Finding the Emotional Benefits in Adversity

Martin Luther King, Jr. said the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. King, of course, was speaking of adversity and the power to overcome it.

The ability to bounce back from adversity is called resiliency and it has numerous emotional benefits. While it seems some people seem to naturally cope better when faced with challenges, everyone can become more resilient.

Studies show that adversity early in life can be a risk factor for a range of negative outcomes. However, there is also evidence that some children do remarkably well in spite of serious threats to their normal development. Project Competence, a 20-year study, found that the extraordinary resilience and recovery power of children does not arise from rare or special qualities, but from everyday, ordinary experiences.

In the book The Resilient Self, authors Steven and Sybil Wolin describe a model of development they call the challenge model. The Wolins says that while hardships may hurt children, they often develop considerable strengths as they struggle to prevail. They list seven strengths associated with the resiliency: insight, independence, relationships, initiative, creativity, humor, and morality.

The emotional benefits of adversity do not just apply to children. Resilient adults are better able to maintain relatively stable, healthy levels of psychological and physical functioning, and have the capacity for generating positive experiences and emotions. In a study following September 11, those participants who were more resilient were less depressed than the national average (in non-clinical samples). Adults who manage adversity well tend to use active coping mechanisms when dealing with stressful situations.

Experts in the area of adversity and resilience say it's not so much what we do, it's howwe do what we do that counts. One of the keys to successfully overcoming adversity is having the ability to balance stress and emotions. Recognizing your emotions and expressing them appropriately helps prevent you from becoming stuck in depression and anxiety.

Adequate and positive social support is critical to maintaining good physical and emotional health. Resilient adults have strong support networks. Social support enhances your natural resilience to stress and helps protect you from developing trauma-related psychopathology. While the size of your network and the frequency of social interactions within your network are important, having high-quality relationships is a better predictor of good emotional health. Resilient adults also tend to have a strong moral or spiritual sense of their purpose and future.

Sources:

Ozbay, Fatih, MD, Johnson, Douglas C., PhD, Dimoulas, Eleni, PhD, Morgan, III, C.A., MD, MA, Charney, Dennis, MD, and Southwick, Steven, MD. "Social Support and Resilience to Stress: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice." Psychiatry 4(5) (2007): 35-40. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311/

Bonanno, George A., Galea, Sandro, Bucciarelli, Angela, and Vlahov, David. "What Predicts Psychological Resilience After Disaster? The Role of Demographics, Resources, and Life Stress." Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 75(5) (2007): 671-682. Web.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56241/1/bonanno_what%20predicts%20psychological%20resilience%20after%20disaster_2007.pdf

Helpguide.org. "Improving Emotional Health."  Web. December 2011.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/mental_emotional_health.htm

Wolin, Steven, MD, and Wolin, Sybil, Ph.D. "The Resilient Self: How Survivors of Troubled Families Rise Above Adversity." Projectresilience.com. Web.http://projectresilience.com/resself.htm

FamousQuotesandAuthors.com. Web.http://www.famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/adversity_quotes.html

Masten, Ann S. "Children Who Overcome Adversity to Succeed in Life." University of Minnesota Extension. Web.http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7565_06.html

National Writing Project. "Resilience: Overcoming Adversity and Thriving." Web. 21 October 2009.

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/2937

Should You Be Screened for Cancer? The Benefits and Risks

Should you be tested for cancer? Maybe not, says H. Gilbert Welch, M.D., author of the same titled book. Welch is one of a growing group of health professionals urging individuals to make thoughtful decisions about cancer screenings. He says one way to become sick is to start looking for something to be wrong.

Testing for Cancer
Screening is the process of looking for cancer in people who have no symptoms. Individuals who have symptoms or suspicious screening results may have additional diagnostic screening tests. Mammograms, for example, can be both screening and diagnostic.

Benefits...
Physicians, cancer advocacy groups, and patient survivors repeatedly deliver the message that detecting cancer early through screening tests is critical to saving lives. Many people have benefitted from cancer screening when they find potentially dangerous cancers during the window of opportunity when treatment is most likely to be successful. During a colonoscopy, for example, physicians can remove polyps before they have a chance to become cancerous.

...and Risks
However, Welch says, "...most people who are tested will never get cancer, [so] most people cannot benefit from testing. And others will die from cancer despite our best efforts to find cancers early. In fact, screening tests tend to miss the fastest-growing and most deadly cancers."

