You are what you eat. It’s a statement that’s become so commonplace, so hackneyed, it’s a cliché; the words just don’t really mean much anymore.  But a study recently released gives life to this age old phrase—literally.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 57 percent of Americans are overweight.  That’s the equivalent of approximately 39 million people or one in every sixth person.  It comes as no surprise, then, that the United States has the rather infamous distinction as the Western world’s leader in obesity, this according to data gathered by the US Census Bureau in 2004 (Mexico is the runner-up).

Of course, the ubiquity of obesity is due to a number of factors, not the least of which is a general lack of exercise.  But the leading reason, of course, is poor eating habits.  What makes this fact distressing, particularly for those of us who make healthy living a priority, is that poor food choices have become designated “Western”—i.e. the Western world, i.e. where we live!  Meanwhile, a diet that’s designated “Mediterranean,” is a diet that’s known for its healthful qualities.  And the numbers indicate as much, for the same numbers gathered by the US Census Bureau regarding the rate of obesity among countries places Mediterranean countries low on the obesity scale (pardon the pun).

A Mediterranean diet is one rife with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans—all foods that are low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fats.  By contrast, the Western diet is one rife with processed foods, foods made with refined flour and hydrogenated oils, “fast” foods—in short, all foods high in saturated fat and low in nutrient value.       

Now, most of us don’t eat an exclusively Western diet, nor do most of us eat an exclusively Mediterranean diet.  But it might be in our interest to develop a Mediterranean eating habit—especially for those of us who have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease.  According to research conducted out of Columbia University, people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease have a significantly diminished chance of dying as a result of the disease, depending on how closely they followed a Mediterranean diet.

Researchers found that of the 192 New Yorker’s with Alzheimer’s disease studied over a four and a half year period, those that adhered to a Mediterranean diet closest lived four years longer than those who significantly deviated from it.  Of those who followed a Mediterranean diet moderately, their life expectancy was about a year and a half longer.  The findings are published in the journal American Academy of Neurology.

The significance of this finding with respect to Alzheimer’s disease is so impressive that the researchers hope to discover whether or not the Mediterranean diet can slow the disease’s progression in future studies.

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s is fast becoming a problem that’s on par with obesity, as  approximately one in seven elderly Americans are afflicted with some form of dementia, according to the National Institutes of Health.  For the sake of the minds and lives of those with the most wisdom—our elders—let us share these important findings with them.

This study takes the time to compare the benefits of exercise on white and African American participants because blacks have a higher death rate on average. About 43% of the participants in this study were black. The average age of each participant was 60 years old and they each took place in a treadmill test used to determine their fitness levels. They were then placed in 4 different groups from very low fitness to extremely well fit. This study included an eight year follow up to see who was still alive.

The researchers clearly found that as the fitness levels went up, the risk of mortality went down dramatically for both blacks and whites. In the least fit group, 44% died, moderately fit group 30% died, highly fit 15% died and extremely fit only 8%. As you can see exercise was a big factor in their mortality and was a great benefit to both blacks and whites alike. The researchers conducting this study believe that exercise was that much more beneficial to the black participants as stated above their death rate is much higher than whites on average.

Exercise can be any activity from taking a short bike ride, walking, a leisurely jog, swimming or rollerblading, the list can go on and on. You can take part in hundreds of different activities throughout the year, even during the winter such as skiing to keep yourself exercising regularly. As you get older of course you may not want to be flying down a ski slope but there are many gyms which accommodate for indoor walking and even treadmills to mix things up.

It is amazing how much a simple 30 minute walk can do for your health and your life and all it takes is a little scheduling and some dedication to get into the habit and start enjoying your exercise time. For many people it will start out as a hassle but eventually you will love your daily walks as I do or daily swims, whatever activity you choose will become a part of your daily routine. Simple exercise can affect your physical and mental health in so many ways, there is absolutely no reason not to include it as often as you can in your busy schedule. There are no excuses!

Staying healthy means you have to do so many things today and a simple daily walk should be one of them. Remember folks, you can reduce your risk of developing disease in the future by taking care of yourself today.