What is the Mediterranean Secret to Longevity

By Dr. Nelly Stoyanova

Are you familiar with the Mediterranean diet? It is my favorite one. I have written a lot about the benefits of raw fruits and vegetables, olive oil, fish(along with whole grains), and nuts which basically represent the concept of this diet. In fact this is my every day diet. This is why I was so happy to read the latest data on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in the report published in the December 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

According to Dr. Panagiota N. Mitrou (from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and currently at the University of Cambridge in the U. K.) there is a "strong evidence for a beneficial effect of higher conformity with the Mediterranean dietary pattern on risk of death from all causes, including deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer, in a U.S. population".

The study is based on data surveys returned between 1995 and 1996 and a follow-up period of 5 year as a part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. Over 200 000 men and 180 000 women, of age 50 to 71 participated in the study.

The mortality from all causes and the mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer among the individuals using the diet was 21 percent lower over five years compared to those individuals who were not using a similar diet.

What came as a surprise was the fact that not overweight smokers were found to nearly halve their risk of death on this diet.

Dr. Mitrou and colleagues suggest in their report, that the Mediterranean-style eating has antioxidant and blood fat-lowering effects that are largely beneficial.

There is a similar longitudinal study on a smaller scale conducted in 11 European countries (The Healthy Ageing HALE study) between 1988 and 2000. It involved 1507 apparently healthy men and 832 women, aged 70 to 90 years. The effect of the diet was examined in conjunction with a moderate alcohol consumption, physical activity and smoking tabacco. Those participants who adhered to a Mediterranean diet, moderate alcohol use, physical activity and non-smoking had a lower risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, regardless of age, sex, years of education, or body mass index (as indicator of overweight or obesity).

The non-smokers using Mediterranean-like diet, moderate alcohol consumption and regular physical activity had more than 50% lower rate of over all and cause-specific mortality.

Read this again: more than 50% lower rate of over all and cause-specific mortality. Now this is huge, and needs to be taken very seriously.

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Copyright Dr. Nelly Stoyanova

Author's bio: Dr. Nelly Stoyanova is a physician, medical researcher and health behavior expert. She studies the effects of stress on heart disease, type 2 diabetes and sleep. Her website: Belly Fat, Stress and Baby Boomers (http://www.stress-fat-heart-solutions-for-boomers.com) evaluates sources of stress for people over 50 and provides great tips to balance your day-to-day stress and stay healthy. Turn your life around and benefit from her expertise. For individual guidance sessions or to schedule a public speaking event use the Contact page or email at drnstoyanova@gmail.com

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