Diet and Disease

Diet and Healthy Aging

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In the journal Nature Medicine this week there was an important open-access publication about a large combined cohort of over 105,000 health professionals prospectively followed for 30 years. Only 9.3% reached the age of 70 years with “healthy aging” —without 11 major chronic diseases and no impairment of cognitive or physical function or mental health. Our Diet and Healthy Aging Eric Topol, MD – https://erictopol.substack.com/p/our-diet-and-healthy-aging

Dr. Eric Topol’s assessment of this study is well balanced and thoughtfully written. His bio is here: https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/topol/

Healthy aging in this study is described as reaching age 70 without developing any of 11 major diseases: cancer (except for non-melanoma skin cancers), diabetes, heart attack, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

My Half-Birthday is coming up soon. I’ll be 70.5 years young. The biggest take home lesson for me is this:

Beer is better for you than pizza.

Low Magnesium Levels Do What?

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Scientists from the University of South Australia measured blood samples from 172 middle aged adults, finding a strong link between low magnesium levels and high amounts of a genotoxic amino acid called homocysteine. University of South Australia. “Low magnesium levels increase disease risk.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240812123307.htm (accessed August 13, 2024).

Journal Reference:

Varinderpal S. Dhillon, Permal Deo, Michael Fenech. Low magnesium in conjunction with high homocysteine increases DNA damage in healthy middle aged Australians. European Journal of Nutrition, 2024; DOI: 10.1007/s00394-024-03449-0

Whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, bananas, avocados and dark chocolate are magnesium-rich foods.

    Saturday Feeling Resilient – 06.22.24

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    Resiliency

    The researchers found that people in the high resiliency group were less anxious and depressed, less prone to judge, and had activity in regions of the brain associated with emotional regulation and better cognition compared to the group with low resiliency. “When a stressor happens, often we go to this aroused fight or flight response, and this impairs the breaks in your brain,” Gupta said. “But the highly resilient individuals in the study were found to be better at regulating their emotions, less likely to catastrophize, and keep a level head,” added Desiree Delgadillo, postdoctoral researcher and one of the first authors.

    The high resiliency group also had different microbiome activity than the low resiliency group. Namely, the high resiliency group’s microbiomes excreted metabolites and exhibited gene activity associated with low inflammation and a strong and healthy gut barrier. A weak gut barrier, otherwise known as a leaky gut, is caused by inflammation and impairs the gut barrier’s ability to absorb essential nutrients needed by the body while blocking toxins from entering the gut.

    University of California – Los Angeles Health Sciences. “Resiliency shaped by activity in the gut microbiome and brain.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240621122904.htm (accessed June 22, 2024) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240621122904.htm

    Resilience is the capacity to remain flexible and adaptable while facing life’s challenges. It is a complex concept involving traits, environmental factors, and a learned capacity that comes from experience. https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-resilience/

    Gut Bacteria May Drive Colorectal Cancer Risk

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    The researchers found signs that a high-fat, low-fiber diet may increase inflammation in the gut that prevents it from naturally suppressing tumors. The cells of young people with colorectal cancer also appeared to have aged more quickly — by 15 years on average — than a person’s actual age. That’s unusual, because older people with colorectal cancer don’t have the same boost in cellular aging.

    The rate of colorectal cancer among young people has been rising at an alarming rate, according to a 2023 report from the American Cancer Society. In 2019, 1 in 5 colorectal cancer cases were among people younger than 55. That’s up from 1 in 10 in 1995, which means the rate has doubled in less than 30 years. Young People’s Gut Bacteria May Drive Colorectal Cancer Risk – Medscape – June 06, 2024 — https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/young-peoples-gut-bacteria-may-drive-colorectal-cancer-risk-2024a1000amd?src=rss

    Yikes.

    What’s Your Vitamin D Status?

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    How is Your Vitamin D Status?

    The precursors for vitamin D are reduced as we age. By age 70, our ability to produce vitamin D is about half of what it was at age 20. D is in scarce supply in our regular diets. Most milk and some juices, milk alternatives and cereals are fortified with D, but other dietary sources — fatty fish like mackerel and sardines, and some mushrooms — aren’t exactly a staple in most American diets. As a result, nearly 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have inadequate blood levels of vitamin D3, the most active form.

