Minster Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet for Issues like Obesity and Neurodegenerative Diseases and others

January 25, 2024

Inflammation and pain. Living healthy and eating well. Obesity and neurodegenerative disease. These are some combos! Minster Chiropractic Center sees these daily in our Minster chiropractic practice, explains the connections, and encourages the exploration of new and different-to-you ways to enhance health via nutrition like the Mediterranean diet to manage obesity and neurodegenerative disease.

NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES AND OBESITY

The benefits of a Mediterranean diet for patients with neurodegenerative diseases are just becoming clearer…as are symptoms both conditions share like inflammation (which also affects back pain sufferers). Such a diet of natural products delivering antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could avert cell death and even restore function to damaged neurons. (1) Neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s and obesity are linked to low grade inflammation leading to concerns like neuronal inflammation, brain atrophy and cognitive decline. With obesity impacting nearly 30% of people globally, any connections that can address inflammation and fight obesity like diet and physical activity are encouraging. (2) We can all find prasie for that!

“WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?”

US News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the #1 Best Heart-Healthy Diet, Best Diet for Bone and Joint Health, Best Diet for Diabetes and Best Diet for Healthy Eating in 2024. Core foods are simple: fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, herbs, spices, nuts, and healthy fats. (Think: avocado oil.) Add in fish and seafood twice weekly with dairy, eggs, and poultry on occasion. Skip the red meats and sweet goodies except for special occasions. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (Think of it as a re-organized USDA food pyramid so many of us remember from our younger years.) includes red wine (in moderation) and water (lots of it!). It also incorporates dining with friends, dancing, exercising, being physically active! (3) These are the fun activies that make life happy!

PRAISE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Mediterranean diet researchers and advocates list so many benefits: enhanced brain function, longer life, specific types of cancer prevention, heart disease/high blood pressure/”bad” cholesterol decrease, diabetes protection, weight loss/management support, depression deterence, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s deterrence, rheumatoid arthritis and eye health improvement, improved breathing, improved infertility, healthier babies, and more! (3) Most everyone may benefit from the Mediterranean diet! Neurodegenerative diseases share a loss of neuronal structure and function as well as progressive dysfunction. Neurodegeneration incorporates many different pathological processes that natural products – especially the ones that contain bioactive compounds that have the ability to cross the blood brain barrier - are important as neuroprotectors. Some such natural products are widely known than others: quercetin (tomato, capers, green tea, black and red wine), luteolin, Reservatol (grapes, nuts, fruits), apigenin (flavonoids), genistein (isoflavone), Hesperidin (grapes/citrus), etc. (4) Our Minster chiropractic patients are manytimes prescribed anti-inflammatory meds, so our back pain patients may also benefit from this kind of low inflammation diet. The Mediterranean Diet allows so much variety of natural goods!

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox about the role of inflammation in back pain and spine pain and neck pain on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the benefits of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Schedule your Minster chiropractic appointment soon. Eating well is not that hard and is so good for our Minster chiropractic friends, especially those carrying a few extra pounds and/or dealing with neurodegeneration-related issues.

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