The Mediterranean Lifestyle Improves Heart Health

 

Experts agree that the combination of diet, social life and physical activity can make a generous impact on an individual’s heart health. In fact, new research has found that a Mediterranean lifestyle may boost heart health.

While the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on fruit, vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, fish and lean meats, is helpful for a myriad of health reasons, researchers found that the lifestyle surrounding the diet was worth emphasizing. 

They found that the more people followed a Mediterranean lifestyle, the less likely they were to die of cancer or cardiovascular disease. Those with the closest adherence were about 30% less likely to die of cancer or heart disease than those with the lowest adherence.

“It’s not just the diet, it is the other environmental factors also that benefit us,” said John P. Higgins, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School. 

Dr. Higgins continued, “Things like setting up your environment so that walking is the healthy choice, being happy and smiling, having sociable interactions, as well as good sleep, appear to work in concert with the Mediterranean diet to improve health and wellness.” 

Adhering to a certain lifestyle may sound overwhelming, but the Mediterranean lifestyle is fairly simple to follow. Sustainable shifts in nutrition, physical activity and social life are all that are needed for these heart-healthy habits.

Research has shown isolation and loneliness both increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the importance of the social aspects of a Mediterranean lifestyle.

“Meals are something that happen around the family and friends,” Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, an adjunct assistant professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health said. She noted a concept called conviviality, one of the key factors evaluated in the study. The concept relates to how individuals eat, rather than what they eat. In the study, this was measured as sharing meals. 

“This is something very characteristic of the traditional Mediterranean lifestyle, the pleasure of sharing meals that fosters the sense of community,” Sotos-Prieto explained. “That moment where we chat in a relaxed way while savoring the food.” 

Social habits were also tied to doing physical activity with others, such as taking a walk, or how often people attended different social events that applied to their lives, such as going to church. 

At their core, social interactions like these foster opportunities for hospitality and social support systems, according to Sotos-Prieto. This support can reduce the stress that puts strain on the cardiovascular system. When paired with exercise—like taking a walk with a friend—this can make a big difference on an individual’s overall health. 

Eating meals in a social setting may also impact what an individual is likely to eat. 

“I have a lot of patients who are single and they are eating by themselves and I find they are less likely to plan and prepare a healthy balanced meal for themselves, and then their nutrition is being compromised,” explained Jenifer Bowman, a registered dietitian in the department of cardiology at UCHealth in Fort Collins, Colorado. 

By simply sharing a meal with someone—family, friends, a roommate—individuals may naturally make more nutritious (and heart-healthy) decisions.

According to Dr. Higgins, the way of eating also boosts levels of nitric oxide, a gas that regulates blood vessel dilation, and therefore blood flow, which boosts heart function. 

Meanwhile, the Mediterranean eating style’s prioritization of fruits and vegetables provides both fiber and antioxidants. It also encourages whole grains, as well as beans—more high-fiber foods.

“Fiber takes some work for your digestive system to break down, so you have a more gradual raise in your blood sugar with higher fiber food,” explained Bowman. “Fiber also has the ability to bind to cholesterol and help remove that cholesterol from our digestive tract, which helps manage cholesterol overall.”

The Mediterranean diet also emphasizes healthy fats, especially olive oil, nuts, seeds, and lean meat, especially fish. These foods have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, including Omega-3 fatty acids, that boost heart health by reducing triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, reducing the risk of irregular heartbeats, and slowing the build-up of plaque that hardens and blocks the arteries.

 “It does not have to be only fresh fruits and vegetables, that’s a huge myth. Frozen is fine.” Bowman said.

If fatty fish is not accessible, lean meat such as skinless chicken breasts provides healthy protein without adding saturated fat. The important thing is to avoid processed, prepackaged meals when possible, she said. 

“People in this [Mediterranean] region are not eating macaroni and cheese and frozen pizza,” she said, adding that it can be helpful to keep in mind that three-quarters of your plate should be plant-based. 

“Half of the plate should be vegetables, a quarter of it is lean protein, then the other quarter high fiber plant foods like beans or whole grains.”

