Manahawkin 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. Neurodegenerative disease and obesity. These are some combinations! Manahawkin Chiropractic Center sees these daily in our Manahawkin chiropractic practice, describes 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 indicators 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 injured neurons. (1) Neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s and obesity are associated with low grade inflammation which can lead to issues like neuronal inflammation, brain atrophy and cognitive decline. With obesity affecting almost 30% of people around the world, any connections that can tackle inflammation and fight obesity like diet and physical activity are hopeful. (2) We can all appreciate that!

“WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?”

US News & World Report granted 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: olive oil, avocado oil.) Add in fish and seafood a couple times 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 an updated USDA food pyramid so many of us might recall from years ago.) includes red wine (in moderation) and water (lots of that!). It also incorporates eating 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 record multiple benefits: enhanced brain function, longer life, specific kinds of cancer prevention, heart disease/high blood pressure/”bad” cholesterol reduction, diabetes security, weight loss/management support, depression prevention, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s prevention, 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 experience a loss of neuronal structure and function and progressive dysfunction. Neurodegeneration has 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 vital 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 Manahawkin chiropractic patients are manytimes prescribed anti-inflammatory medications, so our back pain patients may also feel some relief from this type of low inflammation diet. The Mediterranean Diet allows such an array of natural goods!

CONTACT Manahawkin 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 beneficial outcomes possible with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

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

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