Mental wellness: Adopting Mediterranean diet and active lifestyle may offer shield against cognitive decline.
Let's Get Moving: The MedWalk Study
Scientists are on a mission to discover if a combo of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's. They've dubbed this novel approach as "MedWalk."
Studies have linked both a Mediterranean diet and regular exercise, like walking, to brain health. This new research aims to prove that the synergistic effect of these habits indeed provides benefits. Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the UK areleading the charge on this ongoing study, which was originally set to last 2 years but has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published details on the study's processes and findings can be found in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. To make the study more accessible, the follow-up period has been reduced to a single year, and an expanded group of participants is being recruited, some from retirement communities and others from broader communities due to the pandemic.
The researchers are mainly interested in seeing a 12-month change in visual memory and learning among participants. They're also curious to witness the intervention's effects on various aspects, such as mood, quality of life, and health costs, as well as cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness.
The participants are 60 to 90-year-olds residing in South Australia and Victoria. By adopting a MedWalk lifestyle, these individuals will follow a modified Mediterranean diet while sticking to a supervised walking regimen, accompanied by psychological support techniques.
Researchers are guiding participants on what makes a Mediterranean diet different from a typical Australian diet, like offering free extra-virgin olive oil to help them get started. Group walking sessions are held for the first six months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the study period.
Mediterranean Diet and Brain Health
Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann, not involved in the current study, informed Medical News Today that numerous studies suggested that adhering to a Mediterranean diet was linked to fewer cases of dementia. In fact, some studies found an association between the Mediterranean diet and lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.
However, Middelmann cautioned that genetics, lifestyle, and overall health played a significant role in determining risk factors for dementia. Maintaining a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is just one piece of the puzzle in ensuring brain health and preventing dementia.
Middelmann believes that the Mediterranean diet may offer brain health benefits in several ways:
- Rich in antioxidants: Antioxidants help combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are thought to contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: The diet is high in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is crucial for brain health. Omega-3s are also linked to improved cognitive function and a lower risk of cognitive decline.
- Balanced gut microbiome: The diet is fiber-rich, which can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome balance.
- Low in processed grains and sugars: Reducing the consumption of processed foods helps lower the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation.
- Minimal ultra-processed foods: The Mediterranean diet discourages the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which have been linked to dementia.
- Social connections and exercise: The Mediterranean lifestyle encourages sharing meals with loved ones and staying active through regular exercise, both of which have been linked to better brain health.
The Power of Walking
Like the Mediterranean diet, walks have been associated with slower cognitive decline. A study discovered a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and the risk of dementia, with people who took 10,000 steps a day reducing their risk of dementia by 50%.
Walking may help improve brain health by increasing blood flow, boosting brain activity, reducing stress, enhancing feelings of well-being, and incorporating social elements and exposure to nature.
Brain health coach Ryan Glatt, not connected to the study, explained this further: "Walking may strengthen cognitive function by improving brain blood flow, depending on the intensity, duration, and frequency of walking. It may also benefit levels of brain activity and reduce feelings of stress while improving overall well-being. Walking may also comprise social components and exposure to nature, which both offer additional brain benefits."
The data collection phase of the study will wrap up by the end of 2023. Stay tuned for the potential game-changing findings that may help combat cognitive decline and improve overall health outcomes!
- Scientists are investigating if the combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking, known as the "MedWalk" approach, could help decrease the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's.
- According to a nutritionist, adhering to a Mediterranean diet has been linked to fewer cases of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, though genetics, lifestyle, and overall health play a significant role in determining risk factors.
- The Mediterranean diet offers brain health benefits in various ways, including being rich in antioxidants, high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber-rich, low in processed grains and sugars, minimal in ultra-processed foods, and encouraging social connections and exercise.
- Similar to the Mediterranean diet, walking has been associated with slower cognitive decline, with data showing a 50% reduction in the risk of dementia for those who take 10,000 steps a day.
- Walking is suggested to help improve brain health by increasing blood flow, boosting brain activity, reducing stress, enhancing feelings of well-being, and incorporating social elements and exposure to nature.
- Researchers are leading a study, the MedWalk Study, to test the synergistic effect of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on various aspects of health and well-being, including visual memory and learning, mood, quality of life, and health costs, as well as cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness.
