Things you didn't know about the Mediterranean diet: Part 3 (hint: you'll remember this one!)

Today is a great day to be talking about how our relationship with food shapes our lives.  

As I am writing this, I can look out the window to a springtime garden, and I am hopeful that we will see fresh vegetables in our kitchen soon from our own back yard!  Growing our own food has deep family roots for me.  As a child, I lived next door to my grandparents, who kept a large vegetable garden that I remember vividly to this day.  My mother and grandmother both canned and put away produce for the family to have plenty of vegetables in the winter months. Gail and I have grown vegetables almost every year since we were newlyweds. We enjoy cooking and eating good food, so it is once again a real pleasure to see new scientific data published on its value!

In the February issue of the journal Nutrients, a group of dedicated researchers shared findings on how food impacts the onset (or not) of dementia.  The study population was in Spain, and they followed over 16,000 middle aged or older participants starting in the 1990's, tracking their health for over 20 years.  At the end of the data collection period, they looked at the dietary patterns that had been tracked over time, and related that to whether or not the participants had developed dementia. They particularly looked at how well the participants adhered to a traditional Mediterranean diet. Just as in the other studies I have written about, better adherence was defined as more fruit, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish, and whole grains, lower intakes of meat and dairy, and low to moderate alcohol intake. 

After all other factors were considered and accounted for, a higher adherence to that traditional Mediterranean diet was associated with a 20% lower chance of developing dementia during the study period.  The authors are hoping to clarify the differences between the protection conferred against non-Alzheimer's dementia (stronger data) and Alzheimer's disease (weaker data).  But for any family, the effects of dementia are the same, and this preventive protection is good news!  Our treatments for dementia are still not very effective, so prevention is key, and this makes it really clear how we can eat our way into less chance of dementia!

I'm going to offer some of my own thoughts about this too. Having read the Blue Zones books, I suspect that other important lifestyle factors accompany traditional Mediterranean eating patterns. Traditionally, families in these areas at together (without the TV going), enjoyed honest and connected relationships, and stayed physically active outdoors for some part of the day. I suggest that we consider a Mediterranean lifestyle that includes more than food.  It may be that the best way to think about our eating habits is by making work in the garden or outdoors, shared food preparation together, and relaxed slow dinners a family habit.  That puts a smile on my face, and I hope it does for you too!

To your good health!

Robert Pendergrast, MD, MPH

Aiken-Augusta Holistic Health

803-426-1421