The Mediterranean diet has definitely taken hold everywhere around the world, becoming a real trend, but what does it really mean? This diet represents the expression of the lifestyle developed by the population of the Mediterranean area over the years. In fact, the word Diet that in Greek is “Diaita” means way of living. Considered as a treasure for all the humanity, the Mediterranean diet was inscribed in 2010 in the list of Intangible and Cultural Heritage of the UNESCO.
A piece of history
In the late ‘50s a US physiologist Dr Ancel Keys, considered the father of the Mediterranean Diet, designed an experiment called “Seven Countries Study”, where he discovered that this dietary pattern was leading to a better life expectancy, especially for the population of the Mediterranean area, compared to other countries. Unfortunately, this lifestyle was abandoned in the Sixties and Seventies during the economic boom, because it was considered poor and unattractive. Also, women who started working in factories, didn’t have enough time to spend in the kitchen and this opened the market to the processed food, which required less cooking time. However, starting from the ‘90s, the Mediterranean Diet has come back in fashion, becoming one of the healthiest nutritional models available in the market.
The pillars of the Mediterranean diet
The main pillar of this diet consists in consuming mostly fresh fruit and vegetable, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, lean sources of animal protein, a reduced amount of red meat and saturated fats, and few processed foods or refined sugars. Although consuming those foods in the right proportion has a positive impact on health status, the traditions of the Mediterranean population play an important role as well. First, the food is usually consumed in a relaxed atmosphere with family and friends, and this can bring benefit also to your digestive system, as you tend to chew better the food. Secondly, the food is prepared at home from scratch following traditional recipes, using fresh and seasonal ingredients, local herbs and spices. By cooking your own meal you can control the total amount of calories preventing weight gain; selecting fresh ingredients allows you to bring more nutrients in your daily diet and the use of herbs and spices reduce the salt intake, enhancing the flavour of the food. Lastly, regular exercise is always incorporated on a daily base because it is proven that it helps increasing the good cholesterol level and maintain a healthy body weight.
Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet
A recent review shows that following the Mediterranean Diet may improve overall health status reducing the risk of various diseases.
Fruit and vegetable contain antioxidants and vitamins, which may help our body to protect against cells damage caused by free radicals. Fruits and vegetables as well as legumes and oat contain soluble fiber, which demonstrated reduction of LDL blood cholesterol, improvement of blood sugar level and insulin sensitivity in clinical studies. Wholegrain products are higher in insoluble fiber helpful to regulate the intestinal transit. In addition, fiber with prebiotic effect, contained mostly in asparagus, legumes, oats, garlic, onion, bananas wholegrains and nuts, has been associated with the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, increasing the natural resistance to pathogens.
The Extravirgin Olive Oil is the protagonist of the Mediterranean diet. Studies suggests that due to its high content of oleic acid and polyphenols it may reduce inflammation, lower the blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer and protect against type 2 diabetes. On top of that, it is considered the best for low and medium-heat cooking because of its large amount of monounsaturated fats, which are quite resistant to high temperature.
Nuts and seeds protect the cardiovascular system and they are largely used as a natural supplements because they are high in minerals and proteins.
Lastly, omega-3 fatty acids, which are packed in oily fish, have anti-inflammatory properties and sustain brain functions as widely supported by scientific research.
Nowadays quite a number of different diets are available in the market, but overall the Mediterranean diet still remains one of the healthiest diets to follow especially in the long term.
Biography
Veronica Cavallini is an Italian Dietitian holding a BSc in Dietetic and a MSc in Human Nutrition and Food Science. She is a full member of the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetic Association and Accredited Dietitian of Singapore and Italy. She has a special interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions, food allergies and intolerances, obesity and eating disorders. She likes to travel, especially in developing countries where she was involved in different programs to improve quality of life in populations at risk of malnutrition. She is currently working as a Nutritional Consultant at Andrea’s Digestive, Colon, Liver and Gallbladder Clinic. For more information please visit www.andrea-digestive-clinic.com
The Flexitarian Diet
Flexitarianism
Flexitarianism has definitely taken hold everywhere around the world, becoming a real trend. It’s a new concept of diet, that gives more flexibility combining vegetable proteins with animal proteins few times a week.
The main pillar of the vegetarian diet consists in consuming mainly legumes, vegetables, cereals, seeds and good fats. The legumes are the protagonists of the protein intake, from peas to beans, broad beans, chickpeas and lentils, that offers the possibility to prepare a variety of dishes in many ways and forms.
There is a big debate regarding the quality of animal and vegetable protein in terms of essential amino acid content. Animal proteins contains all the essential amino acids in the correct proportions, hence they are considered of high biological value, while the vegetables can have an incomplete amino acid profile. For this reason the combination of grains and legumes in the same dish (eg. rice and lentils) represents the better substitute of a slice of meat than legumes on its own, as grains contains a different amino acid missing in the legumes.
Furthermore, legumes, as well as fruit, vegetables and oat, contain soluble fiber that can bring to gut a lot of health benefits. Fiber is essential to prevent constipation, hence reducing exposure of the colonic mucosa to waste products. It has prebiotic function, stimulating the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the gut, increasing the natural resistance to pathogens. Finally, the bacterial fermentation in the large intestine and production of short chain fatty acids play role in reduction of risk of colon cancer.
Although legumes have a good overall impact in diet, some “undesirable effects” like flatulence and bloating could be frequently experienced. Furthermore, legumes have some anti-nutritional functions, in fact, during their digestion reduction in digestive efficacy towards proteins and starch is observed, as well as reduction of absorption of iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium is reduced due to some anti-nutrient molecules. Overall, thanks to the high intake of plant-based foods (typically low in saturated fat, rich in polyunsaturated fat and in soluble and insoluble fiber, high in phytochemicals), vegeterians have less risk for development of certain type of cancer and other diseases. However, strict vegetarian diet without any animal proteins may cause various nutritional deficiencies (iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and protein deficiency).
