According to findings published in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine, modest relationships were found supporting omega-3 fatty acids, folate, whole grains, alcohol, fruits, fibre and dietary vitamins E and C and beta carotene, for reductions in the risk of heart disease.

On the other hand, trans-fatty acids and foods with a high glycemic index (GI) were associated with detrimental effects on heart health, wrote the researchers, led by Andrew Mente, from the Population Health Research Institute.

“Although investigations of dietary components may help to shed light on mechanisms behind the benefits of dietary patterns, it is unlikely that modifying the intake of a few nutrients or foods would substantially influence coronary outcomes,” wrote the researchers.
“Our findings support the strategy of investigating dietary patterns in cohort studies and randomized controlled trials for common and complex chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease.”

The review supports the Mediterranean diet pattern, rich in cereals, wine, fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains, fish and olive oil, and low in dairy, meat, junk food and fat. The dietary pattern has been linked to longer life, less heart disease, and protection against some cancers. The diet’s main nutritional components include beta-carotene, vitamin C, tocopherols, polyphenols, and essential minerals.

Writing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Newcastle in New South Wales report that levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation and reported to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular-related events, are inversely related to blood levels of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
“The importance of this study is such that individuals with higher plasma high sensitivity-CRP (>3.0 mg/l) concentration according to risk cut points, have significantly lower plasma n-3 fatty acids,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor Manohar Garg.

“Given that n-3 fatty acids is cardioprotective, this inverse correlation with hs-CRP, a surrogate marker of CVD risk, could represent a possible mechanism by which n-3 fatty acids are involved in CVD risk reduction.”

Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.

Omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources (anchovies, sardines, tuna, calamari, salmon) are a key component of the Mediterranean diet.

Study highlights:

The Mediterranean diet, rich in folates from its high leafy vegetable content, has previously been credited with longer life and improving heart health. A new report now indicates that the diet may also prevent against birth defects.

According to the new report from voluntary health agency March of Dimes, eight million babies are born with defects every year, equivalent to about six per cent of all births worldwide.

Dr. Jennifer Howse, March of Dimes president, said: “Our report identifies for the first time the severe, and previously hidden global toll of birth defects. This is a serious, vastly unappreciated and under-funded public health problem.”

France has the lowest rate with birth defects affecting only 3.97 per cent of newborns. Spain and Italy are also listed in the top ten. The highest rate of birth defects was measured in Sudan with 8.2 per cent.

Less than 250 000 babies are born in Europe with inherited birth defects, a figure that could be reduced further if mothers ate more of a Mediterranean-type diet, a rich source of olive oil, fruit and vegetables, or increased their folate intake.

Considering diet, the same concept applies. The key is the entire dietary pattern. Nutrients work together as a team to keep our bodies healthy and disease free. We need healthy fats; we need vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fiber, and other nutritional factors from fruits and vegetables. These factors all literally work together, and a lack of any key nutrient will affect the human body’s ability to function optimally and prevent disease process.

A new study from Italy has demonstrated this phenomenon in a most fascinating way. We have known that omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk to heart and other diseases. We have also known that red wine improves heart health. This new study shows that healthy chemicals found in red wine (polyphenols) actually increase the body’s levels of ultra-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Consider the following excerpt:

“Moderate alcohol intake is associated with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in plasma and red blood cells. This is the major finding of the European study IMMIDIET that will be published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, an official publication of the American Society for Nutrition and is already available on line (www.ajcn.org ). The study suggests that wine does better than other alcoholic drinks. This effect could be ascribed to compounds other than alcohol itself, representing a key to understand the mechanism lying behind the heart protection observed in moderate wine drinkers.”

The researchers conclude:

“”Analysis carried out on different alcoholic beverages –argues Licia Iacoviello coordinator of the IMMIDIET study at Catholic University of Campobasso – showed that the association between alcohol and omega-3 fatty acids was present in both wine drinkers and beer or spirits drinkers. However, the association was stronger between wine drinking and omega-3 fatty acids levels. This suggests that components of wine other than alcohol are associated with omega-3 fatty acids concentration. We may guess this effect can be ascribed to polyphenols”.

“Analysis carried out on different alcoholic beverages –argues Licia Iacoviello coordinator of the IMMIDIET study at Catholic University of Campobasso – showed that the association between alcohol and omega-3 fatty acids was present in both wine drinkers and beer or spirits drinkers. However, the association was stronger between wine drinking and omega-3 fatty acids levels. This suggests that components of wine other than alcohol are associated with omega-3 fatty acids concentration. We may guess this effect can be ascribed to polyphenols”.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds contained in a different variety of food and beverages, such as wine. Due to their strong antioxidant activity, they are able to reduce oxidation processes caused by free radicals. Now it seems that these healthy chemicals also help us to increase omega-3 levels and thereby protect our heart and over all health!

