Mediterranean diet can help older people in these 5 ways

The merits of the Mediterranean diet, which consists of olive oil, fresh vegetables, fish and fruits, are well known. These are especially great for older people who suffer from problems like erectile dysfunction, heart diseases etc.

Upneet Pansare | Updated: August 31, 2018 12:30 pm

Want good sexual health at 65? Go on a Mediterranean diet © Shutterstock

A new study says that the olive oil-rich Mediterranean diet, considered as one of the healthiest diets, reduces the mortality risk of people over 65 years of age by 25 per cent. A study by the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention of the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, in Molise, Italy, analysed the relationship between the traditional Mediterranean diet and mortality. The foods that, in the context of a Mediterranean-type dietary model, are able to offer greater protection include a high consumption of monounsaturated fats (widely present in extra virgin olive oil) and fish, but also a moderate consumption of alcohol, preferably during meals, notes the study, as reported in ANI. The findings are present in the British Journal of Nutrition. Mediterranean diet has become immensely popular among fitness enthusiasts across the world. Even celebs like Amal George Clooney, who is known to follow the ‘Mediterranean fish diet’ knows the benefits of adding lots of fish and olive oil to her diet. A Mediterranean diet is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains and other healthy ingredients all known to provide ample benefits to the body. Here are some ways in which a Mediterranean diet helps older people:

1) Mediterranean diet has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects that slow ageing.

2) It also reduces the risk of frailty in older adults. Frail older adults may often feel low in energy and have weight loss and weak muscle strength. A study by the University College of London observed that those who followed the Mediterranean diet were overall less than half as likely to become frail over a nearly four-year period compared with those who followed it the least. The Mediterranean diet may help older individuals maintain muscle strength, activity, weight, and energy levels.

3) Mediterranean diet can bring insulin levels under control and regulate blood sugar levels, improve glycaemic control and reduce the intensity of metabolic syndrome, all of which can control diabetes.

4) This diet can improve gut microbial diversity and is therefore associated with a lower risk of hospitalisation in liver cirrhosis patients, according to a study presented in The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France.

5) Erectile dysfunction commonly affects older men. This can also be dealt with by following a Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean diet helps maintain a healthy blood supply from the aorta in the heart to the groin thereby improving blood circulation in the area and ensuring optimum functioning of the sexual organs.

With inputs from ANI

Published: August 31, 2018 12:21 pm | Updated:August 31, 2018 12:30 pm

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