Geoff's Health Tip
Heart Health and the Mediterranean Diet
I first read about the Mediterranean Diet in a 1994 study called the Lyon (France) Heart Health Study, in which patients that had suffered a heart attack were divided into two groups. One group was requested to follow a typical Mediterranean Diet and the other was to continue with their normal diet. After a five year and a final 10 year follow up it was found that those following the Mediterranean Diet had suffered considerably fewer secondary cardiovascular events than those on the normal diet, whilst mortality was also significantly less. This study has been repeated several times with similar results.
The Mediterranean Diet is typical of the diet of Cretans and the people of southern Greece. The key components include olive oil as the main source of fat, high intakes of fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and legumes, low meat and dairy consumption, avoidance of sugary and processed foods, and moderate alcohol consumption.
Since the 1994 Lyon Heart Health Study, other researchers have shown the Mediterranean Diet is also protective against depression and stroke, and there is now evidence to show sleep quality is improved.
· In searching the literature that investigated the influence of diet on depression, researchers from the Department of Public Health, University College London, included 41 studies in their review. Most of the studies enrolled generally healthy people. The results showed that there is compelling evidence that diet could be part of a comprehensive approach to treating and preventing depression.
· Another study conducted at the University of East Anglia confirmed previous findings suggesting that the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of stroke. The evidence showed the results were more pronounced in women than men.
· In another large study of 1600 adults conducted by the Department of Nutrition at the Harokopio University, Athens, investigators showed that sleep quality, rather than sleep duration, is positively associated with adherence to the Mediterranean Diet.
Will these compelling results help you modify your diet?
Geoff