Many suspected it for some time but now it's official ... and to tell us not only about scientific studies, but even our chromosomes ... what I'm talking about? But the Mediterranean diet ... is obvious.
The Mediterranean diet actually extends life. In fact, it is associated with increased length of circuit breaker located at the ends of chromosomes (Telomeres), known to be associated with longevity. Is that it shows a study conducted in the United States on women at the hospital 4,676 Brigham and Women's in Boston. Published in the journal British Medical Journal, is the first study linking the length of Telomeres to the Mediterranean diet, already known for its beneficial effects on health, including decreasing the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart and cancer.
Telomeres are found at the end of chromosomes and prevents them from wear and ' scramble ' genetic codes that contain. In healthy people, these structures are reduced gradually throughout his life, halving from childhood to adulthood, and it halved again in very elderly people. Shorter Telomeres are then associated with a lower life expectancy and higher risk of age-related diseases.
Factors such as obesity, cigarette smoking, and consumption of sugary drinks have been linked to shorter Telomeres. It was also demonstrated that oxidative stress and inflammation accelerates the shortening of these structures. Since fruits, vegetables and nuts, key components of the Mediterranean diet, are anti-oxidants and natural anti-inflammatories, the researchers, led by Immaculata Dan wanted to examine whether this style food can be bound in any way to the length of Telomeres. Were analyzed 4,676 healthy middle-aged women who filled out questionnaires on lifestyle and diet. It was found that women who base their power on the Mediterranean diet have longer Telomeres. The next step is to determine whether there are particular foods of the Mediterranean diet that affect Terminal regions of the chromosomes.