So if you are serious about staying healthy, eat your fruits and vegetables, eat fish, use olive oil instead of butter, eat whole grains and healthy nuts, and enjoy a little red wine. In short, follow the Mediterranean diet!

A little background…The last two decades has seen an exponential rise in obesity rates. Health experts, with food industry entrepreneurs on their coattails, have been searching for the culprit for the fattening of America. The first scapegoat was dietary fats. The logic was that eating fat must make people fat. This conclusion flew in the face of epidemiological evidence to the contrary. People in the Mediterranean world had traditionally derived up to 40% of their calories from fat, same with Inuits in Greenland. Yet these people had few examples of obesity, or even heart disease. Upon closer examination, research stumbled upon the truth about fats—it is the type of fat that is important related to human health and body composition. For example, omega-3 fats from fish and omega-9 fats from olive oil are far from hazardous; they are truly medicinal and can in fact support healthy body composition and weight loss. So the important consideration is choosing healthy fats over unhealthy fats (hydrogenated, saturated).

The next target became carbohydrates. And yes, Americans do eat high levels of carbohydrates. The problem here is identical to the fat boondoggle…it is the type of carbohydrate that is significant. Refined carbohydrates such as processed flour, manufactured snack foods, and simple sugars (think high fructose corn syrup) will all lead to weight gain and chronic disease. On the other hand, carbohydrates in the form of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, promote long-term good health and prevent disease. Studies show that each additional serving of fruits, vegetables and whole grain will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and blood sugar complications. Again, when it comes to carbohydrates quality is more important the quantity.

The bottom line is that a Mediterranean style dietary pattern, replete with health promoting fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein sources that are low unhealthy fats is the ideal way of eating for people who are serious about enjoying of lifetime of great health (I hope this includes you!).

Environmental factors include lifestyle, diet, and our ability to process stress. So if we smoke, binge drink, eat fast food, don’t exercise, and are always wound tight, our “environment” is working against our good health. Not only does this doomsday scenario create tissue damage and biochemical imbalance, but it will also induce the expression of any genes we possess that are associated with disease. Diet and lifestyle factors literally send messages to our genetic code that call out disease genes.

Nutrition is an environmental factor of the highest importance. As mentioned, what we eat talks to our genes. The good news is that we have control over what we put into our mouths, and therefore can influence genetic expression and thus our susceptibility to disease. But here is the scary part. The modern diet that has developed in the last several decades is entirely incompatible with our inherited genetic code. Our genetic code is the same as our ancestors that lived 40,000 years ago when the diet was radically different. The modern diet with its high levels of refined carbohydrates, simple sugars, and saturated and omega-6 fats sends entirely the wrong message to our genes and is the primary reason why chronic disease is endemic.

Now for more good news—simple dietary modification and nutritional supplementation can reverse the damage we may have wrought and bring out the best health potential from our genes. Follow a plant rich diet such as the Mediterranean diet, and get plenty of healthy fats, principally omega-3 fish oil and monounsaturated olive oil. This simple approach is a sure fire way to get the best out of your genes!

Researchers found that the more closely one follows the Mediterranean diet, the lower the risk of Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X. Blood sugar dysregulation is a continuum that ends with type II diabetes, in the worst case insulin dependent type II where the body simply will not make insulin, the ultra critical hormone that signals every cell in the body to take in blood glucose after meals. When cells no longer respond to insulin’s signal, the cells become starved for energy and excess blood glucose is converted to stored fat. Increased body fat increases inflammation which can result in heart disease and other chronic maladies.

Metabolic Syndrome is a condition that is indicated by high fasting glucose levels, high triglycerides (blood fats), and low HDL cholesterol levels. Metabolic Syndrome is essentially a step in the direction of full blown type II diabetes. So any diet / lifestyle program that can prevent or reverse Metabolic Syndrome should be taken very seriously.

Based upon previous studies, it is no surprise that the Mediterranean diet, rich in antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats, and low in refined carbohydrates would be the perfect dietary approach for reducing diabetes risk (and heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s etc).

One of the great things about the Mediterranean diet is that one does not need to reduce food intake. According to researchers in this study:

“The results of the present study show that a non–energy-restricted traditional Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts, which is high in fat, high in unsaturated fat and palatable, is a useful tool in managing the metabolic syndrome.”

And if one needs more motivation to follow the Mediterranean diet, better blood sugar control translates into weight loss and improved body composition!