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NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

Daily nutrition must provide the immune system with all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and to carry out normal physiological functions. The energy needs of adult women are different according to the age group and the physical activity performed. The energy needs for 18 to 29-year-old women vary from 1790 kcal to 3550 kcal per day, and for 30 to 59-year-old women vary from 1820 kcal to 3160 kcal per day. Energy needs decrease with age²⁵.

Regarding macronutrient²⁶ intake, fats must be 20-30% of the total energy, in particular the recommended daily allowance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) is 0.5 g of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), avoiding higher and prolonged dosages as they can have the opposite effect²⁷. They are considered essential fatty acids because our body needs them to function normally. Nevertheless, it is unable to produce them by itself. The recommended quantity is easily achieved by eating fish twice a week and EVO Oil with each meal (EVO oil is an Extra Virgin Olive oil. It is made from pure and cold-pressed olives). You can replace it with linseed oil, algal oil, and soybean oil with each meal, and with about 20 g (0.7 oz) of nuts per day²⁸.

As for carbohydrates, we recommend an intake of 45-60% preferably from whole grains²⁹.

Although sugars must be less than 15% of the total daily energy³⁰, they must not be totally avoided as they are important in regulating blood sugar levels to support the immune system. In fact, despite the few scientific studies in this regard, it is possible that severe chronic calorie restriction may lead to deficiencies in the immune system, especially in old age^{31 32}.

Regarding proteins, 0.8 g (0.2 oz) are recommended per kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight per day.

It is important to get 25 g (0.8 oz) of fiber per day through the consumption of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits³³.

The micronutrients with the strongest scientific evidence for immune support are vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc³⁴.

Starting with vitamins, it is recommended to consume foods rich in vitamin C such as peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, red cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, rocket, and currants³⁵. It is important that these foods are eaten raw because vitamin C is thermolabile, which means that it easily lost in the cooking process.

It has been seen that vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increase in the incidence or mortality from COVID-19³⁶, so it is essential to consume it through the diet and through moderate exposure to sunlight. It is abundant in fish such as herring, horse mackerel, sea bass, anchovies, mackerel, mullet, mushrooms, and eggs³⁷. Vitamin D also plays an important role in improving sleep quality.

Vitamin A is present in the form of retinoic acid in foods such as carrots, spinach, peppers, pumpkin, beets, sweet potatoes, watercress, chicory, celery, persimmons, and apricots, but also in spices like paprika, and in eggs³⁸.

Other vitamins are also useful in supporting and strengthening the immune system, such as 1) vitamin E, found in sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, avocados, chicory, shrimps, blackberries, chestnuts, extra virgin olive oil, and olives³⁹, 2) B vitamins in fish products such as clams, herring, trout, mackerel, salmon, as well as eggs (vitamin B12); spinach, potatoes, legumes (beans, chickpeas, and peas), fruit (excluding citrus fruits) (vitamin B6); asparagus, beets, fresh broad beans, green beans, artichokes, endive or escarole, cabbage, cauliflower, and fennel (vitamin B9)⁴⁰.

As far as minerals are concerned, zinc is mainly found in fish, cereals, legumes (beans, lentils, and chickpeas), nuts (almonds, pine nuts, and cashews), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower), mushrooms, and cocoa.

Iron, copper, and selenium, with different and very precise mechanisms, also support the immune system.

The iron obtained from the diet is divided into “heme” and “non-heme” iron:

• The first is present in foods of animal origin and contains a molecule (heme) which, thanks to the iron atom can bind oxygen and transport it to the tissues. The “heme” iron is easily absorbed by the body and is found in liver, horse, and beef red meats, but also in sea bass, clams, anchovies, and other seafood products in general⁴¹.

 

• “Non-heme” iron, which is not linked to the “heme” group, it must first be reduced by an antioxidant, such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in order to be more easily absorbed. Therefore, combining foods that contain “non-heme” iron such as lentils, beans, dried plums, raisins, dried apricots, cashews, and pistachios with other foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, kiwis, lemon juice, tomatoes, raw peppers, and rocket/arugula, promotes iron absorption. On the contrary, some substances inhibit the absorption of “non-heme” iron, so consuming the following products simultaneously is not recommended: tea, coffee, chocolate, yogurt, cheeses or foods rich in calcium, and water with a high calcium content.

Copper is found mainly in oysters, nuts, oil seeds, dark chocolate, whole grains, and meat⁴². Selenium is particularly present in cereals, fish, meat, and dairy products⁴³.

For more information about supplements, physical activity, and sleeping patterns, as well as delicious recipes, download for free the Nutritional and Lifestyle Guidelines for Women for a Stronger Immune System.

Link here https://www.fondazionevalterlongo.org/en/nutritional-and-lifestyle-guidelines-for-women-for-a-stronger-immune-system/

A study from Columbia University in New York reveals that crash diets and sudden weight gain compromise women’s cardiovascular health. The preliminary results of the research were presented to the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention – Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions (March 2019). Yo-yo diets are blamed for making it difficult to control major risk factors for heart disease.

