Dietary patterns Archive

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Can eating a Mediterranean diet help you hold on to more brain cells in older age? A study published online Jan. 4, 2017, by Neurology suggests there's an association. Scientists measured the brain volumes of about 400 dementia-free people, taken when participants were age 73 and again at age 76. Researchers then compared the changes in brain volume over the three years to questionnaire answers about how well participants stuck to a Mediterranean-style diet. The diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, and whole grains; moderate amounts of fish, dairy foods, and red wine; and limited amounts of red meat and poultry.

Sticking to the diet was associated with a lower amount of total brain shrinkage over the three-year study period. The finding is only observational and doesn't prove that eating a Mediterranean diet slows age-related brain shrinkage. But other studies have linked eating a Mediterranean diet to larger brain volumes. The diet is also associated with better thinking skills, a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and a reduced risk of dying from heart disease or cancer.

Are oils and other products made from this tropical fruit a healthy choice?

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Recently, a Harvard Heart Letter reader emailed us a question about coconut oil, a solid white fat that's been touted as a health food, specifically for the heart. Lately, more coconut-based products, including spreads and beverages, are showing up on grocery store shelves, along with jars of coconut oil. But this reader isn't buying it. "I cannot imagine that a food with so much saturated fat could be healthful. What is the latest scientific information regarding coconut oil?" he wrote.

Extracted from white "meat" inside the brown, hard-shelled fruit of the coconut palm, coconut oil is indeed chock-full of saturated fat. In fact, it's about 90% saturated fat, a much higher proportion than butter (64%) or lard (40%). Too much saturated fat in the diet raises harmful LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. But what else do we know about the health effects of this tropical fruit?

Research we're watching

Following a Nordic diet — which features fish, whole grains, plus fruits and vegetables popular in Scandinavian countries — may help lower the risk of stroke, a new study suggests.

The study, published in the February 2017 issue of Stroke, included more than 55,000 Danish people from a national health registry, all of whom filled out questionnaires about their diets and other lifestyle habits. Researchers looked at how closely the participants followed the Healthy Nordic Food Index, which includes six food categories: fish, apples and pears, root vegetables (such as carrots and celery root), cabbages (which also include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts), rye bread, and oatmeal.

Studies promote the many health benefits of a vegetarian diet, but you don't need to go full veggie to reap the rewards.

Most men recognize the value of a vegetarian diet, but following one can feel daunting. "Men's diets tend not to change much as they age, and they stick with their favorite foods," says Dr. Qi Sun, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "A change to vegetarianism can feel overwhelming and confusing and thus may not be sustainable."

A solution is to become a "semi-vegetarian": adopt a plant-based diet in which you cut out the red and processed meat and eat healthier animal products like seafood and poultry only occasionally.

Don't take constipation sitting down. Lifestyle changes can help you find relief.

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Constipation may be unpleasant and embarrassing, but it should never be ignored. About one-third of adults ages 60 and older report at least occasional constipation, which can leave them feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and sluggish.

"It's an incredibly common problem, especially among older men, but it's important to address and manage, as it can affect your nutrition and quality of life," says Dr. Judy Nee, a gastroenterologist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Research we're watching

Because several studies have connected inflammation to bone loss and fractures, researchers from Ohio State University wondered if dietary choices that contribute to inflammation are also related to declines in bone density.

The team looked at the diets of 160,191 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative and assigned each of them a dietary inflammation score based on 32 foods the women reported consuming in the three months prior to their enrollment. All the women completed dietary questionnaires and had scans to measure bone density at the beginning of the study and three and six years later.

Some people live long lives with no disease or serious illness. What can they teach you about healthy living?

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You won't live forever, but it may be possible to live a long and maybe disease-free life by following the lead of "wellderlies."

This is a term to describe a special group of people who have reached ages 90 to 100 without having any major health issue or disease. And if they do get sick, it often happens late in their life and a short period before death.