As per all the above reasons, I think the flexitarian diet is a good compromise: having few times per week more variety of animal proteins will also provide better variety of different vitamins and mineral lacking in pure vegetarian diet. The problem of certain animal proteins lies in the way they interact with our organism. Several studies shows that high red meat consumption and the mode of its preparation is associated with increased risk of development of colon cancer. That’s why, although there is no need to completely remove red meat from the diet, it is recommended to reduce intake of red meat once a week.
In conclusion, here are few tips for flexitarian diet:
eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day (more vegetables than fruits);
include wholegrain at least in one of main meal per day;
include different sources of iron that may be lacking due to a low intake of red meat. Good sources include dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, kale and broccoli;
use food rich in vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron from vegetables sources: small glass (150ml) of freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon sauce as a dressing, bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, kiwi, etc;
include animal protein few times a week: salmon, eggs, low fat dairy and chicken;
increase the ability to digest and reduce flatulence of the legumes with a long soaking, changing the water during before cooking, and when possible remove the skin.
Dr Andrea Rajnakova
Soaking and Boiling Guideline
GUIDELINE
The soaking of legumes, dried fruits, seeds, quinoa and amahrant is necessary to reduce the fermentation process in the intestine and remove all the substances (phytic acid and saponins) that inhibit the absorption of certain minerals.
HOW TO DO THE SOAKING
Legumes à overnight soaking (12-24-48 h) using warm water (1 cup per 5 g dried legumes) and 1tsp of lemon juice or apple vinegar. If possible, change the water during the soaking process using a new one. Remember, do not use the soaking water to boil the legumes, use a new one.
Chickpeas: 12-48 hours
Beans: 12-24 hours
Azuki beans: 12 hours
Lentils: 2 hours
Peeled lentil/red lentils: no soaking, just rinse under running water
Peas: 2 hours
Quinoa and amahrant à the ideal soaking is for 8-12 hours, after that rinse well under running water: you will notice a foam, which is caused by the elimination of saponins.
Seeds and nuts à Soak for 12 hours in a quantity of water equal to twice the amount needed to cover them. Add 1 tablespoon of whole salt for the seeds and 2 tablespoons for the nuts. After soaking, rinse and eat them immediately (they will have a tender texture) or they can be dried at a low temperature so you can stored them longer (those damp after a few days make molds).
Dry in a dryer for 12-24 hours. A normal oven will destroy them reducing their nutritional content. Nuts and backed seeds should be avoided because high temperatures can cause fatty oxidation, leading the formation of peroxides and hydroperoxides.
(do not use this method for chia or flax seeds)
BOILING TIME and METHODS
All legumes and cereals must be rinsed 3 times under running water, then put them in a new cold water in a pot.
Bring to a boil on a lively fire. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the flame to a minimum, so the water is just shaken.
To increase digestibility and reduce digestive disorders, add ½ onion, one carrot and one celery stalk to the cooking water to enhance also the flavor and smell of boiled vegetables.
Complete the cooking with the covered pot. At the end of boiling time in the pot there will be very little amount of water, this one will be reabsorbed in the final five minutes of resting.
You can also boil in water and at the end of the cooking you can remove the remaining water.
Chickpeas: 2 hours
Beans: 1,5 hours
Azuki beans: 1 hour
Lentils: 40 min
Peeled lentils: 20 min
Peas: 45 min
REFERENCE
Schlemmer U et al. Phytate in foods and significance for humans: food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Sep;53 Suppl 2:S330-75.
Sandberg and Andersson. The effect of dietary phytase on the digestion of phytate in the stomach and small intestine of human. Journal of Nutrition n. 118 (1988), pag. 469-473.
López-González et al. Phytate (myo-inositol hexaphosphate) and risk factors for osteoporosis. Journal of Medicinal Food December 2008
Sandberg and Andlid. Phytogenic and microbial phytases in human nutrition. International Journal of Food Science and Technology n. 37 (2002), pag. 823-833.
Luo Y et al. Effect of several germination treatments on phosphatases activities and degradation of phytate in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and azuki bean (Vigna angularis L.). J Food Sci. 2012 Oct;77(10):C1023-9.
Snack and Lunch Ideas
Snacks ideas
Oat biscuits à our picture
(made with oat, banana, grated coconut, chestnuts flour, nuts/seeds) You can also add chocolate or cranberries.
Oat tahini biscuits à I do not have pictures
(made with oat, tahini, almon flour and maple syrup, pinch of salt and chocolate)
Fruit with chocolate and nuts à I do not have pictures
(fruit in pieces covered by melted dark chocolate and nuts/seeds)
Fruit with peanut butter or chocolate peanut butter à I do not have pictures
(2 pieces of fruit with peanut butter in the middle – need to be frozen)
Cocoa Meringues à I do not have pictures
(made with white eggs and sugar)
Chocolate mousse à our picture
(I like to put it in a yogurt or to have it as a mousse or icecream. Made with avocado, banana, fresh coconut water, raw cocoa, peanut butter)
Vegetables chipsà I do not have pictures
(baked vegetables chips made with kale, carrots, zucchini, avocado oil salt and pepper/paprika)
Vegetables stick with guacamole or hummus or tzaziki sauce or basil pesto or rocket and zucchini pesto à I do not have pictures
Chickpea focaccia à our picture
(made with chickpea, water, salt, extravirgin olive oil and fresh rosemary)
Oat and seeds creackers à our picture
(made with oat, seeds, pinch of salt, 1 tsp of honey, sage or rosemary, water)
Lunch ideas
Quinoa with vegetables + different types of protein à
I usually prepare quinoa/brown rice and baked/fresh vegetables and I mix them with different kind of protein. In the pircture is omelette egg with greek yogurt, salt and pepper (I also use tuna, salmon, chicken, legumes or feta/parmesan/hard cheese). Seasoned with oil, nuts or seeds and/or avocado.