INCREASE IN HEART DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH WEIGHT SHIFTS

It is mainly the do-it-yourself diets that cause what is called the “yo-yo” effect. According to the results of the survey conducted by the group of researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, it would be precisely the weight loss associated with a quick weight gain, within a year, that increases the risk of heart disease in women. Achieving a healthy weight is one of the main recommendations made to overweight women for heart health. However, maintaining the weight loss and weight fluctuations themselves can affect cardio-vascular health.

The study involved a group of nearly 500 adult American women, with an average age of 37, of different ethnicities, who were overweight (with a body mass index of 26). The participants were followed for 5 years, in which they reported how many times (excluding any pregnancies) they had lost 4.5 to 10 kilos (10 to 22 lbs.) after a diet, and then regained all the weight lost within a year. To calculate the score related to the risk of developing heart disease, the researchers used 7 risk factors (Life’s Simple 7) defined by the American Heart Association’s (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index, nutrition, physical activity and smoking status).

DRASTIC DIETS ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE

Many (73%) of the women participating in the study stated that they had been subjected to at least one episode of the “yo-yo” effect diet. Among these, the probability of having an optimal score was 65% lower, compared to women who, despite being overweight, had no weight changes. Likewise, women subjected to drastic and rapid weight changes were 51% less likely to have a moderate score. In addition, the “yo-yo” effect was correlated with an 82% less chance of being normal weight (i.e. with a body mass index between 18.5 and 25, indicating a healthy weight-form situation).

The risk of heart disease, then, increases with the increase in “yo-yo” episodes. Furthermore, the researchers noted that the negative impact of this type of diet was higher for those women who had not had pregnancy, presumably younger. This additional data indicates that age also plays an important role: that is, the earlier the “yo-yo” episodes begin, the worse their impact will be. To confirm these results in relation to age, it would be advisable to continue the study bringing it up to ten years of follow-up. In any case, further investigations are needed, both to investigate the cause-effect relationship between weight changes and heart disease, and to study the effect on the male population.

On June 20^th, World Refugee Day, The Valter Longo Onlus Foundation would like to commemorate all those who have fled from war, violence, persecution, and discrimination, in search of peace, inclusion, and respect.

FOOD IS CULTURE AND IDENTITY

We would like to highlight that food can become an important element when promoting integration and encounters between cultures. The approach toward food, cuisine, and traditions of the “other” is an important first step in understanding a culture that is often unknown or to which one has only been superficially exposed. Openness and curiosity often guide these encounters and both are certainly qualities to pursue. This same spirit led Venetian merchants back in the 1600s to taste a dark, suspicious, and pitch-like drink, coffee, and introduce it from Constantinople to Venice, the first city in Europe to open cafes, and have solid commercial ties with the Ottoman dynasty.

Food not only represents who we are, our culture, our identity, and our personal history, but also our roots and traditions, as described by the food historian Massimo Montanari in his book Food is culture. The plate in front of us tells many stories and helps us understand some dynamics in today’s reality. For example, recent versions of pizza with kebab found in some pizzerias in Italy tell the story of pizza, an ancient Mediterranean dish that dates back hundreds of centuries, it tells the story of tomatoes, introduced from the Americas to Europe in the 1500s and came to be a part of Italian cuisine over a century later, and lastly it tells the story of recent migration waves that took place in Italy towards the end of the 20th century and of the gradual acceptance, with some resistance, of other nationalities in the Italian peninsula.

Food and cuisine reveal important messages; they carry memories from travel, migration, war, and famine, but also from abundance, gatherings, festivities, and other joyful encounters. They have a profound emotional, cultural, social, and often political meaning.

REFUGEES, MIGRANTS, FOOD FROM HOME AND FOOD FROM “THE OTHER “                     On the one hand, we find refugees and migrants, and on the other, we have local communities and dynamics between the two can still be difficult to balance. For the newcomers “home food” represents the world that they were forced to leave behind and are emotionally attached to. It has a deep emotional and cultural importance with a tinge of nostalgia and sense of loss. Traditional dishes represent home, family, friends, roots, traditions, and identity, that all too often become fragile memories in a new country. Clinging to what you ate in your previous life is an attempt to remember who you are and where you come from, and finding support in a new and unknown place that can cause worry and fear. The Italians that migrated to the United States over the last century remember such feelings well, since they were referred to as “macaroni eaters”. Comfort food is well known to all of us and can make us recall memories and emotions from the past. “Proustian memory” then comes into play and allows us to travel in time and space using our senses of taste and smell. The French writer, Marcel Proust, mentioned that Madeleines magically brought him back to Sunday mornings spent with his aunt Léonie during his childhood, where he would dip the madeleines in tea. On the other hand however, getting closer to the food and culture of a new country is an attempt to fully integrate and feel as though we belong. Over the years, some people begin to reject their past and their food and desperately throw themselves into a new life looking for acceptance and inclusion and strive to be part of a community.