Learn from the “Blue Zones” to Live Longer

 

In a few, unique communities around the globe, some people live long and have heathy lives. Dubbed as “Blue Zones”, residents of these areas share a common environment and lifestyle that scientists believe contribute to their longevity. 

Dan Buettner, an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer, first brought "Blue Zones" into the public consciousness. He believes anyone can copy and apply lessons from the Blue Zones, no matter where they live and eat — even in highly processed, food-obsessed cultures such as the United States. 

People in Blue Zones walk, garden and bike as part of their daily lives. They are close to friends and family, have a purpose in life, handle stress well and are often members of a social or religious group. They eat a plant-based diet and stop eating before they are full. 

“The Blue Zone eating pattern is 98% plant-based foods — whole food-based and high carbohydrate. But only complex carbs, not the simple carbs like salty snacks and candy bars and soda pop,” Buettner said.

Complex carbohydrates, such as beans, peas, vegetables and whole grains provide vitamins, minerals and fiber that can go missing in processed and refined foods. In addition, they are digested more slowly, and the fiber helps them feel full longer, according to the American Heart Association. 

 “The five pillars of every longevity diet, including the Blue Zones, are whole grains, vegetables in season, tubers, nuts and beans. In fact, I argue the cornerstone of a longevity diet is beans,” Buettner said. 

Blue Zone eating is similar to that of the Mediterranean style. But there are also differences between a Blue Zone eating pattern and that of the Mediterranean, Buettner said. 

“People in Blue Zones don’t eat nearly as much fish as the Mediterranean diet prescribes, only three times a week and only 3 ounces,” he said. “Meat is eaten only five times a month. There’s no cow’s milk in any Blue Zone.” 

Instead, people eat goat and sheep’s milk cheeses such as feta and pecorino.

Purple sweet potatoes have contributed to the longevity of people in Okinawa, Japan, Dan Buettner said. “I would argue it produced the longest-lived population in the history of humankind.” 

Blue Zone recipes were also found in Gullah Geechee cuisine, a method of cooking developed by descendants of enslaved Africans who settled in the Sea Islands of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Stews and soups may be thickened with benne seeds, an heirloom version of sesame seeds brought over on slave ships. Meanwhile, traditional Vietnamese pho is part of the "Blue Zone" pattern of eating.

Chronic Pain raises Dementia risk

 

Chronic pain, such as arthritis, cancer or back pain, lasting for over three months, raises the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a new study found. Living with chronic pain can lead to more rapid cognitive decline and later dementia.

The hippocampus, a brain structure highly associated with learning and memory, aged by about a year in a 60-year-old person who had one site of chronic pain compared with people with no pain. 

When pain was felt in two places in the body, the hippocampus shrank even more — the equivalent of just over two years of aging. 

The risk rose as the number of pain sites in the body increased. Hippocampal volume was nearly four times smaller in people with pain in five or more body sites compared with those with only two — the equivalent of up to eight years of aging. 

People with higher levels of pain were also more likely to have reduced gray matter in other brain areas that impact cognition, such as the prefrontal cortex and frontal lobe — the same areas attacked by Alzhemier’s disease. In fact, over 45% of Alzheimer’s patients live with chronic pain, according to a 2016 study. 

Equally important is a link between chronic pain and inflammation. A 2019 review of studies found pain triggers immune cells called microglia to create neuroinflammation that may lead to changes in brain connectivity and function. 

In addition, chronic pain often makes getting a good night’s sleep difficult. Sleeping less in turn raises the risk of cognitive decline.  A 2021 study found sleeping less than six hours a night in midlife raises the risk of dementia by 30%. 

“Exercise is the #1 the most powerful tool in the fight against cognitive decline,” Alzheimer’s disease researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Florida, said. People who walked with "purpose" -- at a pace over 40 steps a minute -- were able to cut their risk of dementia by 57% with just 6,315 steps a day.

“Asking people about any chronic pain conditions, and advocating for their care by a pain specialist, may be a modifiable risk factor against cognitive decline that we can proactively address,” Dr. Isaacson said.

