Alzhiemers, Exercise & the Mediterranean Diet

Columbia University Medical Center study, published in JAMA, found that there is a huge reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s in participants that exercised and followed a Mediterranean diet. The risk was reduced when the participants only did exercise or only followed the diet but the most amazing results were when exercise and the Mediterranean diet were combined. The study was conducted by Dr. Scarmeas and colleagues.

The study found that those subjects who were very physically active had a 33 percent risk reduction of Alzheimer’s; those who adhered more strongly to a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40 percent risk reduction.  In addition, Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues found that there was a gradual decreasing risk for Alzheimer’s in study participants who were reporting that they were both exercising a lot and following a diet closer to the Mediterranean-type: those subjects had a 60 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“So it seemed that the more that they were doing in terms of both diet and exercise, the lower was their risk for the disease,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

This is one more benefit of a Mediterranean diet and exercise to add to the list of proven benefits that included cardiovascular health, improved brain function, weight control & loss and lower risk of diabetes. read more…