HOSTING COUNTRIES AND FOOD: NEOPHOBIA, GASTRONATIONALISM AND CALIFORNIA CUISINE

There are then natives in the host country to be considered, who are also often lost in the face of rapid and sudden changes in their living environment. Neophobia, the fear of what is new, is triggered and also applies to food. It is a normal defense reaction to what is unknown or what can potentially threaten survival. Once “recognition memory” is activated, defenses loosen up, and the once foreign stimuli are recognized as “safe” and “familiar.” Ultimately, this leads individuals to overcome their fear of consuming new foods, seeing and experiencing new objects, or meeting new people. This process can be lengthy and difficult and often last multiple generations. Hence the attitude taken toward “foreign foods” can suggest a resistance to transformations in our native countries or a willingness to embrace change, without forgetting the obstacles faced during the process.

On the one hand, we have what sociologist Michaela De Soucey describes as “gastronationalism”: food or culinary practices with a profound cultural and political significance, that strengthen the sense of belonging to a nation and identifying with a community and often openly criticize others. This is what happened in Italy when political slogans compared the autochthonous polenta with couscous, forgetting that: 1) corn comes from the Americas and is not a European product; and 2) couscous, or cuscusu in Sicilian dialect, is also an ancient Sicilian dish dating back to the Arab domination of Sicily in the ninth century or to later influences and that was already mentioned in 1785 in Michele Pasqualino’s Sicilian Etymological, Italian, and Latin Vocabulary.

On the other hand however, we have more fluid and flexible situations and, as recent events show, there are attempts to create inclusion, curiosity, and steps to start exploring new territories. These are represented in our postmodern time by Fusion Food and Fusion Cuisines, which aim to be more inclusive of a variety of foods and venture into new areas. A great example is that of sunny, multicultural, fast-moving, and energetic California. Since the seventies, “California Cuisine”, a real food movement, has incorporated the experiences of the communities in its area (Mexican, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc.), and has adapted them to create a culinary environment in which fresh, seasonal, local and organic products are used, such as avocadoes, and health is a main value. Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley and Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois on Main in Santa Monica started this food trend that has brought dishes such as California-style Pizza to restaurants all over the world, with fresh and local ingredients such as artichokes, goat cheese and avocadoes, among others.

THE REFUGEE FOOD FESTIVAL AND THE ROAD TO HUMAN SOLIDARITY

In conclusion, food, a primary and fundamental necessity, has an enormous power and reveals emotional, cultural, social, and even political dynamics. For this reason, paying attention to what you eat and sharing meals with others, as is commonly practiced in many religious traditions, is an important factor in creating strong relationships. For the same reasons, the initiative of the Refugee Food Festival, which began in 2016 in Paris and received support IN 2018 from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is both interesting and admirable. With a deep desire to overcome discrimination, stereotypes, and conflicts, the restaurants of many European cities have made their kitchens available to migrant chefs on the World Refugee Day and have opened their doors to members of the public interested in learning about “the food of the other”. Unfortunately, the current health crisis has not allowed the festival to take place this year. Nevertheless, now and in the future, it is important to take action by opening up to the unknown, by paying attention to food cultures, and by sharing food with those around us, especially with refugees who have overcome great hardship and suffer from injuries and tears that are difficult to heal and forget. As sociologist Zygmut Bauman once described it, “I don’t think there is a quick and easy solution to the current refugee problem. Humanity is facing a crisis and there is no other way out than through human solidarity.”

SOURCES

Bauman, Zygmut and Evans Brian. “The Refugee Crisis Is Humanity’s Crisis”. The New York Times, May 2nd 2016.

DeSoucey, Michaela. “Gastronationalism: Food Traditions and Authenticity Politics in the European Union”. American Sociological Review. Volume: 75 issue: 3, page (s): 432-455. June 1, 2010.

La Cecla Franco, Pasta and Pizza. Chicago, Prickly Paradigm Press, 2007.

Montanari, Massimo. Food is Culture. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.

Proust, Marcel. In Search of Lost Time. London: Penguin Modern Classics, 2003.

Ukers, William. All About Coffee. Heritage Illustrated Publishing, 2014.

The term metabolic syndrome refers to a series of associated metabolic alterations: hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. They are all risk factors for cardio-vascular diseases, and when combined they cause an increase in the probability of incurring vascular disorders, heart problems, and even the risk of having a stroke. High blood pressure, obesity and diabetes are related and increasingly widespread diseases, as a result of unhealthy eating habits and unregulated lifestyle. Metabolic syndrome is also referred to as insulin resistance syndrome, since it is believed to be caused by cells’ resistance to insulin, which is the hormone synthesized by the pancreas that allows glucose found in blood to enter cells and be used as a source of energy. In the case of insulin resistance, cells do not respond to the stimulus provided by insulin and, therefore, the glucose remains in the bloodstream and its levels increase, despite the body trying to keep it under control by producing more and more insulin.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW IS METABOLIC SYNDROME DIAGNOSED

Medicine has identified several contributing factors that cause metabolic syndrome. First of all, genetic factors, which vary from individual to individual on an ethnic basis, in relation to their predisposition to insulin resistance. Then there are molecular factors, namely the presence of nuclear receptors, inflammatory substances, proteins, and hormones that regulate the blood’s amount of glucose. Last but not least, environmental factors, related to unhealthy eating habits, being overweight and a sedentary lifestyle. Ultimately, those who have a genetic predisposition to develop insulin resistance and, at the same time, are scarcely physically active and accumulate excess weight, run a greater risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome.