Screening tests themselves may actually increase risk or cause harm. Take mammograms. Radiation to the breast is a risk factor for breast cancer, especially in younger women, and it's cumulative over time.

Screening tests miss some cancers (false negatives) and also uncover abnormalities that are actually benign. These false positives can trigger a cascade of additional tests, unnecessary treatment (with accompanying side effects), and immeasurable stress and anxiety. For example, treatment for slow-growing prostate cancer, which might not ever cause symptoms, can have serious side effects, such as impaired sexual performance and trouble controlling urination and bowel movements.

In an article published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute the author wrote, "It seems clear that we have done an inadequate job of educating screening candidates about the harms and benefits of cancer screening, including the extent to which screening can reduce cancer mortality."

Be an informed healthcare consumer. Learn all the facts about cancer screening tests you're considering. Recognize what tests can-and cannot-do, and understand the potential outcomes if you are tested. While cancer screening undoubtedly saves some lives, Welch and his like-minded peers encourage you to make individual screening decisions, in collaboration with your physician, that are right for you based on your age, risk factors, and personal tolerance for uncertainty.

Sources:

Welch, Gilbert H. Should You be tested for cancer? Maybe not and here's why. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, University of California Press, 2004.

Stefanek, Michael Edward, "Uninformed Compliance or Informed Choice? A Needed Shift in Our Approach to Cancer Screening." Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Web. 21 November 2011. http://elproyectomatriz.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/prev-cancer-screening-consent-2011-2.pdf

American Cancer Society. Testing for Prostate Cancer. Web. 2010.
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@nho/documents/document/acspc-024618.pdf

National Cancer Institute. "Genetic Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk: It's Your Choice." Web. 20 March 2006. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/genetics/genetic-testing-for-breast-and-ovarian-cancer-risk

Brain Benefits of Exercise

A recent study conducted at the Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Dublin, Trinity College in Dublin asked a group of male college students who described themselves as "sedentary" to take part in a memory test followed by vigorous exercise. After exercising, they were asked to take the test again.

The study found that volunteers who exercised prior to the memory test performed better the second time around. Those who did not exercise did not show improvement.

What's more, blood samples taken during the test show that immediately after working out, the volunteers had higher levels of a protein known as BDNF, which is known to promote the health of nerve cells.

While scientists are still trying to figure out which parts of the brain are positively affected by exercise, this study conducted by the University of Dublin suggests that higher levels of BDNF brought about by exercise may improve memory and perhaps, overall brain function.

Other Brain Benefits

The cognitive upsides to regular exercise don't stop at memory. In fact, research has found that physical activity can have a variety of brain benefits:

1. Prevents cognitive decline such as dementia or Alzhemier's disease.

2. Improves symptoms associated with depression and bipolar disorder.

3. Combats stress and anxiety.

4. Enhances abilities associated with "planning, scheduling, inhibition, task coordination," according to a study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

Get Started Today

Going for a brisk walk three days a week, getting to the gym often, and running or riding your bike regularly can benefit you physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Research has supported this.

However, what if balancing work (maybe even two jobs), a family, and a personal life leaves you with little-to-no extra time or energy? What do you do then? A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that remaining active, even if it means cleaning, gardening, or walking to the store regularly can "[protect] against cognitive impairment."

So whether you're running five miles a day or cleaning five rooms a day, remaining active and keeping yourself moving can, and will, benefit your brain.

---

Sources:

Activity Energy Expenditure and Incident Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/171/14/1251

Exercise Appears To Improve Brain Function Among Younger People
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061219122200.htm

Growing Stronger - Strength Training for Older Adults
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/why/index.html

Aerobic exercise improves hippocampal function and increases BDNF in the serum of young adult males.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21722657

Have Diabetes-Related Complications? Exercises to Avoid

Chances are, you've heard about the benefits of exercise so often, you could list them in your sleep: it can lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol, help you lose weight, reduce body fat, reduce your stress level, and give you more energy. But if you're dealing with any diabetes-related complications, the rules are a little different.

"The benefits of exercise are enormous," says Kellie Rodriguez, RN, CDE, CPT, director of patient education at the Diabetes Research Institute. "But you need to be super-careful about doing exercise that is high impact, or that involves lifting weights and straining, when you have certain complications from diabetes."

