Monday February 2 / 2009

Monday February 2 / 2009

12:10: The Health Roundup with Jay McQueen.

12:13-12:45: The dentist is in the house! The President of the Ontario Dental Association, based right here in Hamilton, is in the house to take calls about all things dental related!
Guest: Dr. Larry Levin, President of the Ontario Dental Association. (in-studio)

12:45: Rexall Radio Health Matters segment.
guest: Irene Hogan / Mediterranean Diet

Researchers have found that sticking to a full Mediterranean diet can help reduce deaths from major chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, further bolstering the diet's reputation as a model of healthy eating characterized by low intake of meat, dairy products and alcohol, but high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, grains and fish. People who kept to the full Mediterranean diet also had lower mortality! This meta-analysis research pooled data from 12 international studies that was conducted by researchers at the University of Florence and was published on 11th September in BMJ.
Previous research on the diet that was followed by populations bordering the Mediterranean Sea had suggested it protects against cardiovascular disease and cancer, but until this study, no research had yet pooled all the data available to examine the link to premature death and incidence of chronic diseases in the general population.
The researchers suggested that an "adherence score" based on how closely a Mediterranean diet is followed could be used as an effective prevention tool for reducing the risk of premature death in the general population!

SO WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?
The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:
- eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
- consuming healthy fats
- eating small portions of nuts
- drinking red wine in moderation (no more than 1 glass a day)
- consuming very little red meat
- eating fish on a regular basis