Mediterranean diet helps in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and it was proven that people, who follow the Mediterranean diet, have a 40% less risk of being attacked by the Alzheimer’s disease.
The Mediterranean, Med, diet is characterized by a high content in fish, fruits, legumes, vegetables, monounsaturated fats like olive oil. While at the same time it is low in meat and dairy products. This can be visually and easily observed is we look at the Mediterranean diet pyramid.
So far, many researches have showed that the Mediterranean diet is associated with longevity and lower risk for myocardial infarction, stroke and various forms of cancer.
In regards to Alzheimer’s many attempts were made to identify dietary elements, substances and components that affect the progression of the disease.
Some years ago it was the first time that doctors from New York University examined the role of a total diet and in particular the Mediterranean diet in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
They carried out a survey involving 2258 residents of New York. The residents were divided into 3 groups depending on how closely, they followed the Mediterranean diet. They were monitored for 4 years in order to determine whether there were differences in the incidence of infection from Alzheimer’s disease.
The results showed that those who faithfully and closely followed the Mediterranean diet in the strict sense demonstrated a 40% less risk from being attacked and thus suffer from the Alzheimer’s disease compared with those who had a typical American diet. Participants who followed a moderate, less strict, Mediterranean diet had a 20% less risk to be attacked by the disease. Therefore the more dedicated and committed they were to the Mediterranean diet the less risk they had in being attacked by the Alzheimer disease.
The doctors concluded that the preventive power of the Mediterranean Diet in Alzheimer’s disease appears to be due to all the components and not to one of the ingredients. This why it is said, that the Mediterranean diet is a way of living not a way to lose weight or a way to deprive the necessary from the body. It is the combination of many beneficial foods in the human body that offers a variety of powerful nutrients which act in synergy thus helping the prevention of many diseases.
For example, many antioxidant compounds offered by the Mediterranean diet are extremely beneficial in the vessels of the heart and brain and reduce inflammation. This helps to maintain over time, a better state of the heart and the brain.
When researchers tried to distinguish which of the ingredients of the Mediterranean diet has what is most important preventive action, they did not succeed. Instead they found out that it was the combination of all the components together, which provided the desired beneficial effects.
Alzheimer’s disease shows a significant increase in recent decades. The increase is expected to continue and this raises serious concerns.
It’s certainly interesting that the work of the researchers in New York showed that the Mediterranean diet may be a key component of prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. There was after all, always the suspicion that in countries where they followed the Mediterranean diet, the incidents of the disease was lower.
The first results presented recently were very encouraging. It is very important however that other groups of doctors, with their distinctive and extensive research should try to verify the findings of doctors in New York. This is the only way to substantiate and reinforce the first findings.
While waiting for these findings to be revaluated and reinforced, we must not forget the other beneficial effects of Mediterranean diet that have been documented, for the prevention of heart attacks, stroke and various cancers.
By the time that it is proven conclusively that the Mediterranean diet could protect us from Alzheimer’s, we lose nothing by following this healthy diet and making it our way of living.
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