Here are a few of the complications that should be a yellow light for you. Depending upon your doctor's recommendation, you'll be able to switch to a different form of fitness. There is an exercise program out there for nearly everyone; it's just a matter of finding one that's right for you.

● Peripheral neuropathy. When this complication occurs, an individual may not have good sensation in the feet, Rodriguez explains. And if you have no sensation, you could injure yourself while running, jogging, or skiing-or even just walking-and not even realize it. "This can be incredibly dangerous," Rodriguez says. "If you have peripheral neuropathy, after exercise you need to look at the bottoms of your feet for scratches, cuts, and blisters." Also be sure to wear cotton socks and well-fitting, comfortable shoes for exercise. One good activity for those who aren't supposed to be jogging, Rodriguez suggests, is swimming.

● Eye disease (diabetic retinopathy). If you develop this condition, you'll want to stay away from weight lifting. "It can raise the blood pressure, which can lead to bleeding in the back of the eye," Rodriguez says. Be sure to check with your eye specialist to find out what types of exercise are safe for you to do.  

 ● Autonomic neuropathy. This condition affects the nerves that control such organs as the bladder, genitals, and intestinal tract. When an individual has autonomic neuropathy, he may no longer feel the symptoms of low blood sugar or he may even have a silent heart attack, Rodriguez explains. Be sure to get medical clearance before doing exercise, and plan a fitness program carefully.

Most individuals will be able to safely do a variety of exercises, says Hope Warshaw, RD, CDE, MMSc, co-author of the "Real-Life Guide to Diabetes."  "Your doctor may want you to see an exercise physiologist or physical therapist to help you figure out what exercise is right for you," she says. "For people with type 2 diabetes, exercise has myriad benefits.  It's all about finding the right program."

When you do choose an exercise program, be safe by following some simple rules. Wear your medical identification bracelet or necklace, carry your ID in your pocket, and always travel with food or glucose tablets to treat low blood sugar. Check your blood sugar regularly if you exercise for over an hour: you may need a snack before you finish.

Sources:

"What I need to know about physical activity and diabetes." National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,  National Institutes of Health.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/physical_ez/index.aspx

Colberg, Sheri R., Sigal, Ronald J., Fernall, Bo, Regensteiner, Judith G., Blissmer, Bryan J., Rubin, Richard R., Chasan-Taber, Lisa, Albright, Ann L., Braun, Barry. "Exercise and Type 2 diabetes." Diabetes Care. Volume 33, Number 12, December 2010.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/12/e147.abstract

Emotional Benefits of Being a Working Mom

Several recent studies have demonstrated that working, especially part time, provides mental health benefits for women.

A study in the December 2011 issue of the Journal of Family Psychology examined several aspects of well being in mothers who worked part time compared to those who worked full time or not at all. The researchers found that there was little data about this particular category of working mothers (defined as working up to 32 hours per week), particularly through their children's middle childhood. However, up to 25 percent of all women work part time and most will eventually work at least part time.

They found that part-time employment has distinct positive associations with mothers' psychosocial well being and with how they perceive work-family conflicts, although the patterns vary by children's developmental periods and for particular aspects of family life. Part-time working mothers are more likely to report overall better health and fewer work-family conflicts, and less likely to report depressive symptoms. They were also more likely to be engaged in their children's schooling and provide learning experiences for their children.

A December 2011 issue of Time described a study of 1,600 working and stay-at-home moms that found employed women had better mental health status as long as they had realistic expectations of what they could reasonably accomplish and rejected the idea they could be a supermom. Not surprisingly, performing enjoyable work was a contributing factor to positive mental health status.

According to writer Sara Sutton Fell, working at least part time helps mothers develop patience with their kids and teach children that hard work-and working hard-are good. Children of working moms learn to respect women as equals, and retaining a professional career allows women to contribute financially to their kids' well being and future. Employers should recognize part-time work as both a legitimate career approach and a key ingredient to maintaining healthy family lives.

Thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), the government recognizes the importance of facilitating working parents' ability to participate in early childrearing. The Act prohibits employer discrimination based on gender and reinforces the importance of mothers (and fathers) balancing demands of the workplace with needs of the family.

