Healthy Mind: Adopting Mediterranean Diet and Active Lifestyle Might Provide Protection
Kicking it old-school, researchers are giving the MedWalk intervention a run to see if it can help fight off dementia and cognitive decline. MedWalk? That's just a fancy way of saying "Mediterranean diet" and "walking."
Alright, wait a sec, this ain't your typical diet and exercise study. Previous research has linked the Mediterranean diet and regular walking to brain health, but this study aims to take things to the next level. The researchers are testing out their MedWalk intervention hypothesis to see if it can play a key role in dementia and Alzheimer's prevention.
The study, led by a team of Aussie, Kiwi, and British scientists, was originally designed to run for two years. But, thanks to the ol' COVID-19 pandemic, they had to alter their plans by shortening the follow-up period to just one year and expanding their participant pool.
So, let's talk about the MedWalk intervention. It involves some diet tweaks, like layin' off those processed grains and sugars, and a supervised walking program, fortified with some good ol' behavior change techniques. Participants receive initial intensive support for six months, with additional assistance for the next six, just to make sure they keep at it.
Listen up, 'cause the study's primary focus is on the change in visual memory and learning for participants over a 12-month period. But, the researchers are also interested in looking at the intervention's impact on other aspects, such as mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
Now, let me tell you about the participants – they're 60-90-year-olds living in South Australia and Victoria. They're coming from independent living retirement communities, but due to the pandemic's shenanigans, they're also recruiting folks from the greater community, too.
And don't forget those biomarkers – they're keeping an eye on 'em to see if the MedWalk intervention has a significant effect on glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress levels.
The participants get split into two groups – those who participate in the MedWalk intervention, and a control group who maintain their usual diet and activity level. The intervention group benefits from some free extra-virgin olive oil and other Mediterranean diet essentials to help them get into the swing of things.
We got Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist focusing on the Mediterranean diet, who chimed in about the potential benefits of a Med-friendly diet. According to Conner, studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet might lower the risk of dementia by offering antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, boosting omega-3 fatty acids, promoting a healthy gut microbiome, and reducing the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation. Plus, sharing meals with loved ones and regular exercise can be extra brain-boosting perks.
Now, let's talk about walking. Regular strollin' is associated with slower cognitive decline, and a study found that taking 10,000 steps a day could potentially cut the risk of dementia in half. Walking may enhance brain blood flow, boost brain activity, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
The study's data-collection period will wrap up in 2023 – stay tuned for those findings! Remember, this ain't a magic bullet, but adopting a MedWalk lifestyle might just be an important part of a comprehensive strategy for maintaining brain health and keeping dementia at bay.
The study, led by a team of scientists from Australia, New Zealand, and Britain, is testing the MedWalk intervention, a combination of the Mediterranean diet and regular walking, to determine if it can play a significant role in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's.
The MedWalk intervention involves diet adjustments, such as reducing processed grains and sugars, a supervised walking program, behavior change techniques, and initial intensive support for six months, followed by six more months of additional assistance.
The study's primary focus is on change in visual memory and learning for participants over a 12-month period, but it also Examines the intervention's impact on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and biomarkers related to glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress levels.
The participants are 60-90-year-olds living in South Australia and Victoria, and they are coming from both independent living retirement communities and the greater community, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, research suggests that adopting a Mediterranean diet can lower the risk of dementia by providing antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, boosting omega-3 fatty acids, promoting a healthy gut microbiome, and reducing the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation.
Regular walking is associated with slower cognitive decline, and a study found that taking 10,000 steps a day could potentially cut the risk of dementia in half. Walking may enhance brain blood flow, boost brain activity, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