Sweet potatoes chips with rosted vegetables and sesame chicken nuggets à I do not have pictures
Sandwich with hummus, cheese, grilled zucchini and cherry tomatoes confità I do not have pictures
Vegetable polpette with eggs and lentils flour + yogurt and tahini sauce with vegetable sticks à I do not have pictures
Fresh spring roll with cooked salmon or tuna, avocado and peanut sauce à I do not have pictures
Roll with salmon (you can also use tuna) and vegetables (I’ve used leftover and some fresh vegetables like lettuce and carrots) + sauce made with pesto and greek yogurt
Fruit with homemade granola
Fruit with nuts
Hummus with vegetables. Hummus is very easy and fast to do: in a blender mix thaini, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika or cumin seeds and garlic powder (optional)
Fruit with peanut cacao spread or tahini and grated coconut
Healthy Plate
Healthy Balanced Diet
What is a Healthy Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is a diet consisting of a variety of food, providing adequate intake of energy and amounts of nutrients necessary for preveting nutritional deficiencies.
This diet is the combination of different foods that contains fiber, carbohydrates, protein and fat required by your body to work properly.
The healthy plate is the visual guide you can follow in order to create balanced and healthy meal.
Eat regular meals
Divide the daily food intake into 5 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks) this prevent the hunger pangs, allows you to digest food better and you can maintain regular blood sugar level (constant energy) throughout the day.
Don’t skip the meals, it’s a very bad habit and this mechanism drives you to eat larger quantities of food in the subsequest meal. Furthermore, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down in an attempt to burn as little energy as possible to keep you alive, thus it is then easier to store extra body fat.
Half plate of fruits and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are fundamental in our diet as they contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemical, dietary fiber and water. They protect the body reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and they have a key roles in several body functions and processes. The fiber can help you in weight management because you can feel full faster and you can control your food intake during the meal.
2-3 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables every day.
Please use as much fresh fruit and vegetable as you can and try to reduce frozen and canned products because they may contain preservatives, sugar and salt.
Tubers (potatoes, yam..) are considered carbohydrates, while legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, chickpeas..) are considered proteins so don’t use them as vegetables.
Variety is important, choose fruits and vegetables of different colours every day.
A quarter plate of charbohydrates (whole grains)
Charbohydrates are essential in our life because they are the first source of energy that our body does use every day. Choose the whole-grain option because they contain more vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. These nutrients can help you reducing the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
1 serving in every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Choose wholemeal product instead of refined one (brown rice, wholemeal noodles, pasta or bread, use other cereals like barley, quinoa, oats, teff, rye, buckwheat, millet …).
Choose sweet potatoes instead of the normal one.
A quarter plate of protein
Proteins are essential to the structure of red blood cells, for the proper functioning of antibodies resisting infection, for the regulations of enzymes and hormones, for growth, for the muscles and for the body tissue repair.
1 serving in every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Proteins are contained in animal products and also in the vegetable one, here below the list with the weekly frequencies:
pulses (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas..), Tau Kua (tofu), Tempeh à 2-3 times a week;
skinless lean poultry (chicken or turkey) à 3-4 times a week;
red meat (beef, mutton and pork) à 1 time a week;
processed meat (ham, parma ham..) à 1 time a week;
fish such as salmon, sardine, cod, spanish mackerel, tuna, seabass. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, a beneficial fats that deliver big health benefit. à 2-3 times a week;
normal eggs, avoid the processed one (century eggs, salted duck eggs…) à 1 portion (2 eggs) 1-2 times a week;
low-fat or non-fat cheese instead of full-fat dairy products to maintain a healthy weight à 1-2 times a week.
For breakfast you can use low-fat or non-fat dairy product (milk, yogurt) or alternatives calcium-fortified (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk). For specific cases, to ensure your body the daily amount of calcium and protein, refer to a dietitian to identify the right diet plan.
Use healthier fat
Fat is needed for certain metabolic functions in the body. However, a high intake of saturated fat is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are considered healthier because they decrease the risk of developing heart disease. Even if some oils are healthier than other, they should be consumed in moderation because they are high in calories, and an excess of them can lead you to increase your fat mass.
Increase the quantity of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid using: seeds (sesame, flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower..), dried fruits (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts), good oils (olive, sunflower, canola, peanut, corn), fish (tuna, sardine, salmon, mackerel) and avocado.
Reduce the amount of saturated fat and trans fat avoiding bad oils (palm, coconut, hydrogenated and refined), animal product (meat, processed meat, eggs, lard, skin of poultry..), high-fat dairy products (full cream milk and cheese, butter, ghee), coconut milk, industrial product (cakes, biscuits, breadsticks, crackers, chips, snacks, icecream, dressing,…).
Limit deep-fried food to no more than once a week or better once every two or three weeks.
Reduce the consumption of high-fat bakery products (e.g. pastries, cakes and cookies)
Remove visible fat and skin from meat and poultry.
Ask for less oil and gravy in food.
Choose Water
Every day we lose water through our breath, perspiration, feces and urine, consequently it’s important to introduce losses with the right amount per day.
1,5 – 2 liter a day, if you practice a lot of physical activity you can increase the quantity of water.
Choose water (cold or warm) or herbal tea and infusion without sugar, without milk or cream.
Avoid the consumption of instant beverage and other beverages that contain sugar (cola, fruit juice and tea in bottle, some yogurt and flavoured milk, energy drink….)
Drink one glass of warm water with lemon juice after waking up, it is very beneficial because it helps the body to eliminate the toxins that we don’t need, through urine, and activate your internal organs.
Less salt
Salt, sauces and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are the main sources of sodium in the diet and we have to reduce their intake because an excess of them can increase the level of blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Recommended amount of salt is 1 teaspoon a day = 5g a day = 2000 mg of sodium a day (check the label of products).
Use natural herbs and spices like onion, oregano, ginger, garlic, chilli, parsley, spring onions, cinnamon and cloves to make your food more tasty.
Less sugar
Beverages and food with added sugar usually provide empty calories. Added sugar refers to sugar that is added to food or drinks during manufacturing, cooking or at the table. Based on the new reccomendation of the WHO the maximum daily intake of sugar is 25 g for adults. In order to maintain your daily intake in the correct range, please do as follows:
Reduce the intake of industrial product (cakes, biscuits, chips, snacks, icecream, dressing,…).
Reduce the consumption of instant and other kind of beverage that contain sugar choosing water, herbal tea, and water flavored with herbs or vegetables (mint, cucumber, celery, ginger….)