Sources:

Buehler, Cheryl and O'Brien, Marion. "Mothers' Part-Time Employment: Associations With Mother and Family Well-Being." Journal of Family Psychology 25 (6) (2011): 895-906. Web. http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/fam-25-6-895.pdf

Rochman, Bonnie. "Working Women Who Try to Be 'Supermom' May Be More Depressed." Time. Web. 23 August 2011.http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/23/working-women-who-subscribe-to-the-supermom-myth-are-more-likely-to-be-depressed/#ixzz1iy4XDP1h

Fell, Sara Sutton. "4 Benefits of Being a Working Mom." Flexjobs.com. Web. 14 July 2011.

http://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/4-benefits-of-being-a-working-mom/

Poduval, Jayita and Poduval, Murali. "Working Mothers: How Much Working, How Much Mothers, And Where Is The Womanhood?" The Mens Sana Monographs 7 (1) (2009): 63 - 79. Web.

http://www.msmonographs.org/article.asp?issn=0973-1229;year=2009;volume=7;issue=1;spage=63;epage=79;aulast=Poduval

The Benefits and Risks of Barefoot Running

It's safe to say that resorting to the primitive practices of our prehistoric ancestors is typically viewed as a bad thing. We evolved, discovered, and invented our way into a life in which we are no longer dependent on the hunt to bring us food, nor do we fear being stalked by predators. Suffice it to say, we've progressed in a way that's made life much easier.

Why, then, is the barefoot running movement gaining popularity? Is it simply a fad popularized by a few outspoken naturalists? Or is there science that backs a more natural approach to running?

Championed by Christopher McDougall's national bestseller Born to Run, the barefoot, or minimalist, running movement has been gaining some traction due to recent studies. In a paper published in 2010 in the journal Nature, Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, notes the difference in form between running barefoot and running in conventional sneakers. Leiberman found that minimalist runners tend to avoid landing on their heel, or "heel striking," and instead land on the ball or the middle of the foot. By doing this, Leiberman says barefoot runners "have almost no impact collision."

This "impact collision" can generate real problems for those who strike heavily on their heels. In a study published in the 2009 issue of PM&R, the researchers found that modern running shoes wielded more stress on knee, hip, and ankle joints compared to those who ran barefoot. The study found that the reasoning for these increases have much to do by the high arches and elevated heels associated with your conventional running shoe.

Simply put, running barefoot, or in minimalist shoes, forces you to find a more natural form. By landing on the balls of your feet, our natural shock absorbers are able to displace any stress caused by your foot striking the pavement. Conversely, landing heavily on your heel results in increased stress on your joints. This can be translated in knee, ankle, hip, or even lower back pain.

Before you dive head first into your Paleolithic past, be sure you understand the risks. While there is evidence that barefoot running will strengthen your legs and feet, there have also been findings correlated with an increased risk of calf strain, Achilles tendinitis, plantar pain, and blisters.

When in doubt, consult a podiatrist before making the change and communicate any concerns you may have.

Sources:

Daniel E. Lieberman, Madhusudhan Venkadesan, Adam I. Daoud, William A. Werbel

Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear

http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/

ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 16, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/01/100127134241.htm

ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 16, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/01/100104122310.htm

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The Health Boosting Benefits of Vitamin K

The role of Vitamin K in helping the blood clot normally has been well established. Now, there is mounting evidence that Vitamin K is also crucial in improving bone health with studies showing that not only does Vitamin K increase bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis, it also reduces the number of fractures associated with osteoporosis, including hip fractures.

The Nurses' Health Study followed more than 72,000 women for 10 years and found that women with the lowest amounts of Vitamin K had a 30 percent higher risk of hip fracture than women with higher amounts of the nutrient. Vitamin K has also been linked with cardiovascular benefits by preventing calcium calcification in the heart and arteries, which can lead to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Maintaining sufficient amounts of Vitamin K are also said to:

improve excessive menstrual flow and menstrual pain, boost the immune system, and even help minimize the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Signs you may be Vitamin K deficient include:

bruising easily, bloody noses and more than normal bleeding from small cuts.

However, Vitamin K can interact with drugs, such as the blood thinner Coumadin, rendering it less effective. And the benefits of taking dietary supplements to protect against major diseases in healthy people who adhere to a nutritional diet are difficult to prove.

The current average daily allowance for Vitamin K is 120 micrograms (mcg) for adult men and 90 mcg for adult women, which you can easily get through the foods you eat. Before upping your Vitamin K intake with supplements, be sure to check with your doctor.

