Georgetown Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet for Issues like Obesity and Neurodegenerative Diseases and others

January 25, 2024

Inflammation and pain. Eating and healthy living. Obesity and neurodegenerative disease. These are some combos! Dr. Butwell sees these daily in our Georgetown chiropractic practice, explains the connections, and urges the exploration of new and different-to-you approaches to enhance health via nutrition like the Mediterranean diet to control 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 symptoms both conditions share like inflammation (which also impacts back pain sufferers). Such a diet of natural products providing antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could prevent cell death and even bring back function to damaged neurons. (1) Neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s and obesity are associated with low grade inflammation leading to concerns like neuronal inflammation, brain atrophy and cognitive decline. With obesity impacting nearly 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 find prasie for that!

“WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?”

US News & World Report ranked 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 trouble-free: fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, herbs, spices, nuts, and healthy fats. (Think: olive oil, avocado oil.) Add in fish and seafood twice weekly with dairy, eggs, and poultry occasional. 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 remember from years ago.) consists of red wine (in moderation) and water (lots of that!). It also incorporates eating with friends, dancing, exercising, being physically active! (3) These are the enjoyable activies that make life happy!

PRAISE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Mediterranean diet researchers and advocates list so many benefits: improved brain function, longer life, certain 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 deterrence, rheumatoid arthritis and eye health improvement, improved breathing, improved infertility, healthier babies, and more! (3) There is something beneficial for everyone with the Mediterranean diet! Neurodegenerative diseases share a loss of neuronal structure and function as well as progressive dysfunction. Neurodegeneration has many different pathological processes that natural products – particularly the ones that contain bioactive compounds that are able to cross the blood brain barrier - are important as neuroprotectors. Some such natural products are better recognized than others: quercetin (green tea, tomato, capers, black and red wine), luteolin, Reservatol (nuts, fruits, grapes), apigenin (flavonoids), genistein (isoflavone), Hesperidin (grapes/citrus), etc. (4) Our Georgetown chiropractic patients are often prescribed anti-inflammatory meds, so our back pain patients may also feel some relief from this type of low inflammation diet. The Mediterranean Diet offers so much variety of natural goods!

CONTACT Dr. Butwell

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 describes the beneficial outcomes possible with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Schedule your Georgetown chiropractic appointment today. Eating well isn’t that hard and is so good for our Georgetown chiropractic friends, especially those fighting a few extra pounds and/or experiencing neurodegeneration-related issues.

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