Reduce the intake of sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, BBQ..)
Don’t drink alcohol
Nutritional myths and beliefs
Can I replace fruit and vegetables with fresh fruit and veggie juice/centrifugate?
Actually the healthier choise is eating the whole fruit and vegetables because in this way you can benefit from fruit and vegetables skin, pulp and fiber content. Fruit juice elevates blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit, and the level of sugar that can be obtained from fruit juice is higher than the level found in whole fruit.
Can I follow low-carb diet to lose weight?
Low carbohydrate diets are based on ketosis, the mechanism where the body produces ketones in the liver using fat to produce energy. Using fat instead of carbohydrates is not a physiological mechanism and in this way you can stress your kidneys and liver for the overwork they are subjected to and you can experiece asthenia, headache and constipation. Furthermore in a low-carb diet you usually eat less then your basal metabolic rate and your body will turn into a starvation mode and you will start to save energy and store fat.
Are there “fat burning” foods?
The only way to burn fat is to move your body doing exercise. There are foods that facilitate digestive processes but this is far from burning calories.
Is the “zero fat diet” the solution to lose weight?
It’s a common knowledge that a diet rich in fat and cholesterol can lead you to obesity and cardiovascular disease, but on the other hand a right amount of fat is essential in our body because it has a structural and metabolic role. You need to find a good compromise without eliminate it from your diet.
Can I replace an entire meal with a dessert to satisfy the sweet desire?
A balanced meal can be made up in different ways but still provides adequate nutrients of the various food groups. Replacing it with a dessert rich in fat and simple sugars can never be equivalent in terms of satiety: with a balanced meal you can feel full till the following meal, with a dessert after short time you need to eat again.
Why even if I’m on diet I’m not losing weight?
There are different reason affecting your body weight during a diet:
lack or insufficient phisical activity
eating lower amount of food compare to the amount of calories in the diet
sometimes it is the body itself to stop the slimming process due to hormonal mechanisms that take place in order to maintain homeostasis. This is a physiological mechanism where your body try to maintain the equilibrium.
If you have experienced this condition you can ask to a dietitian to review the diet helping you to continue your weight loss jurney.
How to determine your daily calorie intake?
To keep an healthy body, energy ingested needs to be balanced with energy expended, this means that you need to eat the same amount of calories that you body consume every day. When there is a surplus of energy than expended, weight will be gained and vice versa. Remember that your body can only use a certain amount of energy at a time and the excess is stored in the form of fat. Another important thing you need to consider is that age, gender, physical activity level and body size determine your daily energy expenditure. To find out how many calories your body use every day you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
MEN: kcal/24h= 66+(13,7 x weight)+(5 x hight)-(6,8 x age)
WOMEN: kcal/24h= 655+(9,6 x weight)+(1,9 x hight)-(4,7 x age)
Step 2: Determine your Activity Level
SEDENTARY (little to no exercise) à 1,2
LIGTHLY ACTIVE (1-3 days per week) à 1,375
MODERATELY ACTIVE (3-5 days per week) à 1,55
VERY ACTIVE (6-7 days per week) à 1,725
EXTRA ACTIVE (twice per day, extra heavy workouts) à 1,9
Step 3: Determine your Calorie Intake
BMR x Activity Level = Calorie Intake
These are the number of calories you should consume daily to maintain the current weight. Remember that a good balaced diet has to stay whitin your body’s basal metabolic rate, don’t go lower becasue your body will turn into a starvation mode.
How do we count calories?
1 gram of protein has 4 calories
1 gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories
1 gram of fat has 9 calories
1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories
Food Plate and Diet Recommendations
Healthy Balanced Diet
What is a Healthy Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is a diet consisting of a variety of food, providing adequate intake of energy and amounts of nutrients necessary for preveting nutritional deficiencies.
This diet is the combination of different foods that contains fiber, carbohydrates, protein and fat required by your body to work properly.
The healthy plate is the visual guide you can follow in order to create balanced and healthy meal.
Eat regular meals
Divide the daily food intake into 5 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks) this prevent the hunger pangs, allows you to digest food better and you can maintain regular blood sugar level (constant energy) throughout the day.
Don’t skip the meals, it’s a very bad habit and this mechanism drives you to eat larger quantities of food in the subsequest meal. Furthermore, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down in an attempt to burn as little energy as possible to keep you alive, thus it is then easier to store extra body fat.
Half plate of fruits and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are fundamental in our diet as they contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemical, dietary fiber and water. They protect the body reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and they have a key roles in several body functions and processes. The fiber can help you in weight management because you can feel full faster and you can control your food intake during the meal.
2-3 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables every day.
Please use as much fresh fruit and vegetable as you can and try to reduce frozen and canned products because they may contain preservatives, sugar and salt.
Tubers (potatoes, yam..) are considered carbohydrates, while legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, chickpeas..) are considered proteins so don’t use them as vegetables.
Variety is important, choose fruits and vegetables of different colours every day.
A quarter plate of charbohydrates (whole grains)
Charbohydrates are essential in our life because they are the first source of energy that our body does use every day. Choose the whole-grain option because they contain more vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. These nutrients can help you reducing the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
1 serving in every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Choose wholemeal product instead of refined one (brown rice, wholemeal noodles, pasta or bread, use other cereals like barley, quinoa, oats, teff, rye, buckwheat, millet …).
Choose sweet potatoes instead of the normal one.
A quarter plate of protein
Proteins are essential to the structure of red blood cells, for the proper functioning of antibodies resisting infection, for the regulations of enzymes and hormones, for growth, for the muscles and for the body tissue repair.
1 serving in every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Proteins are contained in animal products and also in the vegetable one, here below the list with the weekly frequencies:
pulses (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas..), Tau Kua (tofu), Tempeh à 2-3 times a week;
skinless lean poultry (chicken or turkey) à 3-4 times a week;
red meat (beef, mutton and pork) à 1 time a week;
processed meat (ham, parma ham..) à 1 time a week;
fish such as salmon, sardine, cod, spanish mackerel, tuna, seabass. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, a beneficial fats that deliver big health benefit. à 2-3 times a week;
normal eggs, avoid the processed one (century eggs, salted duck eggs…) à 1 portion (2 eggs) 1-2 times a week;
low-fat or non-fat cheese instead of full-fat dairy products to maintain a healthy weight à 1-2 times a week.