The assessment is based on the combination of 5 risk factors including: obesity and waist circumference; hypertension; HDL cholesterol; blood glucose triglycerides (or insulin resistance) These parameters have been identified by international organizations such as WHO (World Health Organization), IDF (International Diabetes Federation), AHA / NHLBI (American Heart Association / National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), and ATIII-NCEP (Adult Treatment Panel III – National Cholesterol Education Program). In order for it to be considered a case of metabolic syndrome, at least 3 of the 5 parameters must coexist in an altered state. According to the most widespread international guidelines, the limit values are:

• waist circumference ≥ 102 cm /40 inches in males and ≥ 88 cm/ 34.5 inches in females
• blood pressure ≥130 / 85
• HDL cholesterol <40 mg / dL in males and <50 mg / dL in females
• triglycerides ≥ 150 mg / dl
• (fasting) blood glucose ≥ 110

Being aware of the parameters that need to be kept under control is fundamental, as they are also cardio-vascular risk factors. In addition, often those suffering from metabolic syndrome also face problems such as blood clotting and chronic inflammation, as well as other pathological conditions including fatty liver, gallstones, polycystic ovary, and sleep apnea. This goes to show the importance of systemic intervention when dealing with metabolic syndrome. This also goes hand in hand with the essential role of prevention.

HOW TO PREVENT AND TREAT METABOLIC SYNDROME

There is only one way to prevent metabolic syndrome. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, focused on maintaining a healthy weight, with the help of a correct and balanced diet, alongside the practice of regular daily physical activity. These are all concrete actions that allow you to keep blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose values in the blood in check. Furthermore, it is a good idea to moderate the consumption of alcohol and completely avoid smoking.

How is metabolic syndrome treated? First of all, a change in your habits is required, by steering them towards a healthier lifestyle, based on a balanced diet and an increase in moderate physical exercises, which promotes weight loss and a reduction in body fat, especially abdominal fat. Furthermore, in cases of overweight, it is advisable to reduce the daily number of calories introduced. This can be achieved by decreasing the intake of sugar, sweets, sugary drinks, table salt, and animal fats and choosing to regularly consume fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Limit the consumption of animal proteins, including red meats, sausages, milk, and cheeses. When seasoning your food, use only extra virgin olive oil as a final touch. Here are some simple daily ways to reduce body weight: taking the stairs, walking or cycling, walking at a fast pace for about 10 minutes 3 times a week, up to 30-60 minutes 4-6 times a week. In case of overt illness, based on the presence of altered parameters, the doctor may prescribe drug therapy to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol and triglycerides or reduce blood sugar.

Follow us on social media for further scientific insights regarding balanced lifestyles and healthy eating habits.

SOURCES:

• NHS Choices. “Metabolic syndrome” – Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)(last viewed 02.12.2022)
• Mayo Clinic. “Metabolic syndrome” – Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)(last viewed 02.12.2022)
• “Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Diseases: Fromthe Bench to the Clinic” Contemporary Review – Donna L. Mendrick et Al. Toxicological Sciences, 162(1), 2018, 36–42; doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx233 Advance Access Publication Date: November 2, 2017
• “Metabolic syndrome and quality of life: a systematic review” Review Article – PatríciaPozasSaboya et Al. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 2016 Nov 28;24:e2848. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.1573.2848.
• “La Medicina di Laboratorio Predittiva, Preventiva, Personalizzata e Partecipata. Il Caso della Sindrome Metabolica”, Piero Cappelletti – SIPMeL (Società Italiana di Patologia Clinica e Medicina di Laboratorio) – anuary 2009 with 2,166 Reads

A mid-morning and afternoon snack should represent about 5-10% of the required daily calorie intake. They provide the necessary energy to stay attentive, which is especially important during the school term, and they allow children and teenagers to face the next meal with a healthy appetite.

The following chart provides indications on how a snack should be made up: on the left there are the most common snack foods, and other healthier options to choose from

