Going Green can Save Your Life
Going Green can Save Your Life 6.9.25
Hello again, everyone: As simple as it seems, the further we get away from consuming a whole-foods plant-based diet, the sicker our society becomes. Could it be that we are not living a lifestyle that is compatible with our biologic makeup? You might wonder why I keep on this topic, and it is because inflammation will cause, aggravate and/or perpetuate virtually all health problems that I see daily. Here is some interesting research showing how food patterns can drive inflammation or lower it:
“Low-grade chronic inflammation is an underlying pathophysiological mechanism linking risk factors and/or metabolic disorders to increased risk of chronic degenerative disease. A meat-based pattern, as the Western type of diet, is positively linked to higher levels of some important biomarkers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 and fibrinogen. Conversely, a Mediterranean-like eating behavior is associated with lower degree of these biomarkers thus suggesting an anti-inflammatory action of its main food components.
Attention was focused on the findings from the MOLI-SANI study: this is a large prospective cohort study that recruited 24,325 men and women from the general population of the Molise Region, a Southern Italian area, with the aim of investigating genetic and environmental risk/protection factors for cardiovascular and tumor disease. For the first time, the MOLI-SANI study carefully investigated the Mediterranean diet as an environmental determinant of both platelet and white blood cell counts, starting from the hypothesis that a diet rich in healthy compounds could favorably influence the production and/or the clearance of these two cellular biomarkers of low-grade inflammation. Additionally, evidence from this large Italian cohort showed that a Mediterranean-like diet was closely associated with relatively lower values of glucose, lipids, CRP, blood pressure and 10-year cardiovascular risk, while the consumption of healthy foods with high rather than low content in antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals was associated with lower blood pressure and CRP plasma levels at least in men.”
Bottom Line: In clinical practice experience, I have not seen chronic health problems optimally improve without a dietary approach that lowers inflammation, provides nutrient dense but lower calorie foods, and focuses on whole, unprocessed foods. Whether it is chronic neck or back pain, or migraines, or fatigue, or digestive issues, or whatever may be bothering you, a clean diet is essential to maximal recovery, healthy aging, and prevention of chronic illness. The best food plan, so far, is a Green Mediterranean type of plan with reduced animal-based foods. Here is a good link to help you get started.
https://www.health.com/green-mediterranean-diet-7095181
