The Mediterranean diet may offer even more benefits than previously thought, according to a report by the Gerontological Society of America. The “MeDiet” may reduce the risk of hyperuricemia in individuals who adhere to it.

Hyperuricemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by an excess of uric acid in the blood.

Following a Mediterranean diet to inhibit hyperuricemia
The Gerontological Society of America explains that hyperuricemia is associated with a number of health issues including hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular morbidity and chronic kidney disease.

Marta Guasch-Ferre, registered dietician, conducted a five-year study with 11 other researchers to determine if the MeDiet would have benefits for people with hyperuricemia. Over 7,000 elderly participants were in the study group. Men 55 to 80 years old and women 60 to 80 years old followed one of three diets, two of which were Mediterranean-based. The participants either had type 2 diabetes mellitus or a risk of heart disease.

Mediterranean diets, according to the study, consist mainly of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they are based on nuts, legumes, dairy and poultry. The diet also calls for an optional moderate consumption of wine. Individuals should not consume high quantities of red meat, creams and pastries, but they shouldn’t cut these items out entirely.

The diet has high amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory elements. These properties may contribute to reducing the amount of uric acid in the blood, according to researchers. Therefore the diet may be beneficial in deterring hyperuricemia.

Overall, the results of the study showed that those participants who closely adhered to the MeDiet had an increase in reversion of hyperuricemia. Researchers found that eating legumes specifically inhibited the condition.

Other studies note the benefits of the Mediterranean diet 
According to a recent Newsmax Health report, the New England Journal of Medicine unveiled research suggesting that adhering to a Mediterranean diet may also prevent cancer and heart disease.

“…what we’re finding out is that these people live longer, they have a lower incidence of heart disease, they have a lower incidence of cancer. And this is a very basic diet, one that probably most of us would have followed if we had lived 300 years ago,” Chauncey Crandall, M.D., head of preventive medicine and cardiology services at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic, told the source.

Choosing a Mediterranean diet may therefore be an easy way for individuals to avoid a number of health risks.

Many people may wonder why, when sitting with a bag of potato chips, it seems almost impossible to have only one. The reason for this inability to stop eating may not just be habit: There could be science behind it, found in the food itself.

The danger of junk food
According to a King Features Syndicate column, eating junk food is a real danger. The source notes how people in the U.S. are seemingly addicted to snacks that are high in fat and sugar. In order to deter this, they suggest giving up at least one treat per week and increasing physical activity. Figuring out why these foods are addictive may also be advantageous.

A scientific condition may keep people eating
At a meeting of the American Chemical Society, Tobias Hoch, Ph.D., explained why potato chips may have this effect. Hoch conducted a study that looked into the condition, referred to as “hedonic hyperphagia.”

“It’s recreational over-eating that may occur in almost everyone at some time in life,” Hoch said. “And the chronic form is a key factor in the epidemic of overweight and obesity that here in the U.S. threatens health problems for two out of every three people.”

Hoch, along with other researchers in Erlangen, Germany used rats to test how this over-eating worked. The team gave one half of the rats potato chips to eat and the other half plain rat food.

The researchers looked at the brain activity of these rats to see how their reactions differed based on what they ate. They discovered that the reward and addiction brain centers of the potato chip group were most active.

Previously, researchers believed that fat and carbohydrates made people want to eat. The scientists claim that the levels of both these were the same in the potato chips and the rodent chow. Therefore, something else may have been a culprit.

Though scientists were unable to identify the specific element that accounted for the chip consumption, they did note the effect that it had in the reward centers of rats’ brains. The study concluded that because individuals get reward signals from the food, they feel attracted to it.

Finding the reason behind people’s desire to snack on junk food may help stop this bad habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 715,000 people in the U.S. have a heart attack every year. By promoting good health, and eliminating fatty foods like potato chips, more individuals may avoid this issue.

A recent study from Ohio State University showed that Americans are not likely to both make dinner and engage in daily physical exercise. According to the study’s lead author, Rachel Tumin, an OSU student, preparing food for 10 minutes daily caused a lower probability of exercising for those 10 minutes.

The study looked at both men and women, single and married, with or without children.

“As the amount of time men and women spend on food preparation increases, the likelihood that those same people will exercise more decreases. The data suggest that one behavior substitutes for the other,” Tumin said.

The 112,000 adults participating in the survey reported their activities from the previous day. Overall, the survey showed that the average individual, regardless of sex, spent less than an hour both preparing food and exercising everyday.

In the results, 12 percent of women had engaged in some form of cardiovascular activity and 16 percent of men did. Women spent about nine minutes a day doing this activity while men did so for approximately 19 minutes a day. On average, women spent 44 minutes preparing food during the day while men spent 17 minutes doing so.

By looking at statistical models, Tumin and her colleagues saw that a substitution occurred within the participants. Given only a certain amount of time say, after their work-day, Americans have to choose to spend it exercising or preparing dinner.

“If we assume, for example, that adults have 45 minutes of free time to allocate to health-promoting behaviors, maybe we need to look at that holistically and determine the optimal way to use that time,” Tumin said.

The study found that these activities are time-consuming. Therefore, instead of doing both, individuals often can only do one. In theory, exercise and food preparation could go hand-in-hand. For example, an individual might go on a run for 20 minutes and prepare a healthy dinner afterward. The survey showed that for many, there may not be enough time in the day for this.

Finding a balance
Preparing good food and having a healthy diet are important. King 5 News noted that in response to these findings, doctors might remember that a patient only has a certain amount of time every day. These medical specialists may therefore provide tips on squeezing in daily diet and exercise.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 47 percent of adults met the CDC’s Physical Activity Guidelines in 2010. If people can find time to do this exercise and eat well by preparing good dinners, they may benefit health-wise.