FOODS		QUANTITIES (grams/oz)			MAXIMUN WEEKLY FREQUENCY	SUGGESTED FREQUENCY
		7-10 years old	11-14 years old	15-17 years old
Slice of cake or packaged snacks		30/ 1	35/ 1.2	40/ 1.4	2/7	0-1/7
How can they be substituted?	Seasonal fruit	150/ 5.2	150/ 5.2	150/ 5.2	7/7	3-4/7
	Fruit bars	50/ 1.7	50/ 1.7	50/ 1.7	2/7	0-1/7
	Nuts	15/ 0.5	20/ 0.7	30/ 1	7/7	3-4/7
	Dark chocolate	20/ 0.7	20/ 0.7	40/ 1.4	1/7	1/7
	Whole-wheat focaccia bread	40/ 1.4	40/ 1.4	80/ 2.8	1/7	0-1/7
	Bread and jam	30/ 1 + 10/ 0.3	50/ 1.7 + 10/ 0.3	70/ 2.4 + 20/ 0.7	1/7	0-1/7
	Bruschetta with tomatoes and olive oil	30/ 1 + 50/ 1.7 + 3 (3/4 tsp)	50/ 1.7 + 50 /1.7 + 3 (3/4 tsp)	70/ 2.4 + 50 /1.7 + 3 (3/4 tsp)	2/7	2/7
Freshly squeezed orange juice		200/ 7	200/ 7	200/ 7	2/7 instead of fruit	2/7
How can it be substituted?	Fruit and vegetable extracts	100/ 3.5	150/ 5.2	150/ 5.3	4/7 2/7 Instead of fruit	2-3/7
	Tea or herbal tea	250/ 8.8	250/ 8.8	250/ 8.8	7/7	2-3/7
	Plant milk	200/ 7	200/ 7	200/ 7	2-3/7	2/7

 

By following this chart, you can create different types of snacks. The quantities should be adjusted according to your child’s age and body evaluation. Hot beverages, such as barley-based drinks and tea, can be added, restricting the sweetness provided by sugar, honey, and other sweeteners, in order to accustom our palates to real flavors, even when they are bitter! Lemon juice, cinnamon or bitter cocoa can be added to improve the drink’s tastes. 

EXAMPLES OF MID-MORNING SNACKS:

1. Barley coffee or tea and fruit and nut bar.
2. Barley coffee or tea and whole-wheat rusks with low sugar jam.
3. Fresh seasonal fruit.
4. Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, and almonds).
5. Fruit and vegetable extract with a tomato bruschetta (only when and where fresh tomatoes are available).

EXAMPLES OF MID-AFTERNOON SNACKS:  

1. Barley coffee or tea and dark chocolate.
2. Fruit and vegetable smoothie and whole-wheat focaccia bread (only where focaccia bread is available)
3. Fruit and vegetable smoothie and whole-wheat bread with tomatoes.
4. Fresh seasonal fruit.
5. Barley coffee or tea and vegan apple cake.

SOURCES

(In: Prof Valter Longo, “La longevità inizia da bambini” – “Longevity Starts As Children”. Milano: Vallardi, 2019)

Since ancient times, philosophers and scientists have attributed an important role to nutrition for personal care and health. This is because the quality and frequency of the foods we consume influence our state of health or sickness. Today this is proven by abundant scientific evidence.

Acquiring awareness about our food choices, understanding how much, when and what to eat, is one of the most powerful, sure-fire, and effective ways of extending the body’s functional capabilities and slowing down aging.

Professor Valter Longo’s latest article, published in the prestigious “Cell” ¹ journal, describes the Longevity Diet as the result of years of studies that consider various dietary aspects, from the composition of foods and calories consumed to the duration and frequency of the fasting periods, all analyzed in different living species starting from bacteria and working up to humans.

What emerged from these studies is that the increased activity of some hormones, factors, and genetic pathways caused by the intake of proteins or sugars are associated with accelerated aging and/or age-related diseases. However, continuous, intermittent, or periodic dietary intervention can regulate these pathways by generating effective coordinated responses against them both in the short and long term.

The analysis focused on evaluating popular diets such as total calorie restriction, the high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, vegetarian and vegan diets, and the Mediterranean diet.

A slight caloric restriction, which generally coincides with a reduction in sugar, starch, saturated fat, and protein intake, is effective in promoting longevity as it encourages regeneration and protection processes in the body. These mechanisms, which appear to be the same as those associated with fasting, allow for reduced inflammation at a systemic level and help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and tumors².

The ketogenic diet and other low-carbohydrate diets have also been studied for a long time in humans: compared to a balanced diet, they do not appear to be more effective in regulating the body mass index (BMI), cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, as confirmed in a recent meta-analysis that examined low-calorie, low-fat or high-carbohydrate diets³.

Vegan diets are found to be beneficial in the fight against aging and disease, as they reduce growth factors and lower insulin levels, along with increasing sensitivity to it. However, they are not on a par with the vegetarian or pescetarian diet, since the latter also manage to prevent the risk of bone fractures resulting from increased fragility, common in vegan subjects who disregard integration⁴.

Furthermore, a relatively high carbohydrate diet, in the absence of obesity and insulin resistance, is ideal because moderately high consumption of complex carbohydrates can help reduce frailty, particularly in the elderly, providing energy without increasing insulin and activating the glucose signaling pathways.

The analysis then moved on to different forms of fasting, including intermittent fasting (frequent and short-term) and periodic fasting (two or more days of fasting or diets that simulate fasting).

Whilst intermittent fasting appears to have beneficial effects, it is no better than mild calorie restriction for reducing weight and body fat or risk factors associated with disease. A 11-12 hour daily fast seems to be the perfect compromise, as it has the same efficacy, adherence, and risk of side effects⁵.

