We list products that we think will be useful to our readers.We may charge a small fee for purchases made through links on this page This is our process.
How to scrutinize brands and products
medical news today We only display brands and products that we endorse.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates recommendations on the site. To demonstrate that product manufacturers are committed to safety and efficacy standards, we do the following:
- Evaluate ingredients and composition. Could it be harmful?
- Fact-check all health claims. Are they consistent with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Rate Brands: Do they operate with integrity and follow industry best practices?
We do research to find products you can trust to help your health.
- Researchers say that adopting a Mediterranean-style diet has the same effect as walking an extra 4,000 steps a day.
- Experts say you can adapt to this type of diet plan by eating more fruits and vegetables, eating less red meat, and preparing your own meals from scratch.
- They also point out that it’s still important to exercise regularly, even if you have a healthy eating plan.
A healthy diet is physically equivalent to walking 4,000 extra steps per day for middle-aged adults.
According to some, it new research this week, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
“This study provides some of the strongest and most rigorous data to date supporting the potential of better diets.It leads to higher fitness.” Dr. Michael MeeStudy author and cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston said in a statement. “The fitness gains observed in participants who improved their diet were similar to those of walking 4,000 or more steps each day.”
The researchers noted that cardiorespiratory fitness reflects the body’s ability to supply and use oxygen for exercise.
It also integrates the health of multiple organ systems such as the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles.
The researchers said they were “strong predictors of longevity and health.”
They also said that even among people who exercise the same amount, there are still differences in fitness, suggesting that additional factors such as diet contribute.
This study investigated the association between a healthy Mediterranean diet and physical fitness in community-dwelling adults.
Researchers studied 2,380 people.
Participants performed a maximal effort cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycle ergometer to measure peak VO2 (maximum amount of oxygen used during exercise).
They also completed the Harvard Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. The questionnaire quantified his intake of 126 dietary items over the past year, ranging from none or less than once a month to more than six servings per day for him. Diet quality was assessed in the following ways: Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI; 0-110) and
The researchers also quantified fasting blood levels of 201 metabolites.
A higher score indicates a higher quality diet that includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fish, healthy fats, and a restriction of red meat and alcohol.
Researchers considered other factors such as age, gender, total daily energy intake, BMI, smoking status, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes, and level of daily physical activity to determine the relationship between diet and fitness. investigated gender.
The mean AHEI was approximately 67 and the mean MDS was approximately 12. A 13-point increase in AHEI and nearly 5-point increase in MDS compared to the mean score resulted in a 5% and 4% increase in peak VO2, respectively. .
“In middle-aged adults, healthy eating patterns had a strong and favorable relationship with fitness, even after accounting for habitual activity levels,” Mee said. “This relationship was similar in women and men. , was more pronounced in people under the age of 54 compared with older people.”
Researchers explored the relationship between diet quality, fitness, and metabolites (substances produced during digestion and released into the blood during exercise).
They found 201 metabolites (amino acids) in blood samples taken from a subset of 1,154 participants, 24 of which were associated with either poor diet and fitness or good diet and fitness. Was.
“Our metabolic data suggest that a healthy diet is associated with improved metabolic health, one of the ways it may lead to improved fitness and athletic performance.” It could be,” Mi said.
“This is an observational study, and we cannot conclude that eating well improves health. We also rule out the possibility of an inverse relationship, that of healthy people choosing a healthier diet.” I can’t,” he added.
Mee said the study gives another reason to eat better.
“A Mediterranean-style diet with fresh whole foods and minimally processed foods, lean meats, and alcohol is a great place to start,” he said.
Jack Craig I am a certified personal trainer at Inside Bodybuilding, a health clinic for professional athletes.Craig said medical news today 4,000 steps is roughly the average daily activity for most sedentary people in the United States.
“With so little activity, it’s important to have a healthy diet,” says Craig. “The Mediterranean diet is one of the most notorious diets for heart health.
Craig added that the Mediterranean diet is “rich in ingredients” that reduce the risk of dementia and cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and stroke.
Craig said it’s important not to view diet as a substitute for physical activity.
“Even a short five-minute break when you walk regularly throughout the day can lower your blood pressure and blood sugar, lift your mood, and help you think more clearly,” says Craig. . “Walking also provides important stimulation that helps improve balance, muscle development and bone density in the lower extremities, which is essential as we age.”
Dr. Theodore Strangesaid the medical director of Staten Island University Hospital in New York. medical news today Whatever a person’s fitness goals are, there’s “very good” evidence linking healthy eating to improved fitness.
“Eating the right food will give you the energy you need to perform well in your daily tasks or enjoy casual or more demanding activities,” says Strange. “As a marathon runner, it is very important to eat healthy if you want to reach your goal of finishing. It is enough to spend at least 4,000 active steps each day.”
Curiously, he added, the Mediterranean diet improves health, especially in people prone to hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
“Eating smart and healthy and being active reduces the risk of chronic disease, prevents weight gain and promotes weight loss while improving overall health,” he says. I was.
Dr. Daniel Atkinsonsaid the clinical director of the online consultation clinic treatment medical news today There is an easy way to change your diet to a Mediterranean one.
“Switch to olive oil,” says Atkinson. “The obvious one is to replace butter (or lard, if used) with olive oil instead of vegetable or rapeseed oil when cooking. Olive oil is more blood pressure and cholesterol friendly than other types of cooking oil. ”
Atkinson said cooking from scratch—using basic, fresh ingredients instead of processed foods—helps.
“Another staple of the Mediterranean diet is fish, such as salmon or whitefish, served with boiled or roasted potatoes and boiled vegetables such as broccoli,” he says. “The main advantage of making your own meals from scratch is that you add the salt and sugar content yourself, so you have more control over it. may increase the risk of
Atkinson also said a little more is worth it for buying quality ingredients.
“Plum tomatoes or passatas, for example, are better than canned chopped tomatoes,” he says.
Atkinson also said avoid processed foods that can be processed quickly and easily, use fresh herbs for flavoring, and cook meat in bulk to grill rather than fry.
“Turkish and Greek cuisine tends to use grilled meat or fish rather than fried meat or fish, which is healthier for several reasons,” says Atkinson.
“First of all, meat and fish that have been fried or fried absorb more oil, increasing their saturated fat content,” he said. “Second, when grilling meat, I tend to choose leaner cuts, like chicken breasts, because they hold together better when grilled. because it doesn’t have a lot of fat in it.”
