Here the last studies and researches I’ve found on the net in these weeks:
The first is an interesting study from the American Journal of Medicine. The study was conduced for 16,000 Americans between 45 and 64 years, tracked since the 1985.
The conclusions of this study say that a balanced and more healthy diet and little lifestyle modifications (eat 5 or more vegetable or fruit servings a day; 2.5 hours per week of exercise; weight control; not smoking), reduce drastically the risk of heart disease.
What exactly researchers say since years in their studies and researches about the positive effects of the Mediterranean diet plan.
Can A Mediterranean Diet Prevent Colon Cancer?
Another interesting research is one conduced by the University of Michigan. They are beginning a study to compare and look at what diet plan (Mediterranean diet – high in olive oil, nuts and fish – and a standard healthy eating plan) can impact on the risk of developing colon cancer.
The study will look at adults older than age 21 (120 participants) who have colon polyps, colon cancer or a family history of colon cancer. Participants will be randomly assigned to follow either the Mediterranean diet or the Healthy People 2010 diet for six months.
The Healthy People 2010, released in January 2000, has 28 focus areas and 467 objectives to promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight (i.e. Obesity, diabetes, smoking, lifestyle behavior, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, etc…)
The main objective are to:
- Increase years of healthy life
- Reduce health disparities
- Improve access to preventive health services
The Healthy People 2010 diet involves eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and a moderate fat intake with limits on saturated fat. (What’s different from the Mediterranean diet?)
The Mediterranean diet participants will:
- Limit polyunsaturated fats from foods
- Eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables
- Get protein primarily from low-fat sources such as poultry, fish and legumes
It’s well proved that the Mediterranean diet is linked to heart disease, stroke and cancer reductions. This study wants to demonstrate that the Mediterranean diet causes changes in the colon that would prevent cancer.
How the increasing of fish consumption prevent lung disease
It’s well known and understood that one of the main food of the Mediterranean diet is Fish. Since millenniums this food has been the main aliment of the Mediterranean people that lived of fishing.
Today scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health assert that eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish may be the best thing, after not smoking, you can do to prevent lung disease.
The base point of this research is that many foods (consumed together) are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms or lung function.
The researches have found that who follows the “Western†diet (white bread, rice, pasta, red meat, hot dogs and sweets) had nearly 5 times the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to who follows Mediterranean diet.
Interesting are the positives effects of the Mediterranean diet on lungs for smoking people. Eating fatty fish ( sardines, anchovies, blue fish, etc…) or by taking fish oil supplements rich in omega 3 DHA (docosahexaenooic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) reduce 50% of COPD. (more)
I live in Catania, Sicily and my family have always ate fish and seafood. If i have to be honest this is the first time i hear about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Is this because who follow the Mediterranean diet principles won’t be scared of these diseases?
