The evidence supporting the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet seems to just keep growing. Every day it seems like there is at least one new article or study that covers this diet and its apparent health benefits. Perhaps, not surprisingly, two more studies were recently published that shed some light on a few more of the lesser known benefits of this diet. These two studies have been added to a long history of promising evidence in support of this diet, which will be discussed later. In fact, the U.S. News and World Report recently awarded this diet as the Best Diet of 2018.

But, is this diet truly worth all the hype, or is it yet another health fad? Can this diet help support a healthy NeruEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response? Can it help prevent Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome https://www.drlam.com/articles/adrenal_fatigue.asp (AFS)?

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

This diet isn’t actually a “diet” for much of the world. It is simply the native diet of the Mediterranean countries. It is very similar to the diets that many of our recent ancestors used to eat. This seemingly foreign diet was only recently overshadowed by the industrial revolution, which promoted fast, easy meals over quality and nutritive values.

Unlike most other diets, the Mediterranean diet is loosely structured, perhaps this is one of several causes for its rising popularity. All in all, it is a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts whole grains, lean animal protein, and of course olive oil. It is also a diet which is low in red meats and saturated fats in general. Processed foods and refined sugars are also to be avoided in this diet.

This diet is far from the only diet that recommends limiting processed foods. In fact, most, if not all modern science strongly suggests processed foods are detrimental to the body. Avoiding processed foods is crucial to keeping a balanced NEM stress response and avoiding chronic stress. This is largely due to the stress the body endures when digesting these unnatural foods.

This diet’s rise to fame is, in some ways, a product of the slow food movement; a movement which encourages home cooking, family meals, and of course avoiding fast food. In this Mediterranean diet, sitting down for family, and group meals, in general, are strongly encouraged. This type of social eating not only encourages social activity, but also slows down your eating, giving you more time to chew your food, and allows for easier digestion, as words are exchanged in between bites.

Perhaps one of the biggest causes for its popularity, the Mediterranean diet allows for alcohol in moderation. How many diets let you do that? Traditionally, consumption is limited to wine with meals, but who can’t live with that?

Surprisingly, this seemingly cutting-edge diet isn’t actually that cutting edge. It is based on the traditional diets of the Mediterranean, namely Italy and Spain. This modern craze is really just the way that many of our grand, and great-grandparents used to eat before the industrial revolution, which caused an abundance of processed, easy to access food.

Why Is the Diet So Good?

You have likely heard about the amazing benefits that appear to come from this diet in an article or from a study. Among the most popular of these benefits are; reduced risk for diabetes, kidney disease, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, only to name a few. It also appears that this fast spreading diet can support a healthy NEM system for several reasons which we will be sure to cover later.

Many of the studies conducted on the diet have risen from observational studies, and do not quite give us a whole picture of how the diet directly affects the body. But due to its prominent use of mostly plant-based foods, it is not too surprising that many benefits would arise from this diet. Many of the foods in this diet contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties; both of these factors have long been known to be important for a healthy diet.

Though the evidence supporting the diet itself is largely observational, many facets that it incorporates have been proven with stronger evidence. For example, the prominent use of raw whole foods, many of which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and regenerative properties.

What Does the Research Say?

Some research even suggests that a diet rich in Mediterranean cuisine may help alleviate acid reflux, reduce cholesterol and perhaps most importantly extend lifespan. Although the diet is not actually low in fat, it has been proven to help people lose weight, even if they do not keep track of calories. That is quite exciting if you ask me!

According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers found that elders who closely follow the Mediterranean diet were least likely to become frail. This study took place over a 4 year period, and many elderly people followed the loose structure of this diet.

The Journal of Urology published a study in which men who followed a diet rich in fish and olive oil, and low in juice, seemed to reduce their risk for aggressive prostate cancer. The Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil and fish, meaning that this diet would likely have very similar effects.

How Does This Diet Impact the NEM System?

What is the NEM system?

The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response system is a way of seeing the finely balanced systems of the body, and how they function together. The NEM system is a visual lens through which to see functions in the body that would otherwise be invisible. The NEM is made up of six circuits being inflammation, metabolic, detoxification, hormonal, cardiotoxic, and euro effect. In a healthy body, we would expect to see the six circuits working in balanced unison to create the ideal environment for a healthy life.