Vitamin K-Rich Foods
Eating a well-balanced diet should provide all the Vitamin K you need to stay healthy. These foods top the list:

Dark, leafy greens: kale, broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage and watercress. Avocados are also high in Vitamin K. To reap the most benefit from these greens, don't overcook them.Fruits: Kiwi and plumsSpices and herbs: Both the fresh and dried versions of these spices and herbs are packed with Vitamin K: basil, sage, thyme, parsley, coriander, marjoram, oregano, and amaranth leaves.Nuts and seeds: In addition to being rich in Vitamin K, these nuts and seeds also contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol levels: cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts.Oil: Olive, soybean and canola oil are all good sources of Vitamin K.

Sources:
National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Vitamin K and bone health." Web.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11684396

Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. "Vitamin K." Web.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminK/

View the original article here

The Health Boosting Benefits of Vitamin K

The role of Vitamin K in helping the blood clot normally has been well established. Now, there is mounting evidence that Vitamin K is also crucial in improving bone health with studies showing that not only does Vitamin K increase bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis, it also reduces the number of fractures associated with osteoporosis, including hip fractures.

The Nurses' Health Study followed more than 72,000 women for 10 years and found that women with the lowest amounts of Vitamin K had a 30 percent higher risk of hip fracture than women with higher amounts of the nutrient. Vitamin K has also been linked with cardiovascular benefits by preventing calcium calcification in the heart and arteries, which can lead to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Maintaining sufficient amounts of Vitamin K are also said to:

improve excessive menstrual flow and menstrual pain, boost the immune system, and even help minimize the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Signs you may be Vitamin K deficient include:

bruising easily, bloody noses and more than normal bleeding from small cuts.

However, Vitamin K can interact with drugs, such as the blood thinner Coumadin, rendering it less effective. And the benefits of taking dietary supplements to protect against major diseases in healthy people who adhere to a nutritional diet are difficult to prove.

The current average daily allowance for Vitamin K is 120 micrograms (mcg) for adult men and 90 mcg for adult women, which you can easily get through the foods you eat. Before upping your Vitamin K intake with supplements, be sure to check with your doctor.

Vitamin K-Rich Foods
Eating a well-balanced diet should provide all the Vitamin K you need to stay healthy. These foods top the list:

Dark, leafy greens: kale, broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage and watercress. Avocados are also high in Vitamin K. To reap the most benefit from these greens, don't overcook them.Fruits: Kiwi and plumsSpices and herbs: Both the fresh and dried versions of these spices and herbs are packed with Vitamin K: basil, sage, thyme, parsley, coriander, marjoram, oregano, and amaranth leaves.Nuts and seeds: In addition to being rich in Vitamin K, these nuts and seeds also contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol levels: cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts.Oil: Olive, soybean and canola oil are all good sources of Vitamin K.

Sources:
National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Vitamin K and bone health." Web.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11684396

Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. "Vitamin K." Web.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminK/

View the original article here

Mediterranean Diet Meta-Analysis Finds Benefits

Mediterranean Diet Meta-Analysis Finds Benefits

A meta-analysis finds the Mediterranean diet has proven benefits.

The Mediterranean diet has proven beneficial effects not only regarding metabolic syndrome, but also on its individual components including waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol levels, triglycerides levels, blood pressure levels and glucose metabolism, according to a new study published in the March 15, 2011, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study is a meta-analysis, including results of 50 studies on the Mediterranean diet, with an overall studied population of about half a million subjects.

Here's the diet in broad outline:

The Mediterranean diet is a dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily from olives and olive oils; daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products; weekly consumption of fish, poultry, tree nuts, and legumes; a relatively low consumption of red meat; and a moderate daily consumption of alcohol, normally with meals.

Out of that list what are the good foods versus the less bad foods? Are whole grains beneficial or less bad? Are low-fat dairy products beneficial or less bad? A previous study provides clues to these questions.

Curiously the admonitions against eating lots of red meat put the Mediterranean diet at odds with most versions of the Paleo Diet. I'd like to see the Mediterranean and Paleo diets compared by blood triglycerides and blood sugar.

Tuck said at March 8, 2011 6:49 AM:

Your wish is our command:

"A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease"

Lou Pagnucco said at March 8, 2011 8:55 AM:

Unless I overlooked it, these studies do not measure caloric intake, processed food consumption or glycemic load.
This may be a serious flaw.

Tuck,
Your study allowed the Med-diet group to include margarine.
This may mean that transfats (in margarine, or margarine containing pastries) could have confounded the result.