For breakfast you can use low-fat or non-fat dairy product (milk, yogurt) or alternatives calcium-fortified (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk). For specific cases, to ensure your body the daily amount of calcium and protein, refer to a dietitian to identify the right diet plan.
Use healthier fat
Fat is needed for certain metabolic functions in the body. However, a high intake of saturated fat is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are considered healthier because they decrease the risk of developing heart disease. Even if some oils are healthier than other, they should be consumed in moderation because they are high in calories, and an excess of them can lead you to increase your fat mass.
Increase the quantity of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid using: seeds (sesame, flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower..), dried fruits (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts), good oils (olive, sunflower, canola, peanut, corn), fish (tuna, sardine, salmon, mackerel) and avocado.
Reduce the amount of saturated fat and trans fat avoiding bad oils (palm, coconut, hydrogenated and refined), animal product (meat, processed meat, eggs, lard, skin of poultry..), high-fat dairy products (full cream milk and cheese, butter, ghee), coconut milk, industrial product (cakes, biscuits, breadsticks, crackers, chips, snacks, icecream, dressing,…).
Limit deep-fried food to no more than once a week or better once every two or three weeks.
Reduce the consumption of high-fat bakery products (e.g. pastries, cakes and cookies)
Remove visible fat and skin from meat and poultry.
Ask for less oil and gravy in food.
Choose Water
Every day we lose water through our breath, perspiration, feces and urine, consequently it’s important to introduce losses with the right amount per day.
1,5 – 2 liter a day, if you practice a lot of physical activity you can increase the quantity of water.
Choose water (cold or warm) or herbal tea and infusion without sugar, without milk or cream.
Avoid the consumption of instant beverage and other beverages that contain sugar (cola, fruit juice and tea in bottle, some yogurt and flavoured milk, energy drink….)
Drink one glass of warm water with lemon juice after waking up, it is very beneficial because it helps the body to eliminate the toxins that we don’t need, through urine, and activate your internal organs.
Less salt
Salt, sauces and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are the main sources of sodium in the diet and we have to reduce their intake because an excess of them can increase the level of blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Recommended amount of salt is 1 teaspoon a day = 5g a day = 2000 mg of sodium a day (check the label of products).
Use natural herbs and spices like onion, oregano, ginger, garlic, chilli, parsley, spring onions, cinnamon and cloves to make your food more tasty.
Less sugar
Beverages and food with added sugar usually provide empty calories. Added sugar refers to sugar that is added to food or drinks during manufacturing, cooking or at the table. Based on the new reccomendation of the WHO the maximum daily intake of sugar is 25 g for adults. In order to maintain your daily intake in the correct range, please do as follows:
Reduce the intake of industrial product (cakes, biscuits, chips, snacks, icecream, dressing,…).
Reduce the consumption of instant and other kind of beverage that contain sugar choosing water, herbal tea, and water flavored with herbs or vegetables (mint, cucumber, celery, ginger….)
Reduce the intake of sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, BBQ..)
Don’t drink alcohol
Nutritional myths and beliefs
Can I replace fruit and vegetables with fresh fruit and veggie juice/centrifugate?
Actually the healthier choise is eating the whole fruit and vegetables because in this way you can benefit from fruit and vegetables skin, pulp and fiber content. Fruit juice elevates blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit, and the level of sugar that can be obtained from fruit juice is higher than the level found in whole fruit.
Can I follow low-carb diet to lose weight?
Low carbohydrate diets are based on ketosis, the mechanism where the body produces ketones in the liver using fat to produce energy. Using fat instead of carbohydrates is not a physiological mechanism and in this way you can stress your kidneys and liver for the overwork they are subjected to and you can experiece asthenia, headache and constipation. Furthermore in a low-carb diet you usually eat less then your basal metabolic rate and your body will turn into a starvation mode and you will start to save energy and store fat.
Are there “fat burning” foods?
The only way to burn fat is to move your body doing exercise. There are foods that facilitate digestive processes but this is far from burning calories.
Is the “zero fat diet” the solution to lose weight?
It’s a common knowledge that a diet rich in fat and cholesterol can lead you to obesity and cardiovascular disease, but on the other hand a right amount of fat is essential in our body because it has a structural and metabolic role. You need to find a good compromise without eliminate it from your diet.
Can I replace an entire meal with a dessert to satisfy the sweet desire?
A balanced meal can be made up in different ways but still provides adequate nutrients of the various food groups. Replacing it with a dessert rich in fat and simple sugars can never be equivalent in terms of satiety: with a balanced meal you can feel full till the following meal, with a dessert after short time you need to eat again.
Why even if I’m on diet I’m not losing weight?
There are different reason affecting your body weight during a diet:
lack or insufficient phisical activity
eating lower amount of food compare to the amount of calories in the diet
sometimes it is the body itself to stop the slimming process due to hormonal mechanisms that take place in order to maintain homeostasis. This is a physiological mechanism where your body try to maintain the equilibrium.
If you have experienced this condition you can ask to a dietitian to review the diet helping you to continue your weight loss jurney.
How to determine your daily calorie intake?
To keep an healthy body, energy ingested needs to be balanced with energy expended, this means that you need to eat the same amount of calories that you body consume every day. When there is a surplus of energy than expended, weight will be gained and vice versa. Remember that your body can only use a certain amount of energy at a time and the excess is stored in the form of fat. Another important thing you need to consider is that age, gender, physical activity level and body size determine your daily energy expenditure. To find out how many calories your body use every day you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
MEN: kcal/24h= 66+(13,7 x weight)+(5 x hight)-(6,8 x age)
WOMEN: kcal/24h= 655+(9,6 x weight)+(1,9 x hight)-(4,7 x age)
Step 2: Determine your Activity Level
SEDENTARY (little to no exercise) à 1,2
LIGTHLY ACTIVE (1-3 days per week) à 1,375
MODERATELY ACTIVE (3-5 days per week) à 1,55
VERY ACTIVE (6-7 days per week) à 1,725
EXTRA ACTIVE (twice per day, extra heavy workouts) à 1,9
Step 3: Determine your Calorie Intake
BMR x Activity Level = Calorie Intake
These are the number of calories you should consume daily to maintain the current weight. Remember that a good balaced diet has to stay whitin your body’s basal metabolic rate, don’t go lower becasue your body will turn into a starvation mode.
