Mediterranean Diet Improves Cardiovascular Markers.

A Mediterranean diet supplemented with dairy foods improves markers of cardiovascular risk: results from the MedDairy randomized controlled trial.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30351388

A Healthier Diet Was Associated With Better Response To Treatment For Bipolar Disorder!

"Diet quality can affect many aspects of one's physical health and psychological well-being. New research investigates whether or not these factors can also affect the effectiveness of treatments for mood disorders — particularly bipolar." Read article....

Bipolar disorder: A good diet may boost treatment. Maria Cohut . Medical News Today. 10/9/2018.

Mediterranean Diet May Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis!

"High adherence to a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to study results published in Arthritis Research & Therapy. However, this association was only statistically significant in men and in seropositive RA." Read more...

Mediterranean Diet Linked to Reduced Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Men. Hannah Dellabella. Rheumatoid Advisor. 9/19/2018.

The Mediterranean Diet May Help Prevent Depression!

"The age-defying benefits of the Mediterranean diet are already well documented. A diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruit, grains, olive oil and minimal meat works wonders for your body and its ability to cope with old age." Read more..

The Mediterranean diet could fight depression. The secret to a longer (and happier) life?
Men's Health.  Posted on September 26, 2018

Mediterranean Diet Helps To Prevent Stroke, Especially In Those Over 40!

"In the largest study of its type, scientists conclude that adhering to the Mediterranean diet might reduce the risk of stroke. The benefits are particularly pronounced for women over 40." Read more....

The Mediterranean diet reduces stroke risk, too. Tim Newman. 9/22/2018. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323103.php?utm_source=

The Mediterranean Diet May Prevent Strokes In Women!

"Following a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce stroke risk in women over 40 but not in men—according to new research led by the University of East Anglia. " Read more...

Mediterranean-style diet may lower women's stroke risk. Medical Xpress. September 20, 2018, University of East Anglia https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-mediterranean-style-diet-women.html

Diet Is Key for Recovery and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer!

"Colorectal cancer is quite common, especially among the aging population. An important risk factor for colorectal cancer is diet, and dietary choices are also vital during and after treatment. In this Spotlight, we give you an overview of which diets are best, and which are best avoided." Read more...

Colorectal cancer: The importance of diet. Maria Cohut. Medical News Today. March 9, 2018. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321171.php

Mediterranean Diet May Reduce Risk for Breast Cancer Relapse!

Research on 300 women with early-stage breast cancer reinforces earlier work, which suggests diet may cut cancer risk.

Mediterranean diet may cut breast-cancer relapse risk. Jane Kirby. Irish Examiner. June 6, 2016. http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mediterranean-diet-may-cut-breast-cancer-relapse-risk-403354.html

Mediterranean Diet May Slow Aging and Bone Loss!

 

Sticking to a Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging finds the EU funded project NU-AGE. At a recent conference in Brussels, researchers presented that a NU-AGE Mediterranean style diet, tested in the project, significantly decreased the levels of the protein known as C-reactive protein, one of the main inflammatory marker linked with the aging process.

 Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging, reduce bone loss. Science Bulletin. http://sciencebulletin.org/archives/609.html

Mediterranean Diet May Slow Brain Aging by 5 Years!

According to a study in Neurology in 2015. The Mediterranean Diet may slow brain atrophy, which has an effect similar to 5 years less of brain aging. The Mediterranean Diet includes fruits and vegetables, fish, seeds, nuts, red wine with limited amounts of red meat.  

Mediterranean diet and brain structure in a multiethnic elderly cohort Neurology (21 October 2015) by PhD Yian Gu, Adam, PhD Yaakov Stern, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13948777

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Inflammation in Diabetes!