The treating programs on chronic pain typically involve a number of specialists to find the best relief for symptoms while providing support for the emotional and mental burden of pain. 

Psychologists who specialize in rehabilitation may recommend cognitive and relaxation techniques such as meditation, tai chi and yoga that can take the mind off fixating on pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a key psychological treatment for pain.

Going on an anti-inflammatory diet may be suggested, such as cutting back on trans fats, sugars and other processed foods.

Weight loss may be helpful as well, especially for back and knee pain, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Use food to boost your immune system

 

A plant-based diet underpins the health of those who live longest. Beans, legumes and pulses (such as lentils and chickpeas) are the most important dietary predictor of longevity. From another study, it was found that those who ate a handful of nuts at least five times a week lived two to three years longer than those who did not eat any nuts.

 “What we eat is very important in terms of how our immune system responds to pathogens and how well it can defend itself against a pathogen,” said Dr. Simin Meydani, senior scientist and leader of the nutritional immunology team at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. 

 “There isn’t any one food or nutrient to rely on here, but rather it is the interplay of ‘harmonious interactions’ between the various micronutrients,” said Stanford School of Medicine nutrition scientist Christopher Gardner.

Thus a large variety of foods are needed to provide the micronutrients the body needs to mount a robust cellular immune response. Micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B complex, zinc and selenium can help “pump up” the body’s defenses against colds, flu and even Covid-19, Meydani said.

Hence, we need to plan our daily menus around a large variety of fresh and colorful red, yellow, orange, blue and green fruits and vegetables, along with some high-quality whole grains and nuts, a bit of lean protein and a splash of healthy oils.

If you want to maximize the impact of food on your immune system, you will need to dramatically increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day, Meydani says.

On the other hand, eating a lot of unhealthy, “ultraprocessed”, fat-laden foods, sugary drinks and red and processed meats may shorten your life – just a 10% increase in such foods was significantly associated with a 14% higher risk of death from all causes, studies have shown.

A 2017 study found a significant reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer and early death by eating 10 portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Meanwhile, the study found that one in five deaths globally – that is about 11 million people –occurred because of too much sodium and a lack of whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds.

In fact, chronic inflammation has been linked in studies to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s and many other diseases.  A certain amount of inflammatory response is needed to get rid of the pathogens and to help the body’s immune system perform its function. In this aspect, you can choose leafy greens, tomatoes, fruits, nuts, fatty fish and olive oil – foods that can support a healthy inflammatory response. Studies are also finding that fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha may also help battle some types of inflammation by improving the microbiome in the digestive system. In addition, tea brewed from local rosemary, wild sage and dandelion are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Mushrooms, particularly shiitake, contain more than 100 compounds with immune-protecting properties. Selenium in seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, breads, cereals, and nuts, especially Brazil nuts, also plays an important role in inflammation and immunity while ginger's golden cousin is a powerful anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

Meanwhile, vitamin E plays a dual role in boosting the body’s immune response. It acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals and also can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Some of the best sources for vitamin E are vegetable oils like sunflower and safflower; peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds; seeds; and wheat germ. 

Peppers are rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C.

In addition to eating well, it is important to stay at a healthy weight, reduce your stress, get quality sleep and regular exercise to keep those natural defenses in fighting shape.

Foods That Age You

Instead of talking about foods that are good for you, we now focus on foods that age you:

Spicy Foods

Spicy food makes your blood vessels swell and even break, leading to purple marks on your face. If you have rosacea (common in women after menopause), the heat from spice can trigger a flare-up. It also raises your body temperature, so you sweat to cool back down. When sweat mixes with the bacteria on your skin, it can cause breakouts and blotches.

Margarine

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and everything you eat affects it. Most margarines, especially the solid kind, have trans fats. They raise your “bad” cholesterol, lower your “good” kind, and create inflammation throughout your body. Inflammation is linked to heart disease and stroke, two conditions that can give you an aged appearance.