How do we count calories?
1 gram of protein has 4 calories
1 gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories
1 gram of fat has 9 calories
1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories
Different Diets Pros an Cons
The Keto Diet
What exactly is the Keto Diet?
The Keto Diet is a very low or no carbs diet which induce ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body is forced to burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
How doable is it?
The keto diet is not easy to manage and the rate of quick drop-off is very high due to his rigidity. Since the keto diet requires the body to remain in a state of ketosis, there is a very little margin for error.
What exactly can you eat on the Keto Diet?
The food allowed in a keto diet include meats, poultry, fish and other seafood, eggs, cheese and plain yogurt, nuts, low-carb vegetables and fats. Grains, beans, fruits and alcohol are eliminated.
What are the benefits?
Some studies shown that the keto diet is more effective in improving triglyceride level, reducing body weight, control type 2 diabetes, lowering the LDL cholesterol and lower the blood pressure when compared to a low fat diet. However in some other studies the results seen are sligthly similar, so the effect of both diets is pretty the same. Overall, ketogenic research is limited, and more studies are needed to fully understand the potential adverse effect and health benefit. What is well known is that the Keto diet can be helpful in treating epilepsy, but as a general weight loss plan is still controversial.
What are the drawbacks?
Ketogenic dieter can experience the keto flu which is the result of the body adapting to the low-carb condition. Usually the symptoms lasts for about a week, but for some people, the keto flu can last even longer. The most common symptoms are headache, weakness, irritability, constipation, nausea, and vomiting.
Other symptoms can include fatigue, irregular menstrual cycles, sleep issues and loss of electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium through frequent and increased urination as a compensation mechanism of the body to remove ketones. This diet can lead also to yo-yo dieting becasue people cannot stay on a restrictive diet for long time. Lastly, the consequences in the long term of eating such a high intake of saturated fats are not yet clear.
How is it different than the Atkins Diet?
This two diet are quite similar because they tend to reduce as much as possible the carbohydrates intake but few differences are noted. The Atkins diet is divided in different phases where the amount of carbs is gradually reintroduced from 20g to 100g per day. While in the Keto diet the amount of carbs should be kept within 20 to 50g per day.
In both diet you don’t have to count your calories intake, but on Keto diet, you need to divide in the right percentages the calories coming from fat and protein.
The Paleo Diet
How realistic is the Paleo Diet?
For many people who follow the Paleo diet it is not easy to stay on track, especially if they have to eat out or travel. The variety of food you are allowed to eat is very limited and it is not easy to adhere to it to long term.
What are the benefits?
Differents studies were done in the past, but it is difficult to make any firm conclusion since those had some limitations. There was a small number of participats, the duration was very short, some studies couldn’t include the control group and in some the results were not always statistically significant. In the studies different health benefit were noted: weight and waist circumference loss, positive effect on cholesterol and tryglicerides, reduction of fatty liver, improvements in insulin sensitivity and glycemic control. However, other studies are needed to understand the long-term, overall health benefits and possible risks of this diet.
What are the drawbacks?
In the Paleo diet whole grains and legumes are completely excluded with a consequent reduction of good source of insoluber fiber, vitimin and minerals. This diet is also free of any source of milk and dairy which are good sources of protein and calcium. In the short term people may experience low energy level and bad breath, because the body has to adjust to the new fuel for the energy production. Moreover, change in bowel habits can be observed as a result of the low insoluble fiber intake. In addition to this, a diet high in animal protein may increase the production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which has been linked to cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The Mediterranean Diet
What exactly can you eat on the Mediterranean Diet?
On Mediterranean diet you can have a variety of foods: fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, nuts, extravirgin olive oil, few lean sources of animal protein (chicken or turkey), fresh oily fish (salmon, tuna, sardine, herring, mackerel, anchovy, trout), a reduced amount of red meat and saturated fats, few processed foods or refined sugars.
What are the benefits?
Different studies shows that eating this diet can lower the risk of certain health condition.
The high amount of vitamin and antioxidant provided by fruit and vegetables, may help during the oxidation precesses in the body. Also, since they are loaded with fiber, they are helpful in reducing the LDL blood cholesterol and improve the blood sugar level, as demonstrated in different studies. Fiber plays also other important roles, for example it is beneficial to ease the constipation by regulating the intestinal transit; it helps to fill your stomach during meal, so you can control better your food intake and it can contribute to intestinal health, by selecting good and bad bacteria. Additionally, extravirgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish, contain good fats which have proven healt benefit in reducing inflammation, lowering high blood pressure, improving brain function and reducing the risk of cancer.
Are there any drawbacks?
Following a Mediterranean diet doesn’t have any negative effect on health status, because the diet is packed with fresh and healthy foods which brings good nutrients into the body.
How doable is it?
The Mediterranean diet is very easy to follow because you can have everything in moderation choosing among a variety of foods.
How different is this diet than the Flexitarian diet?
This diet can be considered quite similar to the flexitarian diet, because both are loaded with fruit, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts and extravirgin olive oil. The difference reside in the amount of animal protein consumed per day. In the Flexitarian diet it is just few times a week, while in the Mediterranean diet you can have lean poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy in moderation every day.
The DASH Diet
What exactly is the DASH diet?
The DASH Diet which mean Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a diet created with the purpose to test the effect of a diet rich in plant-based foods on blood pressure.
Who should follow this diet?
The DASH Diet can be followed by people who want to prevent or treat hypertension, which is the high blood pressure, and reduce their risk of heart disease.
How doable is it?
