an abundance of healthy fats within the diet that actually promote heart health, which make the Mediterranean diet a great alternative to other comparable diets, such as; Atkins, South Beach and the Zone diet. It also uses the powerful antioxidant properties of red wine as a compliment to the deeply colorful way of eating.

There are many benefits to starting the Mediterranean diet as your weight loss plan, these are; reducing the amount of red meat that is eaten in your present diet, eating small portions of nuts which can increase your health, being allowed to drink red wine and use olive oil in moderation and eating lots of fruit and vegetables throughout the diet, whole grains are also eaten in moderation throughout the course of the Mediterranean diet. The large portions of fruits and vegetables contain high levels of antioxidants, as does the red wine. When the dieter is able to cleanse their bodily system, it has been proven that weight loss can be easy.

When preparing the fish and vegetables in the Mediterranean way of eating it is important to avoid heavy sauces and butters when cooking. For example, vinaigrette can be created using citrus juice and olive oil and used to grill the fish. Shopping for the Mediterranean diet is easy; simply buy lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish and stay away from refined and processed foods.

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