Sodas and Energy Drinks

The more sodas and energy drinks you consume, the quicker the cells in your tissues age. In addition to the fizz, they have more calories and added sugar (7 to 10 teaspoons in 12 ounces) than any other beverage. Combined with the bacteria in your mouth, that sugar also forms acid that wears down your tooth enamel and causes decay. Other cons include weight gain and a higher risk of stroke and dementia.

Frozen Dinners

One frozen dinner can pack in half the sodium of a healthy daily diet. When you have too much salt, it causes you to drink more than normal and flood your kidneys. Any extra water will move to places in your body that have less salt, like your face and hands. That is what makes you look puffy.

Alcohol

If you have ever had cotton mouth in the morning after a night of drinks, you know alcohol dehydrates you. This makes a big impact on your skin, which is 63% water. Even if you drink a big glass of water, it will hydrate all your other organs before your skin. When you do not get enough, your skin looks and feels dry, and cannot defend itself against wrinkles.

Processed Meats

Processed meats, like bacon, sausage, ham, and deli cuts, are smoked, cured, or salted so they will last longer without going bad. It is what makes them both delicious and dangerous. The sodium and chemical preservatives cause inflammation that can wear your body down inside and out. A little inflammation is good: it helps your cells heal. Too much can cause heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Fried Foods

The difference between dough and a doughnut is a nice long bath in boiling oil. That bath promotes free radicals, or unstable molecules that damage other molecules in your cells and add years to your skin. You can also find free radicals in other fried foods like french fries, hush puppies and mozzarella sticks. 

Baked Goods

Baked goods like cookies and cakes are high in artery-clogging fat that put on the pounds. They also do not skimp on sugar, which in excess can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, and tooth decay (among other things). Inflammation is another reason to skip that sundae. The more inflammation you have, the higher your chances of arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s and some cancers.

Charred Meats

Frying or grilling meat at high temps creates advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. Low levels of AGEs are fine (your own body produces them), but high amounts from charred meats cause inflammation that “inflammages” your body and triggers heart disease and diabetes.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Table sugar’s chemical cousin, high-fructose corn syrup, sweetens sodas and fruit drinks. Among many other health drawbacks, it interferes with your body’s ability to use copper, which helps you form the collagen and elastin that keeps your skin healthy. It is also full of calories and puts you at risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a diuretic: it stimulates your brain and your need to urinate. This can cause dehydration. When you do not have enough water, your skin stops releasing toxins. The backup makes you more prone to dry skin, psoriasis and wrinkles.

Agave

Though it is better for your body than artificial sweeteners, agave is 90% fructose, a type of sugar that can be broken down only in your liver. When your liver is overworked, it turns fructose to fat and makes more free radicals, the compounds that damage your cells. 

Health Benefits of Spinach

 

Of all the leafy green vegetables, spinach is one of the most versatile. You can add it to smoothies, enjoy it in a chilled salad, steam and sauté it as a side dish, add it to a stir fry and even blend it into baked goods, like brownies. 

In fact, spinach has many health benefits:

Full of Nutrients

Three cups of raw spinach provide approximately 20 calories, less than one gram of fat, two grams of protein, three grams of carbohydrates and two grams of fiber. 

Though it has few calories, spinach is full of nutrients. A three-cup portion provides over 300% of the average daily value for vitamin K. The leafy green vegetable also provides over 160% and 40% of the average daily values for vitamin A and vitamin C, respectively. Vitamins K and A support strong bones while vitamin C helps heal wounds. 

Spinach also contains 45% of the average daily value for folate, a B vitamin that helps form red blood cells and DNA. It also supplies iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and small amounts of other B vitamins. 

High in Antioxidants

Spinach provides antioxidants that link to anti-inflammation and disease protection. 

Some antioxidants in spinach include kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin—also known as flavonoids, which are compounds that may help protect you against cancer, as well as cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. 

Thus eating more spinach may help curb chronic diseases—including heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. 

Helps Protect Against Diseases

The compounds found in spinach could reduce oxidative stress. They also positively influence gene expression—or the "turning on" of certain genes—in metabolism and inflammation. Additionally, these compounds trigger the release of satiety hormones that make you feel full and satisfied after eating spinach. 