The DASH Diet is a very feasible diet because you can eat almost everything in moderation choosing among a variety of foods. On this diet you are supposed to reduce your salt intake, but it is very easy when you have a variety of herbs and spices available to make your food tastier.
What can you eat and not eat while on this diet?
The DASH diet focuses on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein like chicken, fish and beans. The diet is low in red meat, salt, added sugars and fat. This diet encourage the consumption of not more than 1 teaspoon of salt and 2300 mg of sodium per day.
What are the health benefits?
Different health benefits are associated to the DASH Diet. Since this plan is rich in fruit and vegetables, the high fiber content may help in protect from various type of cancer, may help to ease the constipation and contribute to intestinal health and selection of god and bad bacteria. The role of fruit and vegetables is also important in reducing LDL blood cholesterol and improve the blood sugar level, as demonstrated in different studies. Additionally, extravirgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish, contain good fats which have proven healt benefit in reducing inflammation, lowering high blood pressure reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sources
The Keto Diet
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Samaha FF et al. A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. N Engl J Med. 2003 May 22;348(21):2074-81.
Brehm BJ et al. A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Apr;88(4):1617-23.
Yancy WS Jr et al. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77.
Daly ME et al. Short-term effects of severe dietary carbohydrate-restriction advice in Type 2 diabetes. Diabet Med. 2006 Jan;23(1):15-20.
McClernon FJ et al. The effects of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet and a low-fat diet on mood, hunger, and other self-reported symptoms. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Jan;15(1):182-7.
Westman EC et al. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008 Dec 19;5:36. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-5-36.
Wajeed Masood; Kalyan R. Uppaluri. Ketogenic Diet. StatPearls [Internet].NCBI Last Update: October 27, 2018.
Eric Kossoff, MD. Danger in the Pipeline for the Ketogenic Diet? Epilepsy Curr. 2014 Nov-Dec; 14(6): 343–344. doi: 10.5698/1535-7597-14.6.343
Bergqvist AG, Schall JI, Stallings VA, Zemel BS. Progressive bone mineral content loss in children with intractable epilepsy treated with the ketogenic diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88:1678–1684.
Paoli A, Bianco A, Grimaldi KA, Lodi A, Bosco G. Long term successful weight loss with a combination biphasic ketogenic mediterranean diet and mediterranean diet maintenance protocol. Nutrients. 2013 Dec 18;5(12):5205-17.
Hu T, Mills KT, Yao L, Demanelis K, Eloustaz M, Yancy Jr WS, Kelly TN, He J, Bazzano LA. Effects of low-carbohydrate diets versus low-fat diets on metabolic risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Oct 1;176(suppl_7):S44-54.
Adam-Perrot A, Clifton P, Brouns F. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects. Obes Rev. 2006 Feb;7(1):49-58.
The Paleo Diet
Lindeberg S, et al. A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia, 2007.
Osterdahl M, et al. Effects of a short-term intervention with a paleolithic diet in healthy volunteers. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008.
Jonsson T, et al. Beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet on cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: a randomized cross-over pilot study. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 2009.
Frassetto, et al. Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009.
Ryberg, et al. A Palaeolithic-type diet causes strong tissue-specific effects on ectopic fat deposition in obese postmenopausal women. Journal of Internal Medicine, 2013.
The Mediterranean Diet
Martinez-Lacoba, R; Pardo-Garcia, I; Amo-Saus, E; Escribano-Sotos, F (2018). “Mediterranean diet and health outcomes: a systematic meta-review”. European Journal of Public Health. Advance articles (5): 955–961.doi:1093/eurpub/cky113. PMID29992229.
Joanne Slavin. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Nutrients 2013 Apr; 5(4): 1417–1435. doi: 3390/nu5041417
Andreson JW et al. Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutr Rev.2009 Apr;67(4):188-205. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00189.x.
Basu A et al. Dietary factors that promote or retard inflammation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.2006 May;26(5):995-1001. Epub 2006 Feb 16.
Ferrara LA et al. Olive oil and reduced need for antihypertensive medications. Arch Intern Med.2000 Mar 27;160(6):837-42.
Psaltopoulou T et al. Olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and arterial blood pressure: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Am J Clin Nutr.2004 Oct;80(4):1012-8.
Kastorini CM. Dietary patterns and prevention of type 2 diabetes: from research to clinical practice; a systematic review. Curr Diabetes Rev.2009 Nov;5(4):221-7.
The DASH Diet
Sacks FM et al. A dietary approach to prevent hypertension: a review of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study. Clin Cardiol.1999 Jul;22(7 Suppl):III6-10.
Sung Kyu Ha, M.D. Dietary salt intake and hypertension. Electrolyte Blood Press. 2014 Jun; 12(1): 7–18. doi: 10.5049/EBP.2014.12.1.7
Shokouh Onvani, Fahimeh Haghighatdoost, and Leila Azadbakht, PhD. Dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH): diet components may be related to lower prevalence of different kinds of cancer: A review on the related documents. J Res Med Sci. 2015 Jul; 20(7): 707–713. doi: 10.4103/1735-1995.166233
Saneei P et al. Adherence to the DASH diet and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Iranian women. Eur J Nutr. 2015 Apr;54(3):421-8. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0723-y. Epub 2014 Jun 7.
Hinderliter AL et al. The DASH diet and insulin sensitivity. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2011 Feb;13(1):67-73. doi: 10.1007/s11906-010-0168-5.
Shirani F1, Salehi-Abargouei A, Azadbakht L. Effects of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on some risk for developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis on controlled clinical trials. Nutrition. 2013 Jul-Aug;29(7-8):939-47. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2012.12.021. Epub 2013 Mar 6.
Salehi-Abargouei A, Maghsoudi Z, Shirani F, Azadbakht L. Effects of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet on fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular diseases–incidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis on observational prospective studies. Nutrition. 2013 Apr;29(4):611-8. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2012.12.018.
Diet and Healthy Aging
Healthy Aging
Five Points:
Brain health is extremely important in allowing us to live long and happy lives – and it’s often when brain function is affected that ageing is accelerated, i.e. Alzheimer’s. We have known for a long time that our gut acts as a second nervous system that is capable of functioning without input from the brain.
