Mediterranean diet cuts depression risk

Eating plenty of fish, veggies and whole grains may brighten your outlook



People who follow a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish are less likely to become depressed, scientists said on Monday, but the reasons are unclear.

Spanish researchers studied 11,000 people and found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely had a more than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than those whose diet had few of the crucial Mediterranean elements.

"The specific mechanisms by which a better adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern could help to prevent the occurrence of depression are not well known," said Almudena Sanchez-Villegas and colleagues at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Navarra, Spain.

But the researchers suggested that elements of the diet may improve blood vessel function, fight inflammation and repair oxygen-related cell damage — all of which could reduce the chances of developing depression.

The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry journal, adds to an existing body of evidence showing the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, including reduced risks of health disease, diabetes, asthma and cancer.

The study used data from Spanish people who reported their dietary intake on a food frequency questionnaire.

The researchers worked out how close their eating habits were to the Mediterranean diet based on nine components: A high ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids; moderate intake of alcohol and dairy foods; low intake of meat; and high intake of legumes, fruit and nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish.

"Individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely had a greater than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than whose who had the lowest Mediterranean diet scores," they wrote.

source: msnbc.msn

Gluten-free diets rising in popularity

A gluten-free diet may not be the easiest to follow, but it can improve fitness and encourage weight loss in people who do not suffer from wheat intolerance.

That is according to the Chicago Tribune, which reported that the diet, which was once followed only by those suffering from Coeliac disease, is now breaking into the mainstream.

It noted the case of a mother who went on the diet with her son after he was diagnosed with Coeliac disease and now feels much healthier for it.

"My head is clearer, and I'm lean and healthy," Julie Pech, of Colorado, told the publication. "For whatever reason, gluten makes me very heavy and tired."



Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten, a protein present in wheat, barley and rye, cannot be properly processed by the body and instead causes inflammation in the small intestines.

Last month, news provider Advertising Talk suggested that the growing number of celebrities following gluten-free diets is encouraging more people to take it up.

However, the website warned that it is imperative people self-diagnosing gluten sensitivity and cutting out wheat-based products seek proper medical advice.

source: tescodiets