Book Review: The Miami Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is an important part of any brain health program. A number of studies have shown that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have less chance of having a heart attack, and that changing to the diet can reduce risk for another heart attack. Consistent with our increasing appreciation of the relation of heart and brain risk factors, at least one study has shown that people who follow the Mediterranean diet more closely have a lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Just that may be enough to have you ready to try the diet, but you might wonder what it is and what you’re supposed to eat. That’s where Dr. Michael Ozner’s book comes in. Dr. Ozner is a cardiologist in Miami, Florida, and says that he has been using the diet to treat his patients for more than 25 years. The book includes clinical vignettes in which patients describe their experiences with the diet and how it has helped them. Although Dr. Ozner recommends the often-unpopular practice of counting calories, people who follow the diet may find that they can eat more and still lose weight because of the diet’s emphasis on low-glycemic index foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole-grain breads and pastas.

In clear language Dr. Ozner lays out the reasons why you should be interested in the diet. He gives you an overview of the studies that have shown that people who follow the diet have lower risk for heart disease, and explains why. You may note that many of the elements of the Mediterranean diet have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, making it similar in this respect to Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet.

But the book has lots more than just a description of the why the diet is important. It also has a complete 14-day diet plan and a wide selection of recipes that any cook can use to make the diet not just healthy but delicious. My favorite section of recipes is the one for pizzas. There is also a section with a number of recipes for desserts that are high in flavor and low in fat.

Overall, this is a very useful book that will help you understand the importance of the Mediterranean diet and will help you get started in following it.

The Miami Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease with 300 Delicious Recipes

Hardcover, 432 pages, ISBN 978-1933771502, $25.95.

Click here to order the book from Amazon.

Sleep and Brain Fitness

A number of people have asked me whether sleep has anything to do with brain fitness. The answer is, simply, yes. Many people feel as though they aren’t doing very much when they’re sleeping, and I suppose in a sense that’s true. We don’t remember what happened while we are sleeping, and so it doesn’t seem as though it was a very active time.

The truth is, though, that a great deal is happening during sleep. Scientists don’t understand everything that happens while we are sleeping, but we know a great deal about the consequences of not sleeping well.

When we don’t sleep well, we all know we don’t feel quite as sharp the next day. But there’s more. Research shows that when someone is deprived of sleep, they don’t perform as well on cognitive tests as they do when they are well rested. More, some levels of substances associated with inflammation are elevated as well. It looks as though poor sleep over time may have negative effects on your body and mind.

What can you do if you don’t sleep well? Adequate sleep hygiene is the first step. Make sure that you have a quiet place to sleep that is kept at a comfortable temperature. Keep distractions to a minimum. Avoid caffeine and alcohol near bed time. Some people can’t drink caffeinated beverages after noon, and some people have to quit drinking anything with caffeine at all. Smoking can disrupt sleep – nicotine can keep you awake, and some smokers wake up in the middle of night because their levels of nicotine go down during the night. Help your mind and body calm down at least an hour before going to sleep by stopping work or other mentally stimulating activities.

Probably one of the most important things you can do is to have a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. If you don’t sleep well on one night, don’t try to make up for it by sleeping late. Avoid naps during the day. Naps reduce the pressure to sleep at night, making it less likely that you’ll be able to sleep well. Exercising during the day, and getting exposure to sunlight during the morning may help you regulate the daily rhythms that help you to sleep.

If these things don’t work, see your doctor. A number of sleep problems may require special treatments. A qualified sleep doctor can help you sleep better, and sleeping better is a critical way for you to keep your brain fit.