Periodic fasting is also emerging as an alternative to intermittent fasting, as it can be applied at regular intervals and combined with drug therapies for the treatment of certain diseases such as cancer⁶.

The fasting-mimicking diet, on the other hand, was developed to increase adherence, applicability, and safety of periodic fasting, but also to seek out the nutrients capable of intensifying the benefits associated with fasting for 3 days or more.

Disease risk markers such as insulin levels, C-reactive protein (inflammation marker), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and cholesterol, are influenced by diet composition, as well as by fasting. For these reasons, the final part of the study was focused on specific dietary factors and components, involved in different genetic pathways for regulating longevity.

The Longevity Diet is characterized by a slight caloric restriction and the diet includes a selection of specific components, based on age, sex and health condition. It therefore represents a valid additional tool to standard treatments and a preventive measure with regards to the development of diseases and maintenance of health in old age.

The pillars on which it is based now constitute a common determining factor for longevity and a stimulus to change our habits, as they suggest that we:

• prefer a medium-high intake of complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, and a limited but sufficient quantity of proteins, mainly vegetable origin (to be modified in qualitative and quantitative terms in the case of subjects over 65 or in children).
• adopt a daily night fast of 11-12 hours interspersed with annual 5-day cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet.
• maintain a BMI below 25 and the recommended body fat and abdominal circumference according to gender and age.

In summary, we propose that the Longevity Diet is a valuable addition to standard health care and that, when adopted as a preventative measure, it could help avoid morbidity, by supporting health all the way into old age.

SOURCES

1. Longo V.D. et al.; Nutrition, longevity and disease: From molecular mechanisms to interventions; Cell. 2022 Apr 28;185(9):1455-1470.
2. CW CHeng et al.; Prolonged Fasting Reduces IGF-1/PKA to promote hematopoietic-stem-cell-based regeneration and reverse immunosuppression; Cell Stem Cell, 2014
3. Lopez-Espinoza et al.; Effect of a Ketogenic diet on the nutritional parameters of obese patients: a systematic review and metanalysis. Nutrients 2021; 13, 2946.
4. Tong, T.Y.N. et al.; Vegetarian and vegan diets and risks of total and site-specific fractures: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study. BMC Med. 2020; 18, 353
5. Deying Liu, M.D., et al.; Calorie Restriction with or without Time-Restricted Eating in Weight Loss; N Engl J Med 2022; 386:1495-1504
6. Longo, V.D. et al.; Intermittent and periodic fasting, longevity and disease. Nat. Aging 2020; 1, 47–59

 

On June 20^th, World Refugee Day, The Valter Longo Onlus Foundation would like to commemorate all those who have fled from war, violence, persecution, and discrimination, in search of peace, inclusion, and respect.

FOOD IS CULTURE AND IDENTITY

We would like to highlight that food can become an important element when promoting integration and encounters between cultures. The approach toward food, cuisine, and traditions of the “other” is an important first step in understanding a culture that is often unknown or to which one has only been superficially exposed. Openness and curiosity often guide these encounters and both are certainly qualities to pursue. This same spirit led Venetian merchants back in the 1600s to taste a dark, suspicious, and pitch-like drink, coffee, and introduce it from Constantinople to Venice, the first city in Europe to open cafes, and have solid commercial ties with the Ottoman dynasty.

Food not only represents who we are, our culture, our identity, and our personal history, but also our roots and traditions, as described by the food historian Massimo Montanari in his book Food is culture. The plate in front of us tells many stories and helps us understand some dynamics in today’s reality. For example, recent versions of pizza with kebab found in some pizzerias in Italy tell the story of pizza, an ancient Mediterranean dish that dates back hundreds of centuries, it tells the story of tomatoes, introduced from the Americas to Europe in the 1500s and came to be a part of Italian cuisine over a century later, and lastly it tells the story of recent migration waves that took place in Italy towards the end of the 20th century and of the gradual acceptance, with some resistance, of other nationalities in the Italian peninsula.

Food and cuisine reveal important messages; they carry memories from travel, migration, war, and famine, but also from abundance, gatherings, festivities, and other joyful encounters. They have a profound emotional, cultural, social, and often political meaning.

REFUGEES, MIGRANTS, FOOD FROM HOME AND FOOD FROM “THE OTHER “                     On the one hand, we find refugees and migrants, and on the other, we have local communities and dynamics between the two can still be difficult to balance. For the newcomers “home food” represents the world that they were forced to leave behind and are emotionally attached to. It has a deep emotional and cultural importance with a tinge of nostalgia and sense of loss. Traditional dishes represent home, family, friends, roots, traditions, and identity, that all too often become fragile memories in a new country. Clinging to what you ate in your previous life is an attempt to remember who you are and where you come from, and finding support in a new and unknown place that can cause worry and fear. The Italians that migrated to the United States over the last century remember such feelings well, since they were referred to as “macaroni eaters”. Comfort food is well known to all of us and can make us recall memories and emotions from the past. “Proustian memory” then comes into play and allows us to travel in time and space using our senses of taste and smell. The French writer, Marcel Proust, mentioned that Madeleines magically brought him back to Sunday mornings spent with his aunt Léonie during his childhood, where he would dip the madeleines in tea. On the other hand however, getting closer to the food and culture of a new country is an attempt to fully integrate and feel as though we belong. Over the years, some people begin to reject their past and their food and desperately throw themselves into a new life looking for acceptance and inclusion and strive to be part of a community.