Supports Brain Health

The anti-inflammatory effects of spinach make it a key contender for protecting the brain—specifically in terms of aging. 

Researchers found a significant decrease in the rate of cognitive decline among those who consumed larger amounts of leafy green vegetables than others. People who ate one to two servings of those vegetables daily had the same cognitive abilities as those approximately 7.5 years younger than their actual age. 

Helps Manage Blood Pressure

Spinach is also a source of nitrates, which are naturally-occurring chemicals. Nitrates open up or dilate blood vessels. That improves blood flow and eases stress on the heart. 

The spinach drink, as well as the beetroot juice and rocket salad drinks, also lowered blood pressure. 

May Help Eye Health

One of the antioxidants in spinach, lutein, may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is an eye disease that can blur the sharp, central vision essential for reading and driving. It is a leading cause of vision loss for people aged older than 55 years. Consuming spinach may help curb AMD risk. 

Basically, you can add spinach to nearly any dish.  But after cooking, the vegetable's lutein content gradually decreased. So, it is important to consume spinach raw for maximum lutein intake. On the other hand, researchers found microwaving vegetables was the best way to preserve vitamin K. 

Steaming vegetables was the best way to preserve vitamin C. Cooking also diminished the vitamin E levels in spinach but increased the vitamin A content. That occurs when the plant walls become soft, which helps to release and absorb the nutrient. 

So, for the best results, mix up how you consume spinach—some raw, some cooked—but avoid overcooking.

Worst Habits for Belly Fat

 

There are some habits that can make you gain belly fat: 

Eating While Distracted

Instead of scrolling through your smartphone while you snack, pay attention to your meals and savor the flavors. The more mindful you can be while eating, the less likely you are to overeat. Notice your food, chew with care, and be present in your body as you nosh.

Eating Too Fast

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that it is full. If you are cramming food in too quickly, you will keep eating past the point your body needs. Slow eaters take in fewer calories -- and prevent extra pounds.

Getting Poor Sleep

In one study, adults under 40 who slept less than 5 hours a night gained more belly fat than those who got more sleep. But sleeping more than 8 hours a night can have the same gut-expanding effect.

Eating Late

Give your digestive system time to do the work of burning off your meal by eating on the earlier side of the evening. The later you take in calories, the fewer hours your body has to use them up.

Eating White Bread

The refined grains in white bread and other processed foods are stripped of slow-digesting fiber, so your body digests it faster, raising your blood sugar. Over time, this can lead to weight gain. Choose whole-grain carbs instead.

Drinking Diet Soda

You may think  swapping full-sugar soda for the diet version would keep your calorie count low and therefore curb weight gain. But scientists say that is not true at all: Aspartame, the artificial sweetener in many diet sodas, actually increases belly fat. Skip soda altogether and quench your thirst with water.

Skipping Meals

Did you know opting out of breakfast makes you 4½ times more likely to be obese? Going without a meal slows down your metabolism, which makes it more probable you will overeat later on when you are hungry.

Eating ‘Low-Fat’ or ‘Fat-Free’ Food

It is good to watch your fat intake, but foods that take out fat and sugar can often be higher in carbs. High-carb foods can raise your triglycerides, increase your insulin sensitivity and increase fat in your midsection.

Smoking

One of the many bad effects of smoking centers on your belly. The more you light up, the more fat you store in your stomach, as opposed to your hips and thighs.

Eating on a Big Plate

Put your food on a smaller plate (and use smaller utensils!) and trick your brain into thinking you are eating more than you are. If you go for the huge platter, you are more likely to finish it all and eat more than you need.

Not Moving Enough

Physical activity is the key to health. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity movement every day, and your waistline will shrink (and your muscles will grow), even if your weight stays the same.

Being Stressed Often

Stress releases a hormone called cortisol into your body. Higher cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, especially the visceral weight you hold in your belly. Practice regular relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, to help keep calm and curb stress levels.