The Best Diet for Life

(You need to ignore the date [above] and time stamp [below] for the next several messages. I opened a new post [on those days], and saved it for later use. I was busy editing the blogs from my recent trip, doing laundry, attending a couple of meetings, etc., and did not publish.... All week without publishing!! Now I am "filling in the blanks.")

From Parade, p. 11, in the Gaston Gazette, 8/16/09: The Best Diet for Life, by Dr. Ramit Misbori

"The Mediterranean diet is among the most highly recommended eating plans. But which of its components brings the biggest benefits? In a recent study in the British Medical Journal, researchers tracked 23,000 adults in Greece. They found that eating a lot of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes (like beans and peas) had the greatest impact on increasing longevity. Also associated with a longer lifespan: consuming moderate amounts of alcohol and less meat. Surprisingly, a high intake of cereals and seafood had little to no positive effect.

"In related research, a study in the Archives of Neurology showed that the Mediterranean diet reduced people's risk of experiencing dementia or of its progressing. In a group of adults with no dementia symptoms at the study's start, those who most closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet had a 28% lower risk of developing cognitive impairment. In a group that already had impairment, the people who best followed the plan had a 48% lower risk of getting full-blown Alzheimer's disease."

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Lorraine here to comment that my "vegan" diet is (in my humble opinion) a first-cousin to the Mediterranean Diet. Today (8/16/09), at Sam's Club, I bought a fresh pineapple, bananas, Fuji apples, grapes, bell peppers, organic mixed baby salad greens and organic baby spinach. I use quality cold pressed virgin olive oil, and quality balsamic vinegar, for my salad dressing (never a commercial product). I'd like to believe that my diet has reduced my risk of experiencing dementia!!