HOSTING COUNTRIES AND FOOD: NEOPHOBIA, GASTRONATIONALISM AND CALIFORNIA CUISINE

There are then natives in the host country to be considered, who are also often lost in the face of rapid and sudden changes in their living environment. Neophobia, the fear of what is new, is triggered and also applies to food. It is a normal defense reaction to what is unknown or what can potentially threaten survival. Once “recognition memory” is activated, defenses loosen up, and the once foreign stimuli are recognized as “safe” and “familiar.” Ultimately, this leads individuals to overcome their fear of consuming new foods, seeing and experiencing new objects, or meeting new people. This process can be lengthy and difficult and often last multiple generations. Hence the attitude taken toward “foreign foods” can suggest a resistance to transformations in our native countries or a willingness to embrace change, without forgetting the obstacles faced during the process.

On the one hand, we have what sociologist Michaela De Soucey describes as “gastronationalism”: food or culinary practices with a profound cultural and political significance, that strengthen the sense of belonging to a nation and identifying with a community and often openly criticize others. This is what happened in Italy when political slogans compared the autochthonous polenta with couscous, forgetting that: 1) corn comes from the Americas and is not a European product; and 2) couscous, or cuscusu in Sicilian dialect, is also an ancient Sicilian dish dating back to the Arab domination of Sicily in the ninth century or to later influences and that was already mentioned in 1785 in Michele Pasqualino’s Sicilian Etymological, Italian, and Latin Vocabulary.

On the other hand however, we have more fluid and flexible situations and, as recent events show, there are attempts to create inclusion, curiosity, and steps to start exploring new territories. These are represented in our postmodern time by Fusion Food and Fusion Cuisines, which aim to be more inclusive of a variety of foods and venture into new areas. A great example is that of sunny, multicultural, fast-moving, and energetic California. Since the seventies, “California Cuisine”, a real food movement, has incorporated the experiences of the communities in its area (Mexican, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc.), and has adapted them to create a culinary environment in which fresh, seasonal, local and organic products are used, such as avocadoes, and health is a main value. Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley and Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois on Main in Santa Monica started this food trend that has brought dishes such as California-style Pizza to restaurants all over the world, with fresh and local ingredients such as artichokes, goat cheese and avocadoes, among others.

THE REFUGEE FOOD FESTIVAL AND THE ROAD TO HUMAN SOLIDARITY

In conclusion, food, a primary and fundamental necessity, has an enormous power and reveals emotional, cultural, social, and even political dynamics. For this reason, paying attention to what you eat and sharing meals with others, as is commonly practiced in many religious traditions, is an important factor in creating strong relationships. For the same reasons, the initiative of the Refugee Food Festival, which began in 2016 in Paris and received support IN 2018 from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is both interesting and admirable. With a deep desire to overcome discrimination, stereotypes, and conflicts, the restaurants of many European cities have made their kitchens available to migrant chefs on the World Refugee Day and have opened their doors to members of the public interested in learning about “the food of the other”. Unfortunately, the current health crisis has not allowed the festival to take place this year. Nevertheless, now and in the future, it is important to take action by opening up to the unknown, by paying attention to food cultures, and by sharing food with those around us, especially with refugees who have overcome great hardship and suffer from injuries and tears that are difficult to heal and forget. As sociologist Zygmut Bauman once described it, “I don’t think there is a quick and easy solution to the current refugee problem. Humanity is facing a crisis and there is no other way out than through human solidarity.”

SOURCES

Bauman, Zygmut and Evans Brian. “The Refugee Crisis Is Humanity’s Crisis”. The New York Times, May 2nd 2016.

DeSoucey, Michaela. “Gastronationalism: Food Traditions and Authenticity Politics in the European Union”. American Sociological Review. Volume: 75 issue: 3, page (s): 432-455. June 1, 2010.

La Cecla Franco, Pasta and Pizza. Chicago, Prickly Paradigm Press, 2007.

Montanari, Massimo. Food is Culture. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.

Proust, Marcel. In Search of Lost Time. London: Penguin Modern Classics, 2003.

Ukers, William. All About Coffee. Heritage Illustrated Publishing, 2014.

There are numerous factors that can raise your chances of developing heart disease. Although some of these factors can’t be changed such as age, ethnicity and genetics, the good news is that you can control a lot of other modifiable risk factors.

Despite the well-established association between poor dietary habits and an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, researchers are searching for less invasive nutrition-based interventions for the molecular pathways that produce the negative health impacts.

