Mediterranean diet may help protect kidney health

• ·      Every one-point increase in a Mediterranean diet score was associated with a 17% decreased likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease.
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• ·      Dietary patterns that closely resembled the Mediterranean diet were linked with a 50% reduced risk of developing chronic kidney disease and a 42% reduced risk of experiencing rapid kidney function decline.
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• ·      More than 20 million US adults have chronic kidney disease.

Adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet may significantly reduce the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study appearing in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

Chronic kidney disease is a growing epidemic, and while there has been significant progress in protecting against kidney disease and its progression through aggressive treatment of risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes, many people still experience declining kidney function as they age. Minesh Khatri, MD (Columbia University Medical Center) and his colleagues wondered whether an improved diet might provide additional benefits.

"Many studies have found a favorable association between the Mediterranean diet and a variety of health outcomes, including those related to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer, among others," said Dr. Khatri. "There is increasing evidence that poor diet is associated with kidney disease, but it is unknown whether the benefits of a Mediterranean diet could extend to kidney health as well." The Mediterranean diet includes higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, and heart-healthy fats, while minimizing red meats, processed foods, and sweets.

The researchers examined the associations of varying degrees of the Mediterranean diet on long-term kidney function in an observational, community-based, prospective study. In their analysis of 900 participants who were followed for nearly 7 years, every one-point higher in a Mediterranean diet score, indicating better adherence to the diet, was associated with a 17% lower likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease. Dietary patterns that closely resembled the Mediterranean diet (with a score of ≥5) were linked with a 50% lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease and a 42% lower risk of experiencing rapid kidney function decline.

In an accompanying editorial, Julie Lin, MD, MPH, FASN (Brigham and Women's Hospital) noted that a Mediterranean-style diet is only one component of an overall healthy lifestyle, which also needs to incorporate regular physical activity. "Although a seemingly simple goal, achieving this is challenging. We need to begin by embracing the reality that there is no magic pill or miracle food, only vigilance and discipline with diet and regular exercise, and the rare indulgence in cake for very special occasions," she wrote.

Diets high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts among factors to lower first-time stroke risk

American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guideline

Eating Mediterranean or DASH-style diets, regularly engaging in physical activity and keeping your blood pressure under control can lower your risk of a first-time stroke, according to updated AHA/ASA guideline published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.

"We have a huge opportunity to improve how we prevent new strokes, because risk factors that can be changed or controlled — especially high blood pressure — account for 90 percent of strokes," said James Meschia, M.D., lead author of the study and professor and chairman of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

The updated guidelines recommend these tips to lower risk:

• Eat a Mediterranean or DASH-style diet, supplemented with nuts.
• Monitor high blood pressure at home with a cuff device.
• Keep pre-hypertension from becoming high blood pressure by making lifestyle changes such as getting more physical activity, eating a healthy diet and managing your weight.
• Reduce the amount of sodium in your diet; sodium is found mostly in salt.
• Visit your healthcare provider annually for blood pressure evaluation.
• If your medication to lower blood pressure doesn't work or has bad side effects, talk to your healthcare provider about finding a combination of drugs that work for you.
• Don't smoke. Smoking and taking oral birth control pills can significantly increase your stroke risk. If you're a woman who experiences migraines with aura, smoking raises your risk of stroke even more than in the general population.
• Mediterranean-style or DASH-style diets are similar in their emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, poultry and fish. Both are limited in red meat and foods containing saturated fats, which are mostly found in animal-based products such as meat, butter, cheese and full-fat dairy.
• Mediterranean-style diets are generally low in dairy products and DASH-style diets emphasize low-fat dairy products.
• Avoiding secondhand smoke also lowers stroke and heart attack risks, according to the guidelines.

The writing committee reviewed existing guidelines, randomized clinical trials and some observational studies.

"Talking about stroke prevention is worthwhile," Meschia said. "In many instances, stroke isn't fatal, but it leads to years of physical, emotional and mental impairment that could be avoided."

Health benefits of whole grain oats

According to a new, wide-reaching collection of scientific reviews published in the October 2014 supplement issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, oats may play an important role in improving satiety, diet quality and digestive, cardiovascular and general metabolic health. In the supplement issue, entitled "Oats, More Than Just a Whole Grain," scientists from around the world explore the oat from agriculture and sustainability to nutrition policy and opportunity and new insights in nutritional science that go beyond cardiovascular health.

"The British Journal of Nutrition oats supplement is a comprehensive compilation of scientific reviews written by a diverse group of international experts that showcase the remarkable role the oat plays in human health and agriculture," explains Jan-Willem van Klinken, MD, PhD, MSc, of the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence. "Not only does it enhance the understanding of the role of oats in health promotion from satiety to chronic disease, but the authors also identified future areas of research in agriculture and health that will help provide greater health benefits and increase availability worldwide."

