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

January 25, 2024

Inflammation and pain. Eating and healthy living. Neurodegenerative disease and obesity. These are some combinations! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic welcomes these daily in our McHenry chiropractic practice, describes the connections, and encourages the exploration of new and different-to-you approaches 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 getting clearer…as are indicators they 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 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 impacting nearly 30% of people around the world, any connections that can address inflammation and fight obesity like diet and physical activity are encouraging. (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 might recall 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 record so many benefits: enhanced brain function, longer life, certain types of cancer prevention, heart disease/high blood pressure/”bad” cholesterol reduction, diabetes security, weight loss/management support, depression deterence, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s deterrence, rheumatoid arthritis and eye health enhancement, better 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 and progressive dysfunction. Neurodegeneration involves many different pathological processes that natural products – especially the ones that contain bioactive compounds that are able to cross the blood brain barrier - are vital as neuroprotectors. Some such natural products are better known than others: quercetin (tomato, capers, green tea, black and red wine), luteolin, Reservatol (nuts, fruits, grapes), apigenin (flavonoids), genistein (isoflavone), Hesperidin (grapes/citrus), etc. (4) Our McHenry chiropractic patients are manytimes 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 OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

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 benefits of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Make your McHenry chiropractic appointment soon. Eating well is not that hard and is so good for our McHenry chiropractic friends, especially those fighting a few extra pounds and/or dealing with neurodegeneration-related issues.

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