However, when one or more of these systems begin to function improperly, the body will experience negative effects. One major effect of an unbalanced NEM system is Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). The major cause of AFS is stress Stress can be brought to the body by a variety of means. Two of the biggest cause of stress may be lack of exercise and poor diet.

The Mediterranean lifestyle and the NEM system

Due to the stress brought on by the standard Western diet from various aspects, we should look to healthier, whole food based approaches to diet. The Mediterranean diet appears to support a healthy NEM system. Not only is this diet closely related to the diets of our ancestors, it also supports social eating which is a concept most of us have lost touch with.

A diet rich in whole foods allows for easier digestion and a more nutrient-dense meal. Both of these factors reduce the number of digestive actions needed to be taken by the body. Reducing these actions, in the long term, may allow the body to get more energy. This is essential to maintaining the long-term health of the human body.

On the other hand, processed foods can cause chemical imbalances in the body. For example, many processed foods are high in sugar; too much sugar at once causes a large increase in blood sugar levels. If this occurs too many times, it can lead to diseases like diabetes, as well as stress and an imbalance in the metabolic circuit of the NEM stress response. Not only are processed foods high in sugar, but often low in essential vitamins and minerals. Your body has to work harder to digest processed foods, and in the end, receives less for its hard work. Diets such as the Mediterranean are beneficial for long-term health and a balanced NEM system. One of the biggest reasons is that your body has to work less, and gets more in turn.

There are many other studies on the diet which shows its promise as a healthy alternative to the standard western diet. Many of the reasons for the healing benefits of the diet will become more apparent when you learn a bit more about how to practice it.

How to Practice This Fast Growing Diet

9 Daily Servings of Fresh Fruits and Veggies

If you want to begin incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your life, you can start by adding fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. Try to aim for nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. And remember olive oil and wine do not count as servings, I’m sorry to disappoint you.

As part of achieving those nine servings a day, start by including a few cups of leafy greens every week then add some more color like red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables that will increase the phytonutrients and other important vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables provide plenty of vitamins and minerals to help your body and adrenals heal.

If you do not want to follow the Mediterranean meal plan so strictly, even just starting with this step has the potential to improve your health. While fresh fruit and vegetables are great, keep in mind that fruit in the morning may spike your blood sugar leading to reactive hypoglycemia. Also, raw vegetables take more energy to process, and may not be recommended in someone with advanced adrenal fatigue.

Limit Healthy Fats

Legumes and nuts are important components of the diet. Mix them in with cereals or salads, or spread almond or peanut butter on your whole grain bread. Raw or roasted nuts and legumes make a great addition to a healthy diet. However, remember nuts are high in calories and fat, so limit consumption to half a cup a day.

Use a similar approach to limit the consumption of healthy fats in general. Of course, for most people, olive oil makes a healthy alternative to margarine or butter. However, you have to maintain a healthy level of use as healthier doesn’t mean all-you-can-eat. Another example of a healthy fat that should not be over-eaten would be avocado. We know it may be healthy, but we often forget to consume in moderation.

In adrenal fatigue, healthy fats may be beneficial as they provide long-lasting energy to your body.

Animal Protein

If consuming animal protein is part of your diet, opt for lean options. Go for chicken and fish over heavier red meats like beef, or pork. Additionally, eggs, cheese, and yogurt are a typical part of this renowned diet.

Bread and Pasta

Unlike many modern diets, the Mediterranean diet does allow bread and pasta. However, it is important to choose whole grain and whole wheat options rather than white, or refined grains. Choosing whole grain provides more fiber and nutrients, and can cause you to feel full faster. Much like healthy fats, limit consumption of bread and pasta.

Whole Foods

The main concept of the Mediterranean cuisine is consuming more whole foods. Avoid processed foods such as those that come in bags and boxes. Though they may be widely available at the grocery store, they are largely lacking in nutrition overall. Shop for foods as close to their natural form as possible. Every step of processing foods for shelf stability removes essential nutrients and vitamins that can only be found in the whole food form.