While oats have been the focus of scientific investigation for decades, the supplement uniquely summarizes the developing science and technology around oats. In the supplement, new evidence is presented, while well-established benefits are further supported, in relation to human health, agriculture and food processing. Here are some of the noteworthy takeaways from the supplement:

Calorie-for-Calorie, Oatmeal is More Filling than Ready-to-Eat, Oat-Based Cereals

·      According to the supplement, epidemiological evidence suggests that regular consumption of whole-grain foods is correlated with lower body mass index (BMI).

·      Several studies outlined in the review suggested that eating oats helps reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.

·      Similarly, recent evidence can be found in a study from the May 28, 2014 issue of Nutrition Journal. In this study, Rebello, et al., found that subjects who ate 217.5-calorie breakfasts of oatmeal with nonfat milk for their first meal reported less hunger, increased fullness and a reduced desire to eat more, compared to subjects given an equal calorie serving of ready-to-eat, oat-based cereal with nonfat milk.

·      According to the aforementioned study and the supplement, satiety appears to be enhanced by the higher viscosity of the oatmeal beta-glucan compared to a ready-to-eat, oat-based cereal.

·      Subsequently, researchers are looking into oat varieties with higher levels of beta-glucan to potentially amplify the fullness effects of oats.

Oats: A Unique Whole Grain That May Contribute to Digestive Health

·      Whole grains are often recommended for their beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract.

·      The role that beneficial bacteria in the human digestive tract play in human health is an area of great interest, with potential health effects ranging from immune health to reducing risk for obesity and chronic disease.

·      Author Devin Rose, PhD, of the University of Nebraska, summarized emerging research regarding oats and the digestive tract.

·      Rose concluded that the beta-glucan, resistant starch, and the unique polyphenols, avenanthramides, may benefit gut health and that resistant starch present in oats may specifically boost the beneficial bacteria Bifidobacteria in the lower GI tract.

·      A review of 29 studies concluded that oats and oat bran might provide benefits in some cases of bowel disease (one of two studies on ulcerative colitis) and constipation (14 studies).

·      The review authors note that oat products not crossed with other cereal grains that contain gluten (such as wheat) may be consumed by patients with celiac disease (11 studies).

Oats Improve Cardiovascular Health

·      Review authors remind us that the evidence supporting the impact of beta-glucan fiber in oats on low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular disease is so convincing that authorities in the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan have issued formal health claims about the role of oats in heart health. For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) support the claim that oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol.

·      A review of the most recent and compelling studies on oats and oat bran and cardiovascular disease risk factors concluded that oats and oat bran lower total cholesterol and LDL-C by respectively 2-19 percent and 4-23 percent; the effects are particularly prominent among people with high cholesterol levels.

·      The study's lead author, Frank Thies, PhD, of the University of Aberdeen, wrote that eating a 60-gram serving of oatmeal might lower cholesterol significantly.

·      To put it in perspective, an LDL-C reduction of 4-6 percent is estimated to reduce coronary heart disease risk by 6-18 percent.

·      What's more, all forms of oats—oat bran, oatmeal or other oat-containing foods—appear to be beneficial.

To reap the brain benefits of physical activity, just get moving!

Everyone knows that exercise makes you feel more mentally alert at any age. But do you need to follow a specific training program to improve your cognitive function? Science has shown that the important thing is to just get moving. It's that simple. In fact, this was the finding of a study conducted at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM), an institution affiliated with Université de Montréal, by Dr. Nicolas Berryman, PhD, Exercise Physiologist, under the supervision of Dr. Louis Bherer, PhD, and Dr. Laurent Bosquet, PhD, that was published in the journal AGE (American Aging Association) in October.

The study compared the effects of different training methods on the cognitive functions of people aged 62 to 84 years. Two groups were assigned a high-intensity aerobic and strength-training program, whereas the third group performed tasks that targeted gross motor activities (coordination, balance, ball games, locomotive tasks, and flexibility). While the aerobics and strength-training were the only exercises that led to physical fitness improvements after 10 weeks (in terms of body composition, VO2 max, and maximum strength), all three groups showed equivalent improvement in cognitive performance.

The subjects in the third group performed activities that can easily be done at home, which is excellent news for sedentary people who can't see themselves suddenly going to a gym to work out. To improve your cognitive health, you can simply start by doing any activity you like.

"Our study targeted executive functions, or the functions that allow us to continue reacting effectively to a changing environment. We use these functions to plan, organize, develop strategies, pay attention to and remember details, and manage time and space," explained Dr. Louis Bherer, PhD.

"For a long time, it was believed that only aerobic exercise could improve executive functions. More recently, science has shown that strength-training also leads to positive results. Our new findings suggest that structured activities that aim to improve gross motor skills can also improve executive functions, which decline as we age. I would like seniors to remember that they have the power to improve their physical and cognitive health at any age and that they have many avenues to reach this goal," concluded Dr. Nicolas Berryman, PhD.