    How Is Your Vitamin D Status – link above

    Yikes.

    Reversing Diabetes in Alabama

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    Reversing type 2 diabetes through a low-carbohydrate diet is clearly an evidence-based approach. Yet, thus far, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which runs the scientific reviews for the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nation’s top nutrition policy, has neglected to acknowledge any of the more than 100 clinical trials on this diet. In the scientific reviews currently underway for the next iteration of the guidelines, due out in 2025, the USDA has declined even to examine this scientific literature. 

    Reversing Diabetes in Alabama — https://www.nutritioncoalition.us/news/reversing-diabetes-in-alabama

    “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

    Hippocrates, the father of medicine

    Diet Until Proven Otherwise

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    Plant foods, high in fiber, can reduce the contact of potential carcinogens with cells lining the digestive tract. The fiber causes food to travel faster through a person’s digestive system. This also reduces intestinal cells’ contact with bile acids, which can promote cancer growth. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes also provide phytonutrients and antioxidants, which can help repair damaged cells and reduce cancer risk.

    Why poor diets are contributing to a surge in colorectal cancer cases among young people — https://www.kevinmd.com/2023/04/why-poor-diets-are-contributing-to-a-surge-in-colorectal-cancer-cases-among-young-people.html

    Life is short and science takes too long.

    Change your diet. If you have any changes in your bowel habits, talk to your physician.

    Popular keto diet may be linked to higher risk of heart disease, cardiac events

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    The study, presented over the weekend at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session together with the World Congress of Cardiology, found that a keto-like diet may be associated with higher levels of “bad” cholesterol and twice the risk of cardiovascular events such as chest pain, blocked arteries requiring stenting, heart attacks and strokes.

    The research team analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale database with health information from over half a million people living in the United Kingdom who were followed for at least 10 years. Upon enrollment in the biobank, participants completed a self-reported diet questionnaire and had blood drawn to check their cholesterol levels.

    “Among the participants on an LCHF diet, we found that those with the highest levels of LDL cholesterol were at the highest risk for a cardiovascular event,” Dr. Iatan said. “Our findings suggest that people who are considering going on an LCHF diet should be aware that doing so could lead to an increase in their levels of LDL cholesterol. Before starting this dietary pattern, they should consult a health care provider. While on the diet, it is recommended they have their cholesterol levels monitored and should try to address other risk factors for heart disease or stroke, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and smoking.”

    Popular keto diet may be linked to higher risk of heart disease, cardiac events — https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/popular-keto-diet-may-be-linked-to-higher-risk-of-heart-disease-cardiac-events/

    2/3 Diet and Lifestyle, 1/3 Genetics

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    What can Okinawans tell us? Why does Ogimi and elsewhere on the island have a history of long life? That comes down to three main factors—diet, social practices, and genetics—explains Craig Willcox, a professor of public health and gerontology at Okinawa International University and a co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, which has been investigating Okinawan longevity since 1975.“

    About two-thirds of longevity is related to diet and way of life, the rest is genetics. Generally speaking, you need the genetic rocket booster if you want to get into the hundreds, not just a good diet,” Willcox says. “We haven’t looked into whether or not Okinawa has a genetic advantage over other parts of Japan, but longevity does run in families here.”

    This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uncover-the-secrets-of-longevity-in-this-japanese-village

    Older Okinawans clinging to the islands’ traditionally healthful diet still boast the longest life expectancy in Japan, the country with the world’s longest-living people. But younger islanders, who grew up coveting the America they peeked at inside the bases here, began gobbling up hamburgers, fried chicken and pizzas as soon as their incomes permitted them to do so.

    Urasoe Journal; On U.S. Fast Food, More Okinawans Grow Super-Sized — https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/30/world/urasoe-journal-on-us-fast-food-more-okinawans-grow-super-sized.html

    I need to go to the grocery store today.

    • Sweet potatoes
    • Bitter melon
    • Seaweed
    • Fish