Social Eating

Though there is no strict schedule associated with the diet, social eating is greatly encouraged. When possible, at least once a day sit down with friends or family for a full meal. This is one of the biggest concepts that has been lost in the eating habits of modern society. In the constant need to get from one place to the other, we forget the most basic and fundamental human enjoyments such as sitting down for a delicious meal with our friends and family.

Though this diet is quickly spreading in popularity, it is largely about taking time to enjoy the simple things, which involves slowing down. Socializing is a basic human need that we often ignore. Socializing may limit stress by helping us not feel so alone in the world, and having someone to share our life with. Limiting stress as you likely know, is essential to avoiding AFS.

Though no diet is right for everyone, it is likely that at least there are aspects of the Mediterranean diet we should all consider adding to our lives.

How much is ‘noise versus silence’ an issue in your daily life? If you’re like most Americans, you’re surrounded by some kind of sound everywhere you turn: cell phones, computers, electronic games of all kinds, music blasting from iPods, the booming of someone’s bass turned up loud as it will go in the car next to you. People have tried to get away from this barrage of sound and noise for many years. Now, the latest movement in the wellness industry is silence therapy. Folks from big-name entertainers to common people are seeking ways to shut off the noise and retreat, sometimes literally, from being bombarded over and over again.

But is there any kind of scientific evidence to back up claims of silence therapy gurus that this actually works to your benefit? To answer this question, we have to examine first the impact of noise on our bodies and minds.

An Introduction to Noise

Some significant research has gone into showing the negative effects of noise on people’s physical and psychological well-being. The results have been surprising in some ways, reinforcing what we already know in others.

Noise is measured in decibels. Some people are much more sensitive to noise than this summary would suggest:

• Fifty decibels – Annoyance begins at a level of approximately 50 decibels in the daytime. This is the level of noise in a fairly quiet residential area.
• Seventy decibels is more than twice the level of noise than 50. This is the level of noise of a vacuum cleaner in your home. An increase of ten decibels equals about a doubling of the noise level.
• At 80 decibels, you have the risk of damage to your hearing after eight hours of exposure. This is the level of sound of a garbage disposal in your kitchen or the passing of a freight train at about 15 yards.
• One hundred decibels is the equivalent of a motorcycle or jackhammer. After eight hours of exposure to this level of noise, you could have serious hearing damage.
• Over 130 decibels, or the level of noise produced by a military aircraft take-off from an aircraft carrier, you experience pain in your ears. This is approximately 64 times as loud as that of a vacuum cleaner mentioned above.

Not many of us are exposed to the kind of noise over 130 decibels, but the exposure we have from day to day activities and the overall noise in our environment adds up. Many (if not most) people eventually have some hearing loss due to the noisy environment in which they live.

Negative Effects of Noise

Noise is not something you can ignore. If you don’t like something you see, look somewhere else or close your eyes. It’s no longer a problem. If you put something in your mouth that doesn’t taste good, you can spit it out and never order that again.

But what can you do about constant, never-ending noise? Of course, you could buy noise-canceling headphones (if you can afford them), but do you want to go through life wearing headphones every day, all day?

The physiology of noise is such that we humans attend to it even in deep sleep. Movement of the tiny bones of the ear is transmitted to the cochlea, a snail-shaped formation inside the ear. This structure converts the movement into electrical signals that go first to the amygdala. This brain structure has a lot to do with memory and emotion. As soon as the amygdala is stimulated by sound, it produces cortisol, the stress-fighting hormone, along with other hormones. Essentially, the amygdala responds to loud sounds as a stressor. Because of this, people who live in noisy environments are constantly under stress from that noise.

Noise, therefore, even at levels below those corresponding to potential damage to hearing, is treated as a danger signal by the brain, even as we sleep. So the body responds with the familiar flight or fight response that occurs with exposure to any stressor.

Some fairly recent research suggested even music, regardless of the type, led to a state of arousal in subjects. This arousal could be measured by changes in the bloodstream and in the circulation of blood to the brain. Even “restful” music led to this arousal state.

The European Heart Journal reported an interesting and alarming study that showed both men and women are more likely to have a higher risk of heart attack when exposed to prolonged noise. Men’s risk increased by 50 percent, while women’s risk increased by an incredible 300 percent!

