In the Annals of Internal Medicine is showed as the Mediterranean diet have the power to reduced fasting glucose concentrations and lipid levels in those at risk for diabetes, may lower the risk for cardiovascular events and stroke, and improve cognition.

Infact middle-aged women following this diet with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish and little red meat have much greater odds of healthy aging later. These women with healthier dietary patterns at midlife were 40% more likely to survive to age 70 or over free of major chronic diseases and with no impairment in physical function, cognition or mental health”.

The participants completed the Medical Outcomes Short-Form 36 Health Survey, a questionnaire that evaluates 8 health concepts, including mental health and physical functioning. Scores from the Interview for Cognitive Status, an adaptation of the Mini-Mental State Examination, were used to evaluate cognitive health. From 1995 to 2001, a cognitive study was administered to participants aged 70 years or older.

Investigators separated “healthy” from “usual” aging on the basis of 4 health domains. Overall, 11.0% of the participants were considered healthy (and so were free of chronic diseases, such as cancers, myocardial infarction, and diabetes, and with no limitation in cognitive function, mental health, and physical function), and the remaining participants were considered usual agers.

Middle age is probably the most relevant period of exposure for preventing chronic conditions of aging that develop over many years.

“It’s largely accepted that cumulative exposures to environmental risk factors over the lifespan are probably more important than late-life exposures to determine health in older age. “Several mechanisms of age-related chronic diseases, for example, atherosclerosis in cardiac diseases, brain lesions in dementia, start in midlife.”

Various researchers have reported on other newly documented health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including the following:

  • Reduced fasting glucose concentrations and lipid levels in patients who are genetically at increased risk for type 2 diabetes as well as reduced risk for stroke
  • Lowered risk for type 2 diabetes by about 20% when the diet also included foods with low glycaemic load.
  • Slowed progression of carotid plaque.
  • Improved cognitive function

Cardiovascular events reduced by 30% in people at high risk vs those receiving a low-fat diet.

In the Mediterranean diet then we have an elective use of the correct choice of foods.
The main points of this diet are the following points:

  • Increased consumption of vegetable protein than animal
  • Reduce saturated fats instead of vegetable unsaturated
  • Reduction of overall caloric
  • Increase complex carbohydrates to the detriment of those simple
  • High introduction of dietary fibres
  • Reduction of cholesterol
  • The consumption of white meat is more prevalent than the red, and is limited to once or twice a week. Instead the higher consumption of fish and vegetables
  • The sweets are eaten only on special occasions
  • The Mediterranean diet also provides a drastic reduction in the consumption of: sausages, hard liquor, white sugar, butter, fatty cheeses, mayonnaise, white salt, margarine, beef and pork (especially fatty cuts), lard.