| Life Extension
Update Exclusive Mediterranean diet plus healthy
lifestyle factors cuts death rate in older individuals
A study published in the September 22/29 2004 issue of the Journal
of the American Medical Association (http://jama.ama-assn.org/)
examined mortality for 2339 senior men and women and concluded that
four factors cut mortality risk during a ten year period by more
than half of that experienced by those had adopted one or no protective
practices. The four factors studied were consumption of a Mediterranean
diet, engaging in regular physical activity, moderate use of alcohol,
and not smoking.
The so-called Mediterranean diet consists of foods commonly consumed
in this region: whole grains, vegetables, nuts, fruits and olive
oil. The diet is in contrast with the majority of western diets
that contain relatively large amounts of meat, and refined carbohydrates
such as white sugar. In another report appearing in the same issue
of JAMA, Katherine Esposito MD and colleagues found that
the Mediterranean diet reduces metabolic syndrome and improved endothelial
function.
The current study, conducted by Kim Knoops MSc of Wageningen University,
Netherlands, and colleagues, followed 1507 men and 832 women aged
70 to 90 enrolled in the Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly:
a Concerned Action (SENECA) or the Finland, Italy, the Netherlands,
Elderly (FINE) studies. The researchers analyzed deaths from all
causes, and separately examined deaths from coronary heart disease,
cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
They found that consuming a Mediterranean diet lowered death by
all causes by 23 percent, moderate alcohol use (defined as more
than 0 grams per day) was associated with a 22 percent lower risk,
regular physical activity (defined as approximately 30 minutes activity
per day) conferred at 37 percent lower risk and not smoking was
associated with a 35 percent lower risk. These risk reductions remained
at similar levels when coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases
and cancer were separately analyzed. Individuals who had all four
of these factors lowered the risk of dying during the study period
by 65 percent compared to those who practiced one or none.
In an accompanying editorial in JAMA, Eric B Rimm, ScD and Meir
J Stampfer MD write, “Although understanding of the relation
of lifestyle and health outcomes will continue to be refined, information
available now is sufficient to take action . . . As a society, the
United States spends billions on chronic disease treatments and
interventions for risk factors. Although these are useful and important,
a fraction of that investment to promote healthful lifestyles for
primary prevention among individuals at all ages would yield greater
benefit.” (JAMA, September 22/29, 2004, vol 292, no 12).
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| Protocol
Prevention
It used to be thought that little could be done to postpone what
nature has in store for us. Today, a growing scientific consensus
indicates that individuals possess a great deal of control over
how long they are going to live and what their state of health will
be.
Mainstream medicine has relied on simple measures of preventing
disease, such as controlling hypertension, yet many doctors are
coming to the realization that additional steps can be taken to
protect against premature aging and death.
In fact, the results of tens of thousands of scientific studies
make it abundantly clear that following the proper lifestyle can
add a significant number of healthy years to the average person's
lifespan.
The premise of taking actions to maintain youthful health and vigor
is based on findings from peer-reviewed scientific studies that
identify specific factors that cause us to develop degenerative
disease. These studies suggest that the consumption of certain foods,
food extracts, hormones, or drugs will help to prevent common diseases
that are associated with normal aging.
Therefore, the concept of disease prevention can be defined as
the incorporation of findings from published scientific studies
into a logical daily regimen that enables an individual to attain
optimal health and longevity.
Taking aggressive steps to extend one's lifespan is a major commitment.
This Prevention protocol provides practical information about what
a person can do to take advantage of the consensus of scientific
knowledge obtained from the most prestigious medical journals in
the world.
http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-131.shtml
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