Reasons for this dramatic increase were said to be the production of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in noisy environments. Increased levels of these stress hormones have been linked closely to heart failure, strokes, high blood pressure, and immune issues.

How prevalent is the detrimental effect of noise? In 2001, an estimate was given that up to 12.5 percent of American children between the ages of 6 and 19 years suffered from hearing impairment in one or both ears. Why this damage? Up to 80 percent of school children have personal music players going for long periods of time at significant levels. Regardless of warnings by the manufacturers of these products, there is little if any regulation of this kind of damaging noise. Even from parents.

While temporary exposure to noise at harmful levels can be reversed, the long-term effect of such exposure may not be reversible.

Relationship of Noise and Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS)

With the knowledge of how noise is interpreted by the brain as a stressor, it is relatively easy to see the relationship between noise and AFS. Regardless of the source of the stress, our bodies respond in the same way every time.

Symptoms of Excessive Noise on the Adrenals

Comments like these are common among those with AFS when exposed to excessive noise:

• I attended a concert and could not fall asleep for days after.
• The phone rings and I get nervous.
• Exposure to the sounds at a crowded shopping center makes me tired.
• I cannot handle the noise from my neighbors even though it is not excessive noise.
• I live in an apartment and the road noise drives me nuts.
• I cannot handle rock music of any kind. It gives me the jitters.

Those in advanced stages of AFS are particularly vulnerable to the unsettling effects of sound or noise. The weaker the adrenals, the greater the risk.

Remember that sound is energy in selected frequency. Excess frequency bombardment faced by our body trigger increased cellular movement and vibration at rest. Cortisol release from the adrenal glands is needed to neutralize and stabilize such disruption to normal cellular function. Excessive vibration at the cellular level caused by excessively loud sound also can lead to increased cellular metabolism and that in turn can lead to increased reactive metabolites from such metabolism.

A weak body may not be able to clear excess metabolites out of the body on a timely basis. This can lead to a state of reactive metabolite overload (RMO), and in severe cases a host of bodily reactions tied to reactive metabolite response. Liver congestion and extracellular matrix pollution may worsen.

Symptoms of excessive noise pollution and intolerance can include:

• Startling effect
• Increased fatigue
• Adrenal crashes
• Adrenaline rushes
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• Increased yawning
• Hypoglycemia episodes
• A general sense of nervousness

Avoiding excessive exposure to noise and putting oneself in a quiet environment, therefore, can go a long way toward avoiding noise generative disruptions to a body already experiencing adrenal fatigue.

The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Model

Conventionally trained healthcare professionals tend to view illness from a symptom-focused standpoint. That is, they deal with individual symptoms of illness rather than the root cause of the symptoms.

Healthcare professionals, much of the time alternative and functional medicine professionals, who adopt the viewpoint of the NEM model look at illness conditions very differently. Rather than focus on symptoms, they look at organ systems in order to discover the root causes of symptoms. This more comprehensive outlook is a better way of remediating illness conditions.

The NEM model proposes a series of organ systems that operate in an interdependent way. What affects one system, affects others as well. So that, in the case of noise effects, the stimulation of the hormone response system leads to stimulation of the cardiotonic system. This is the system that has to do with the cardiovascular system.

Research indicates the hormones involved in noise stimulation also have an effect on the neuroaffective response system. This system deals with mental or emotional responses to stress. Depression, anxiety, and other mental/emotional responses result.

Evaluating illness conditions from this viewpoint leads to a more effective and efficient attempt at remediating the symptoms brought on by noise or any other source of stress.

Effects of Silence Therapy

People are willing to pay large amounts of money to retreat from their noisy environments and experience the benefits of silence therapy. These retreats may last from a few hours to a couple of months for the most staunch adherents to the concept of silence therapy.

But what does the science say about these benefits? There have been studies that suggest potentially great benefits.

One study from Duke University produced results that were unexpected, to say the least. The researchers were studying whether the calls of baby mice would produce more growth of brain cells in adults. Instead, the silence which was used as a control in the experiment actually stimulated more growth of brain cells. Two hours of daily silence prompted the growth of cells in the hippocampus, the brain structure involved in the formation of memory.