A Mediterranean-type diet usually consists of more fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil, beans and herbs with an occasional glass of red wine. A recent study demonstrated that this type of diet lowers levels of inflammation in diabetes. According to the study, diabetic patients that had the best adherence to a Mediterranean diet had the lowest level of circulating inflammatory proteins called c-reactive proteins or CRP produced by the liver. In addition, these same diabetic patients had  higher levels of adiponectin which is a hormone that is thought to play a role in glucose and lipid metabolism. All in all, the Mediterranean diet seems to reduce inflammation in diabetes. Inflammation is one of the leading causes of morbidity seen in diabetic patients.

Mediterranean diet cools down the inflammatory milieu in type 2 diabetes: the MÉDITA randomized controlled trial. Endocrine (9 February 2016) by Maria Ida I. Maiorino, Giuseppe Bellastella, Michela Petrizzo, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13942467

Everything You Need to Know About the Mediterranean Diet!

"US News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean Diet the number one plant-based diet, as well as the third best diet overall. It’s also the third best diet for healthy eating and the third easiest diet to follow, as well as the fourth best diet for heart-health. And there’s no short supply of research to support these rankings."

International Mediterranean Diet Month 2015: Everything You Need To Know About This Sea Of Flavor, Health. Medical Daily. Stephanie Castillo. May 25, 2015. http://www.medicaldaily.com/international-mediterranean-diet-month-2015-everything-you-need-know-about-sea-flavor-334852

Whole Grain and Mediterranean Diet Associated With Low Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in NAFLD.

"High whole grain intake with Mediterranean diet were associated with a low prevalence of metabolic syndrome in persons with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease!" 

Associations between dietary intake and the presence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association (19 May 2015) by M. Georgoulis, M. D. Kontogianni, A. Margariti, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13620453

Mediterranean Diet May Improve Memory and Cognitive Function!

Here’s another reason not to heed low-fat brigades: A diet rich in fatty, oily fish, nuts, vegetables, and olive oil can improve your cognitive function way better than low-fat diets.

Mediterranean Diet, Especially Nuts And Olive Oil, Linked To Improved Memory And Cognitive Function. Medical Daily. Lecia Bushak. http://www.medicaldaily.com/mediterranean-diet-especially-nuts-and-olive-oil-linked-improved-memory-and-cognitive-332824

Even People on Statins Can Benefit From the Mediterranean Diet!

"The results of a ten-year study demonstrate the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. According to the authors, the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) decreased by 29.3%. This decrease is independent of other variables such as smoking, gender, age, physical activity, etc. In addition, the study found that even patients on statins who had a higher risk of CVD could benefit from the Mediterranean diet intervention. "

Adherence to Mediterranean diet offers an additive protection over the use of statin therapy: results from the ATTICA study (2002-2012). Current vascular pharmacology (16 April 2015) by D. B. Panagiotakos, E. N. Georgousopoulou, G. A. Georgiopoulos, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13586482

Tomato Juice May Reduce Inflammation and Lower Cholesterol!

Tomatoes are an important part of the Mediterranean diet and contain large amounts of lycopene and other polyphenols. A recent study was designed to find out how a diet supplemented daily with tomato juice would impact waist size and inflammatory adipokines. The result of the study showed improvements in cholesterol, reducing inflammatory  MCP-1, reduction in body weight and BMI and other health-related measurements. There was a significant increase in lycopene, triglycerides and adiponectin. The author's concluded that tomato juice can reduce weight circumference, inflammatory adipokines and  cholesterol in young women and these changes were independent of changes in body fat!

For further reading: Mediterranean Diet May Improve Symptoms of Depression! 
                                The Mediterranean Diet : The Key to Preventing Disease and Life Extension?
                                Cytokine Found that May Cause "Brain Fog" in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome!
                   
Tomato juice supplementation in young women reduces inflammatory adipokine levels independently of body fat reduction. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), Vol. 31, No. 5. (May 2015), pp. 691-696 by Yu-Fen F. Li, Ya-Yuan Y. Chang, Hui-Chi C. Huang, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13582919

Mediterranean Diet May Improve Symptoms of Depression!