Bruce said at March 8, 2011 1:01 PM:

Lou, they allowed alpha-linolenic acid fats.

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/7/1/85

Which means they probably allowed partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-Linolenic_acid

Avoidance of butter is not necessarily safe.

Tuck said at March 8, 2011 6:07 PM:

Lou, margarine is about as safe as the canola oil the "Mediterranean" diet allows. The fact is, no one eats the "Mediterranean diet". Greeks eat full-fat dairy, Italians eat lard, the French eat all the butter and cheese they can get their hands on, and they all eat all yogurt and all the meat they can afford.

The same folks telling you to eat the Mediterranean diet are the folks who were telling you to eat trans-fat margarine a few years ago. I will continue to ignore their bad advice.

PacRim Jim said at March 8, 2011 7:00 PM:

The optimal diet must be appropriate to one's age and health, not to mention one's genome and epigenome.

One size definitely does not fit all.

Jay said at March 9, 2011 6:24 AM:

Traditional mediterraneans never had low fat dairy or lean meat. They ate full fat and whatever meat they could afford, including the fats and organs. And they don't mention the most important part - HUMMUS!

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater said at March 9, 2011 11:35 AM:

Meh, keeping below 100 carbs a day (better yet, less than 50) would do a lot more for the average overweight American than anything else. I prescribe bacon and eggs, and lots of it!

Shannon Love said at March 9, 2011 12:25 PM:

The vast majority of these studies of the "Mediterranean" diet are of necessity, based on studies of people in the actual Mediterranean. It never seems to occur to researchers that people eating the same diet as 80-160 generations of ancestors might actually have genomes that evolved to be optimized for that diet. It doesn't follow that, say, Intuits would far better on such a diet than they would of one based on the Intuit traditional diet.

Further, I looked at one study done in Italy and I'm pretty sure the actual breakdown was rural vs urban. Rural people ate a more traditional diet without the junk food and, oh yeah, got a lot more exercise. I can't but wonder how many of these studies have a similar breakdown and how many attempted to control for it.

Lastly, I can't help but notice that in all areas outside the actual Mediterranean, that diet just so happens to be the diet of elite, wealthy, high-status, cosmopolitans. Since we have made diet a virtue in our culture we seem by some mysterious mechanism to find that the foods that are the expensive, rare and requiring the most skill and time to prepare suddenly become the "healthiest."

Well, it's actually not so mysterious. If you look at nutritional fads and science since the early 19th century you see the diet of the wealthy constituently ranked as the healthiest. Sometimes you see a brief counter reaction to a "rugged peasant diet" but those never last. The diet of the middle class is never considered healthy. E.g. Prior to 60s. Eating a lot of red meat required an upper class income and red meat was a wonder food and nutritionist fretted about protein decency. After WWII, when middle-class and then poor people could afford to eat red meat daily, concern that red meat was bad for you gradually built.

This history strongly suggests that social-status bias heavily influence nutrition research. Overtime, whatever food is common becomes considered bad for you and whatever food is the food of elites becomes good for you. Always, foods that require virtuous self-denial are always good for you.

astonerii said at March 9, 2011 2:22 PM:

"Always, foods that require virtuous self-denial are always good for you. "

Seems to be a pretty stupid way for natural selection to have come out for humans one would think. You would think that the foods that taste good and you enjoy would be healthy for you, as if you enjoy eating good nutritious food, you would be more healthy by virtue of eating more healthy food. Ah, I am 100% certain that the same people who foist the nasty tasteless food onto the dieters are the exact same people who think Darwin killed God forever.

CJ said at March 9, 2011 4:41 PM:

It's low to laugh at typos and spelling mistakes, and Shannon Love makes an interesting point, but "Intuits" cracked me up.

Steven said at March 10, 2011 2:31 PM:

I think Shannon has in interesting point; however, I believe there is still a fairly well-documented correlation between socioeconomic status and obesity. It is probably accurate to say that the "wealthy elite" are, in general, less likely to be overweight/obese than those in the middle or lower classes. Whether that is due to a healthier diet or the ability to afford costly weight loss surgery is up for debate. However, I'm of the opinion that the "Mediterranean diet" as most people know it (even if it's not what "real" Mediterraneans eat) is very healthy and can, indeed, lead to weight loss and stable cholesterol levels. Many aspects of the Mediterranean diet are things that I recommend to my diabetic and high-cholesterol patients on a daily basis (I'm a cardiologist).

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