Mediterranean Diet, Actually

"Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health, but potentially brain health as well."

"Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia."

"It is also possible that olive oil has an indirect effect on brain health by benefiting cardiovascular health."

"Given that olive oil is the primary source of added fat in a typical Mediterranean diet, we were interested in examining its association with fatal dementia."

"Olive oil may play a beneficial role in cognitive health through its rich content in monounsaturated fatty acids, which may promote neurogenesis. It also contains vitamin E and polyphenols, a trusted source that have antioxidant activity." 

Dr. Anne-Julie Tessier, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health

An Auburn University study tested the effects the consumption of extra virgin olive oil or refined olive oil had on participants

Uncertain what precisely drives the salubrious effect of including olive oil in one's daily diet, the educated guess by experts is that the antioxidants in olive oil is able to pass through the blood-brain barrier, having a direct effect on cognition. It is well known and accepted that olive oil improves heart health;  again, the assumption that it may have an indirect impact on maintaining a healthy brain, according to the speculation of nutritional science.

 

A new study out of Harvard University goes a little further; researchers followed 90,000 people in the United States over a thirty-year period. In that time frame, 4,749 of the study subjects, around 5.2 percent, died. According to the results of the study people who consumed over half a tablespoon of olive oil daily acquired a 28 percent lower risk of dying from dementia during that time, in comparison with others who never, or rarely consumed olive oil. 

Evidently the study concluded that replacing one teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil daily was associated with up to a 14 percent lower risk of dying from dementia. Still, the link between olive oil and dementia mortality risk remained, even when a superior diet was accounted for, leaving the impression that the oil may contain properties uniquely beneficial for the brain.

Previous studies have linked higher olive oil intake with a lower risk of heart disease. Incorporating olive oil as part of a Mediterranean dietary pattern has also been shown to help protect against cognitive decline. Credit: Neuroscience News

 

"Other compounds such as oleocanthal and oleuropein are [also] considered beneficial."

"There is also some evidence showing that it is the combination of all these different compounds more than a single element responsible for the positive effects."

"EVOO [extra-virgin olive oil] enhanced the blood-brain barrier function and functional connectivity between different brain areas in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which could emphasize EVOO-phenolics’ effect."

"Our findings showed that EVOO and ROO improved cognitive function as determined by the improved clinical dementia rating and other behavioral scores."

"Interestingly, the MRI scans results were not the same between EVOO and ROO. While EVOO enhanced the blood-brain barrier function and the functional connectivity between different brain areas, ROO increased the functional brain activation to a memory task in brain regions involved in cognition."

Dr. Amal Khalil Kaddoumi, professor, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University

Professor Amal Kaddoumi, standing, recently completed a study that found extra virgin olive oil may have positive effects on individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Auburn University

"These results are exciting because they support the health benefits of olive oil against Alzheimer’s disease,"

"Based on the findings of this study and previous pre-clinical studies by us and others, we can conclude that adding olive oil to our diet could maintain a healthy brain and improve memory function."

Professor Amal Kaddoumi

Spring Allergies and Probiotics

"Hay fever affects performance, productivity and quality of life. For the people who suffer badly, it's no joke."

"For some time now, we've known that the gut microbiome of food-allergic people is different from that of those who don't have those allergies."

"We now have similar findings when it comes to hay fever and the bacteria that colonize our nasal passages."

"People with diverse bacteria in their nasal lining seem to be at lower risk of hay fever. Those with less diverse bacteria seem to be at higher risk."

"[It's never too early to start an anti-hay-fever diet.] You need to give the bacteria time to respond, and your immune system time to calm down."

Professor Adam Fox, consultant pediatric allergist, Guy's and St. Thomas' hospitals

"Our genes haven't changed in the past two decades, but allergies have risen and are continuing to do so."

"What's changed? Our food environment. Food can play a very important part in calming inflammation."

"[Children raised on anti-inflammatory diets are less likely to develop allergies in the first place, while] what you eat can certainly decrease your symptoms, too."

Shilpa Ravella, gastroenterologist, assistant professor of medicine, Columbia University Medical Center

 

"Vitamin C also acts as a natural antihistamine, which can be found in foods such as citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers, chili, kale and rocket."

"[It is, however, easily destroyed by heat and light], so trying to cook these as little as possible will help to retain more potency."

Eve Kalinik, nutritional therapist

Hay fever is a misery in the spring, leading to red eyes and sneezing. Caused by the inhalation of grass or tree pollen granules which are processed by the immune system, Hay fever is a dreaded spring event. With a genetic predisposition to developing an allergy to these plants, a risk that an inappropriate response will develop to release a chemical called histamine is highly likely. No cures for allergies exist and they're difficult to treat.

However, a growing body of studies suggest an alternative method may exist for tackling symptoms; through diet and dietary supplements. The journal Nature Microbiology published results of a study comparing nasal microbiomes of 55 hayfever-plagued adults with those of 205 healthy volunteers, finding hay-fever sufferers had a narrower range of bacteria in their noses and 17-times more of a particular kind: Streptococcus salivarius A situation that can drive the inflammation that haunts hay-fever sufferers.

Factors of lifestyle can come into play even though allergies are genetically-inherited conditions. Allergies that include hay fever are inflammatory conditions which some foods like meals containing sugary or processed ingredients can make cellular swelling worse. The Mediterranean diet as example of an anti-inflammatory therapy, can help to prevent and can alleviate hay fever in that it contains fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish and olive oil.

 

Apples are a good source of anti-inflammatories, as are onions which are both anti-inflammatory and contain as well the polyphenol quercetin, which acts as an antihistamine. Fermented foods like live yogurt, kimchee, kefir and sauerkraut are also linked to lower inflammation and higher diversity of gut bacteria. and while the science of probiotics is still in its infancy it shows great promise also in the area of treating allergies.

A study led by scientists at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, gave the probiotic formula NC-Seasonal-Biotic to hay-fever sufferers in 2022. The finding was that it significantly reduced symptoms compared with a placebo group. In ten to 12 weeks, the noses of the volunteers ran less, their eyes were less itchy, and they slept better and felt less irritable.

Experts recommend liquid probiotics such as Symprove and BetterVits Probiotic Complex, instead of the powdered varieties.

"Hay fever is an overreaction of your immune system to pollen. If your immune system is already sensitive because of irritation in your gut, then it's highly reactive."

"If it's calm, it stands a better chance of reacting healthily to pollen."

"It's a challenge for a powdered [probiotic] product to deliver live bacteria into the gut [so opt for liquid probiotics instead]."

Dr. Simon Gaisford, professor of pharmaceutics, UCL