Question: Do you agree, and do you have something to add here?
Gut is supplied by the enteric nervous system. As a part of the autonomic nervous system it is capable of operating independently of the brain and spinal cord, but does rely on innervation from the autonomic nervous system via the vagus nerve and spinal ganglia in healthy people. The neurons of the enteric nervous system control the motor functions of the system, such as peristalsis and segmentation which mix and propel the food through the gut, in addition to the secretion of gastrointestinal enzymes. These neurons communicate through many special signalling molecules – neurotransmitters which are similar to the central nervous system – brain.
Nevertheless, the brain and the gut interact through the “brain-gut axis”, and what affects one can often affect the other. Here I am thinking of the way that serious nervousness or stress, before a race or before an exam, for example, can cause an upset stomach.
Question: Do you agree with this or have something to add in explanation? Also, would you say that excessive stress can cause gut disease?
Stress is a response of the central nervous system to environmental stimuli perceived as a threat to metabolic equilibrium called homeostasis. The stress response involves a complex mechanisms essential for survival, mediated by neurotransmitters (special molecules), and hormones from the enteric nervous system.
The stress response triggers the production of neurotransmitters and hormones from the brain-adrenal axis, sympathetic axis and brain-gut axis, and in this way it affects the intestinal immune system. The enteric nervous system communicates with central nervous system (brain-gut axis) via vagal and spinal nerves. It has been shown that stress may result in increased susceptibility to infection and intestinal inflammation.
Our gut is home to about 100 trillion microorganisms, more than 400 known and diverse bacterial species. The resident bacteria in our gut have a major role to play in defending us against pathogenic microbes, as well as supplying important nutrients, and provides an estimated 75 percent of our immune system.
Question: Do you agree? What can we, as individuals do, to keep healthy levels of good bacteria in the gut? What can affect those levels, e.g. antibiotics? What should doctors advise patients to do when prescribing antibiotics so as to ensure that necessary, beneficial bacteria are replaced?
There is hardly a place on earth without bacteria. Human body is like a complex ecosystem containing trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit all our surfaces; skin, mouth, sexual organs, and specially intestines. Human microbiota is a diverse and dynamic ecosystem, which has evolved in a complex relationship with its host. In its origin, it is vertically transferred from the mother during birth, established during the first year of life and during lifespan, horizontally transferred among relatives, friends or close community members. This micro-ecosystem protecting body against pathogens, metabolizing complex lipids and polysaccharides that otherwise would be inaccessible nutrients, neutralizing drugs and carcinogens, modulating intestinal motility, and maintaining internal balance.
Most people are familiar with the concept of probiotic foods, which are traditional fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir etc. These foods all contain beneficial bacteria important for housekeeping of our digestive tract and protecting from pathogenic (harmful) bacteria.
At some point, when e.g. antibiotics are prescribed for any bacterial infection such as sinus infection, pneumonia, urine infection, skin infection etc, they will kill not only the infection-causing bacteria but also the beneficial bacteria in our digestive system. As a result of this, some people experience diarrhea and indigestion during antibiotic treatment. The question comes if probiotics or certain food may prevent or alleviate these side effects? In the past, this has been a controversial question. Recent evidence showed that probiotics significantly reduce antibiotics-induced side effects. However, not everyone develops side effects during the antibiotic treatment, especially if the course of antibiotics is short and not repeated. In this case, probiotics rich food, such as plain yogurt or greek yogurt without extra sugar or additives is a good option how to keep the gut healthy. Those who benefit most from addition of probiotics during the antibiotic treatment are people on prolong or repeated course of antibiotics, or those with diarrhea-like side effects or yeast infection.
Studies have shown that changes in gut flora can increase the rate at which we absorb fatty acids and carbs, and increase the storage of calories as fat. When gut flora are out of whack, we are prone to autoimmune conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and Hashimoto’s. And in neuroscience, there is also recent evidence highlighting the important role of bacteria in the communication between the gut and the brain, indicating that mental illnesses such as autism, anxiety and depression may be linked to gut flora.
Question: Please comment on this – do you find this research interesting? Anything to add here?
It is now evident that the bidirectional signalling between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, mainly through the vagus nerve, the so called “microbiota–gut–vagus–brain axis,” is vital for maintaining metabolic equilibrium – homeostasis. Recent studies showed that it may be also involved in the etiology of several metabolic and mental dysfunctions and disorders. It has been shown that microbiota within the gut can greatly influence many physiological parameters, including cognitive functions, such as learning, memory and decision making processes. In pediatric population, altered gut microbiota could be involved in the pathogenesis or progession of certain diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, asthma, allergy, and autism.
It is thought that the following features of our modern lifestyle contribute directly to unhealthy gut flora: chronic stress; chronic infections; antibiotics and other medications; diets high in refined carbs, sugar and processed foods; diets low in fermentable fibres; dietary toxins like wheat and industrial seed oils that cause leaky gut.
Question: Do you agree? Please add anything that you feel is relevant, e.g. any advice on health or any examples of patients that you have helped.
A large number of studies have demonstrated that dietary consumption of certain food products can result in statistically significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. The prebiotic effect of certain food has been shown to associate with modulation of the immune system. In infant nutrition, the prebiotic effect includes a significant change of gut microbiota composition, which improves stool quality, reduces the risk of gastroenteritis and infections, improves general well-being and reduces the incidence of allergic symptoms such as atopic eczema. Changes in the gut microbiota composition are classically considered as one of the many factors involved in the pathogenesis of either inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Associated with toxic load and/or miscellaneous risk factors, colon cancer is another pathology for which a possible role of gut microbiota composition has been hypothesised. Dietary intake of particular food products with a prebiotic effect has been shown to increase Ca absorption as well as bone mineral density. Recent data support the beneficial effects of particular food products with prebiotic properties on energy homaeostasis, satiety regulation and body weight gain. These support the hypothesis that gut microbiota composition may help to modulate metabolic processes associated with syndrome X, especially obesity and diabetes type 2. However, the role of such changes in these health benefits remains to be definitively proven.
