Mediterranean Diet Could Increase Life Span

A team of US researchers conducted an experiment to see whether or not the Mediterranean diet was associated with longer telomere length. The Mediterranean diet is composed of a high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts olive oil and fish. It consists of a low intake of saturated fats and meat, poultry and dairy products. This diet also consists of a regular amount of alcohol, mostly wine.

The research consisted of taking 4,676 middle aged women from the Nurses' health study. These women got their blood taken to see their telomere length and also answered a food questionnaire. Their scores were on a scale of 0-9 with the higher numbers being more closely related to the Mediterranean diet. The researchers found that the Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with the diet. For each number higher on the scales there was 1.5 years added to the telomere shortening. They also found that none of the individual dietary components were associated with telomere length showing that you have to look at the diet as a whole. The Mediterranean diet has also been linked with reduced mortality and reduced chronic disease.


Main Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141203084255.htm

Mediterranean Diet May Help Keep You Younger

A mediterranean diet, composing of mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fish, is often hailed as a way to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight.  Researchers have recently found that the diet may also keep your DNA younger and healthier!  Researchers took the data from another study and looked at about 4,600 women and their diets and compared that to their telomere length.  Telomere length is an indication of age; shorter telomeres are usually found in older people, while longer telomeres are usually found in younger people.  It was found that women who ate a mostly mediterranean diet tended to have longer telomeres.  If the age of the women was based on their telomere length, the women who ate a more mediterranean diet would be years younger than those who did not.

I think this research is useful in the fact that many people are overweight or are looking for fads to lose weight or be healthier.  The mediterranean diet was already thought of as a healthy way to manage your weight and health.  With this new research, people have another reason to pursue this way of living.