MEDITERRANIAN DIET
Can a simple diet actually cut a person’s chances of dying by more than half?
New research shows the Mediterranean diet, a diet popular in Europe, can dramatically lower mortality risk in individuals over the age of 70, and probably has the same benefit in those younger than that.
There’s no question, worldwide life expectancy has increased. 580 million people are over the age of 60, and the number is expected to rise to 1000 million by the year 2020. But with increased age comes a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. But the Mediterranean diet, a diet popular in European countries, can help lower that risk.
“One of the staples is grilled octopus.” It certainly can’t be considered a diet that’s lacking in flavor. Just ask Chef Arturo Cortes of the Greek restaurant Avra. “Olive oil, herbs, lemon, leeks and dill are some of the main ingredients that give flavor to the Greek cuisine and they’re very healthy. That’s why Mediterranean foods is so healthy, because the natural ingredients used are predominantly healthy,” states Arturo.
Now, new research in the journal of the American Medical Association shows eating this kind of diet can have a marked impact on cardiovascular health and on lowering one’s overall risk for death.
Lyssie Lakatos, a nutritionist, says, “The main difference between the American diet and the Mediterranean diet is that the Mediterranean diet has much less animal protein. They really focus a lot more on the grains and the fruits and vegetables. They rarely eat red meat.”
One study found that men and women between the ages of 70 and 90 who ate a Mediterranean diet, drank alcohol in moderation, didn’t smoke and went for half-hour walks had a death rate of one-third that of men and women who did one or none of these protective lifestyle factors.
“Since they’re avoiding the saturated fat that’s found in animal protein, people who eat a Mediterranean diet don’t have as much problems with cholesterol,” Lyssie says.
In another study in the same journal, researchers compared the effects of the Mediterranean diet to that of a typical low fat diet on obese patients with the heart disease condition called metabolic syndrome, where slightly elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol values set the person up for a heart attack.
After two years of follow up, only half of those on the Mediterranean diet still had the metabolic syndrome compared to those on the low fat diet. In other words, the Mediterranean diet cut the risk of coronary disease significantly.
Previous research has shown these kinds of lifestyle modifications can all but eliminate risk for having coronary artery disease and diabetes. “They also eat a lot of fish, which is a great source of omega 3, heart-healthy fats. They’re getting a lot of olive oil, which is really nutritious, and it’s a great source of mono and saturated fat, which helps to lower your LDL cholesterol and may in fact raise your HDL, the good cholesterol,” states Lyssie.
As the clichéd saying goes, you are what you eat, and what you eat could extend your life and improve its quality. And no, it’s not absolutely necessary to eat octopus to be healthy.
Lyssie says, “The Mediterranean diet is easy to follow, it’s nothing drastic. It’s really simple lifestyle steps that you can incorporate into your life.”
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