 

      Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that is found in the "brain and the periphery neural system". It has many functions which include stimulating the new neural growth of neurons and synapses, important for long-term memory, controls neurogenesis,  and coordinates responses to enriched environments etc. The upregulation or downregulation of BDNF has also been linked to numerous diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Alzheimer's. (Wikipedia 1) Just to name a few!
     A recent study has shown for the first time that diet affects the levels of BDNF in the brain.  In the study, 243 participants were divided into 3 groups according to intervention diet. The three diets included the control low-fat diet, the Mediterranean diet supplemented with virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts. The goal of the study was to find out if the different diets produced an association of low levels of BDNF.  The results showed a significant lower risk of low BDNF levels from the Mediterranean diet with nuts compared to the control group. In addition, in individuals with depression significantly higher levels of BDNF were found in the Mediterranean with the nuts group. From the results, the researchers concluded that a Mediterranean diet with nuts is associated with improved levels of BDNF in individuals with depression. (Sanchez-Villegas 2)


1. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Wipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain-derived_neurotrophic_factor

2. The effect of the Mediterranean diet on plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomized trial. Nutritional neuroscience, Vol. 14, No. 5. (September 2011), pp. 195-201 by Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Cecilia Galbete, Miguel Angel A. Martinez-González, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13581162

A Mediterranean Diet is Better Than Exercise and Can Halve the Risk of Heart Disease!

"A Mediterranean diet is 'better than exercise' and can halve the risk of heart disease."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2979508/A-Mediterranean-diet-better-exercise-halve-risk-heart-disease.html#ixzz3WRlfV8kL
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The Mediterranean Diet : The Key to Preventing Disease and Life Extension?

  



    You might ask so what is so great about the Mediterranean diet? Unlike some, it is more of a lifestyle way of eating instead of just a diet. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by "high consumption of vegetables high in flavonoid content, one of the most important sources of antioxidants in the human diet." (Matalas) "This dietary pattern is characterized by the abundant consumption of olive oil, high consumption of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, pulses, cereals, nuts and seeds); frequent and moderate intake of wine (mainly with meals); moderate consumption of fish, seafood, yogurt, cheese, poultry and eggs; and low consumption of red meat, processed meat products and seeds. " (Casas) It is one of the best diets to raise the Nrf2 which is proposed to be "lifespan and healthspan extending." (Pall) The typical Western diet is lacking in the nutrients that raise the Nrf2. The Mediterranean diet reduces inflammatory markers...the kind that are present in a lot of diseases. For instance, several studies show that it reduces oxidative stress and lowers levels of MCP-1, an inflammatory cytokine.
    So what is MCP-1 or monocyte chemotactic protein? In his overview of the protein, Satish Deshmane describes 'how MCP-1 or CCL2 is produced parallel to the production of oxidative stress or the production of cytokines or growth factors. It can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending on what cell receptors are available. MCP-1 is a strong attractant of monocytes and regulates the infiltration of memory T cells, lymphocytes and natural killer cells. It is produced in a variety of different cell types including epithelial, endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Several studies have shown that MCP-1 is an important factor in several diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, obesity and diabetes. It is also believed to be responsible for the widespread pain that may occur with health conditions such as fibromyalgia. (Ang) In experiments, ccl2-/- cells show abnormalities in monocyte recruitment and cytokine expression. It has been found that drugs and chemicals like quercetin, a phytonutrient that is present in significant amounts in foods that are part of the Mediterranean diet,  can block the inflammatory cytokine Tnf-a induced expression of MCP-1.'