A new study published in Nutrients aimed to investigate if the 5-day fasting mimicking diet (fmd) affects the plasma level of a metabolite, whose high levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in healthy individuals. This metabolite is called Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and is a gut microbiota-derived metabolite synthesized in host organisms from specific food constituents such as animal derived products. In addition, changes in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and activation of inflammatory pathways are all linked to TMAO’s promotion of fatty deposits in the arteries.

In the study, two groups where compared: one with a 5-day fmd and the other with a regular diet with increased vegetable intake diet for 5 days. The aim was to investigate whether a regular diet with an increase in vegetable intake or the fmd have similar effects on TMAO levels as well as metabolic markers such as fasting glucose levels and triglycerides. The results showed that the 5-day fmd group showed a more evident decrease in TMAO, fasting glucose levels and C-peptide levels than the high vegetable intake diet group. These results in the fmd group in return contributed to a better insulin sensitivity.

What is new about this study?

The study showed that the fmd could potentially be a viable strategy to reduce plasma levels of TMAO, which is a diet-derived cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk biomarker. In addition, the authors of the study suggested that this reduction in TMAO along with the improvement of fasting glucose levels and the general metabolic status in healthy individuals are achieved by limiting the caloric intake and animal-derived protein consumption that is represented by the fmd, rather than increased vegetable intake. Similarly In 2017, Wei et al., have suggested that patients that underwent fmd in comparison with those with an unrestricted diet, showed a potential benefit in lowering metabolic markers such as fasting glucose, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins. Therefore, lowering their risk of developing related diseases.

This shows that there could be an additional benefit to the fmd for people who are at high risk of developing heart disease.

Sources:

Videja M, Sevostjanovs E, Upmale-Engela S, Liepinsh E, Konrade I, Dambrova M. Fasting-Mimicking Diet Reduces Trimethylamine N-Oxide Levels and Improves Serum Biochemical Parameters in Healthy Volunteers. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):1093. Published 2022 Mar 5. doi:10.3390/nu14051093

Industrial food not only makes us gain weight, but it increases the risk of premature death from various causes, as analyzed by some recent studies published in scientific journals. Industrial, packaged products, sweets, snacks, sodas, and ready-to-eat meals are not good for our health and compromise it to the point of making us sick. Ultra-processed foods, in fact, are rich in sugars, salt, saturated fats, additives, preservatives, and dyes, but are deficient in vitamins, minerals, and fibers.

RECENT STUDIES

Recent studies confirm the above-mentioned observations, like the results of a French research conducted at the Université Paris 13 and published in Jama Internal Medicine (February 2019). The investigation is part of a larger study called NutriNet-Santé. 44 thousand individuals over the age of 45 were involved and monitored for about 7 years (from 2009 to 2017). Every 6 months, the participants had to fill online surveys. Their questions focused on how much of their diet came from ultra-processed foods. The results showed that a 10% increase in processed food consumption is associated with a 10% increase in the likelihood of premature death (especially from cancer and cardiovascular disease).

Confirmation comes from a further investigation in France, again as part of the NutriNet-Santé study. The results were published in the British Medical Journal (May 2019), and they highlighted the connection between extremely processed food consumption and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. The data of 105 thousand French people (79% women and 21% men), with an average age of 43 years, were analyzed. Participants completed 6 questionnaires regarding their eating habits, while the percentages of disease incidence (cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular diseases) were measured over 10 years (from 2009 to 2018). Again, a 10% increase in extremely processed food consumption resulted in higher rates in the considered diseases: 12% cardiovascular disease, 13% coronary heart disease and 11% cerebrovascular disease.

The results of the Seguimento study of the Universidad de Navarra, Spain, published in the British Medical Journal (May 2019) also show that the consumption of extremely processed food increases the risk of death from all causes. In this survey, the data of 19,000 Spanish adults, with an average age of 38 years, were analyzed, divided into two groups: the first consumed 4 portions a day of industrial food, the second group consumed less than two portions a day. In that case, the risk of mortality increases by 62%.

WHAT TO DO?

These studies wanted to bring attention to the importance of following a healthy diet with fresh foods, and of avoiding industrial products as much as possible. A political action would be essential in order to create guidelines regarding industrial products. We also need more studies to investigate the cause-effect relationship between the consumption of extremely processed foods and the risk of disease and mortality, as well as the physiological effects of industrial foods. The hypothesis is that the physicochemical characteristics of these foods alter the intestinal microbiome, causing an imbalance in energy metabolism

SOURCES

1. Laure Schnabel, MD, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Benjamin Allès et Al. – Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Risk of Mortality Among Middle-aged Adults in France – JAMA International Medicine – (February 2019)

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2723626 (Last viewed 02/08/2022)

2. Bernard Srour et Al. – Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé) – British Medical Journal (May 2019)

https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1451 (Last viewed 02/08/2022)

3. Rico-Campà A. et Al. – Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality: SUN prospective cohort study – British Medical Journal (May 2019)

https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1949.long (Last viewed 02/08/2022)

4. Étude NutriNet-Santé – L’étude NutriNet-Santé

https://etude-nutrinet-sante.fr/link/zone/23-L’étude%20NutriNet-Santé (Last viewed 02/08/2022)