Inflammation and pain. Living healthy and eating well. Neurodegenerative
disease and obesity. These are some combinations!
Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn welcomes these daily in our
Ashburn chiropractic practice, describes the
connections, and encourages the exploration of new and
different-to-you approaches to improve health via nutrition like the
Mediterranean diet to control obesity and neurodegenerative
disease.
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES AND OBESITY
The the beneficial aspects of a Mediterranean
diet for patients with neurodegenerative diseases are just getting
clearer…as are symptoms they share like
inflammation (which also affects back pain sufferers). Such a
diet of natural products delivering antioxidants, fiber, and
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could avert cell death and even
bring back function to damaged neurons. (1) Neurodegenerative
diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s and obesity
are associated with low grade inflammation which can lead
to concerns like neuronal inflammation, brain atrophy and
cognitive decline. With obesity impacting nearly
30% of people around the world, any connections that can tackle
inflammation and fight obesity like diet and physical activity are encouraging.
(2) We can all appreciate that!
“WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?”
US News & World Report granted the
Mediterranean Diet as the #1 Best Heart-Healthy Diet, Best Diet for Bone
and Joint Health, Best Diet for Diabetes and Best Diet for Healthy Eating in
2024.
Core foods are simple: fruits, veggies, whole
grains, beans, herbs, spices, nuts, and healthy fats. (Think: olive
oil, avocado oil.) Incorporate fish and seafood twice a week with dairy, eggs, and poultry occasional. Leave the red
meats and sweet goodies for special occasions. The Mediterranean Diet
Pyramid
(Think of it as a re-organized USDA food pyramid so
many of us might recall from years ago.)
includes red wine (in moderation) and water
(lots of that!).
It also includes dining with friends, dancing,
exercising, being physically active!
(3) These are the fun
things in life!
PRAISE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
Mediterranean diet researchers and supporters
list so many benefits: improved
brain function, longer life, certain types of cancer
prevention, heart disease/high blood pressure/”bad” cholesterol decrease,
diabetes security, weight loss/management support, depression deterence,
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s avoidance, rheumatoid
arthritis and eye health improvement, better
breathing, improved infertility, healthier babies, and more!
(3) Most everyone may benefit from the Mediterranean diet! Neurodegenerative diseases experience
a loss of neuronal structure and function in addition to
progressive dysfunction. Neurodegeneration incorporates many
different pathological processes that natural products – particularly
the ones that have bioactive compounds that have the ability to cross the blood brain barrier - are vital as
neuroprotectors. Some such natural products are better recognized
than others: quercetin (green tea, tomato, capers,
black and red wine), luteolin, Reservatol (nuts, fruits, grapes), apigenin (flavonoids), genistein (isoflavone), Hesperidin
(grapes/citrus), etc. (4) Our Ashburn chiropractic patients are often
prescribed anti-inflammatory medications, so our back pain patients
may also benefit from this type of low
inflammation diet. The Mediterranean Diet offers so
much variety of natural goods!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox about the role of inflammation in back pain and spine pain
and neck pain on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the benefits of
The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Ashburn chiropractic
appointment soon. Eating well isn’t that hard and
is so good for our Ashburn chiropractic friends, especially those carrying
a few extra pounds and/or experiencing neurodegeneration-related
issues.