For further reading: Natural Foods that Activate the Body's Antioxidant Response Against Cellular Stress



The immune protective effect of the Mediterranean diet against chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets, Vol. 14, No. 4. (2014), pp. 245-254 by Rosa Casas, Emilio Sacanella, Ramon Estruch. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13570548
Mediterranean Diet: Constituents and Health Promotion (23 January 2001) edited by Antonia-Leda Matalas, Antonis Zampelas, Vassilis Stavrinos, page 118.
Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1): an overview. Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research, Vol. 29, No. 6. (June 2009), pp. 313-326, doi:10.1089/jir.2008.0027 by Satish L. Deshmane, Sergey Kremlev, Shohreh Amini, Bassel E. Sawaya. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/7529418
Nrf2, a master regulator of detoxification and also antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other cytoprotective mechanisms, is raised by health promoting factors. Sheng li xue bao : [Acta physiologica Sinica], Vol. 67, No. 1. (25 February 2015), pp. 1-18 by Martin L. Pall, Stephen Levine
MCP-1 and IL-8 as pain biomarkers in fibromyalgia: a pilot study. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), Vol. 12, No. 8. (August 2011), pp. 1154-1161 by Dennis C. Ang, Michele N. Moore, Janna Hilligoss, Rebeka Tabbey. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13571668

Mediterranean Diet and CoQ10 Reduce the Overexpression of Oxidatve Stress!

A Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ10 provided enough antioxidant potential to allow for a reduction in the overexpression and activation of Nrf2 and other antioxidant genes against oxidative stress in the elderly. Oxidative stress often occurs after intake of a high lipid or high carb diet! Q10 is necessary for mitochondrial function and the natural process of aging decreases levels of q10 that may lead to disease. (Deichman)  "The principal aspects of the Mediterranean diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of meat and meat products. ^{" (Wipedia)}    


Postprandial antioxidant gene expression is modified by Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q(10) in elderly men and women. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands), Vol. 35, No. 1. (February 2013), pp. 159-170 by Elena M. Yubero-Serrano, Lorena Gonzalez-Guardia, Oriol Rangel-Zuñiga, et al.

Abstract: Postprandial oxidative stress is characterized by an increased susceptibility of the organism towards oxidative damage after consumption of a meal rich in lipids and/or carbohydrates. We have investigated whether the quality of dietary fat alters postprandial gene expression and protein levels involved in oxidative stress and whether the supplementation with coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ) improves this situation in an elderly population. Twenty participants were randomized to receive three isocaloric diets each for 4 weeks: Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med + CoQ diet), Mediterranean diet (Med diet), saturated fatty acid-rich diet (SFA diet). After 12-h fast, volunteers consumed a breakfast with a fat composition similar to that consumed in each of the diets. Nrf2, p22(phox) and p47(phox), superoxide dismutase 1 and 2 (SOD1 and SOD2), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), thiorredoxin reductase (TrxR) gene expression and Kelch-like ECH associating protein 1 (Keap-1) and citoplasmic and nuclear Nrf2 protein levels were determined. Med and Med + CoQ diets induced lower Nrf2, p22(phox), p47(phox), SOD1, SOD2 and TrxR gene expression and higher cytoplasmic Nrf2 and Keap-1 protein levels compared to the SFA diet. Moreover, Med + CoQ diet produced lower postprandial Nrf2 gene expression and lower nuclear Nrf2 protein levels compared to the other diets and lower GPx1 gene expression than the SFA diet. Our results support the antioxidant effect of a Med diet and that exogenous CoQ supplementation has a protective effects against free radical overgeneration through the lowering of postprandial oxidative stress modifying the postprandial antioxidant protein levels and reducing the postprandial expression of antioxidant genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Coenzyme q10 and statin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. The Ochsner journal, Vol. 10, No. 1. (2010), pp. 16-21 by Richard Deichmann, Carl Lavie, Samuel Andrews

Abstract: Coenzyme Q10 is an important factor in mitochondrial respiration. Primary and secondary deficiencies of coenzyme Q10 result in a number of neurologic and myopathic syndromes. Hydroxyl-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors or statins interfere with the production of mevalonic acid, which is a precursor in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10. The statin medications routinely result in lower coenzyme Q10 levels in the serum. Some studies have also shown reduction of coenzyme Q10 in muscle tissue. Such coenzyme Q10 deficiency may be one mechanism for statin-induced myopathies. However, coenzyme Q10 supplements have not been shown to routinely improve muscle function. Additional research in this area is warranted and discussed in this review.