Other researchers have confirmed this finding. In addition, these other researchers also found silence to be the factor that allowed these cells to differentiate into functioning neurons. Thus, silence therapy can be beneficial to your brain functioning.

Still, other researchers discovered a completely different neuronal pathway in the auditory cortex that fires when silence begins. This pathway soon stops firing as the silence lengthens, also. This pathway is different from but similar to the one that fires when noise stimulation is heard. This second pathway also stops firing as noise continues.

While silence therapy apparently stimulates the development of cells in the hippocampal region of the brain, none of the noise stimuli do the same other than having a temporary neurological effect. This suggests the power of silence to be great article source.

The evidence is strong that silence therapy will decrease the production of stress hormones and thus decrease the risk of the brain interpreting it as a stressor. Reactive metabolite generation is also reduced as cellular metabolism is normalized instead of being put in a hyperactive mode.

Everyone has heard dentists say that brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily will keep your teeth and gums healthy. But not everyone knows dental health issues can be a major contributor to all kinds of health problems, including Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).

It’s important to understand how the health of your mouth affects the health of your body. For instance, did you know your mouth is a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria? Most of them are harmless or beneficial, but there are instances when harmful bacteria gain a significant foothold in your mouth and are able to cause some serious health problems.

Good oral hygiene typically keeps these harmful bacteria at bay. Also, saliva washes away food particles and the acid that harmful bacteria produce, keeping your mouth healthy.

But failing to brush or floss allows bacteria to grow and proliferate and gum disease and tooth decay to take hold. Some common medications will decrease the amount of saliva in your mouth, leading to a higher possibility of infections and diseases developing.

Some research evidence that suggests the inflammation and bacteria associated with periodontitis, a significant gum disease, can lead to serious illness conditions in other parts of your body. And some illness conditions, such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes, may reduce your body’s ability to fight infections, leading to more severe dental health issues.

Researchers at the North Carolina School of Dentistry studied links between gum disease and several serious health conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illness, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis. This research found that those with gum health conditions were two times more likely to die from heart attacks and three times more likely to suffer strokes.

Why does this common the dental health issue – inflammation of the gums – lead to such serious problems? Because the inflammation in your mouth allows bacteria to get into your bloodstream and spread to other parts of your body relatively easily.

Impact of Dental Health Issues on the Adrenals

With dental health issues impacting the rest of your body, they also impact your adrenals. Unresolved, unaddressed dental health issues become sources of stress for your body. And your body reacts to stress from any source in the same way.

Once stress is introduced into your body, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated. This begins the cascade of hormones and other biological chemicals that make up the stress response. At the end of this cascade are the adrenal glands. Their primary responsibility in the face of stress is to release cortisol, the stress fighting hormone, to deal with the effects of stress on your body. When stress continues, the adrenals can become fatigued, not able to release sufficient cortisol. This leads to the set of symptoms known as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). AFS is a major, under assessed, chronic illness.

The sources of stress from dental health issues that affect the adrenals include abscessed teeth, cracked or decayed teeth, subacute infections in root canals, improper removal of teeth that leaves a subacute infection where the teeth were, mercury fillings that leak into the body, and materials used in dental procedures that bring on sensitivities. One of the major sources of this kind of stress is gingivitis.

Mercury toxicity is a primary source of direct stress on the adrenals. It actively suppresses hormone output in the adrenals. This is a source of contention in the dental profession, with both advocates of the possibility that mercury fillings leach into the body and those who argue they are safe both very vocal about their beliefs.

The dental health issues, if unaddressed, lead to a dramatic increase in bacterial growth in the mouth. This overgrowth then can spread throughout the body, leading to increasing toxic load in the entire system. These toxins interfere with the functioning of the adrenal glands, as well as other gland systems in the body.

Research indicates more than 400 types of bacteria can be found in an unhealthy mouth. The toxins produced by these bacteria cause irritation of the gums and stimulate an inflammatory response. Inflammation is a stressor to your body and stimulates the adrenals to secrete cortisol to address the stress. Of course, this stress is added to the stress from various other sources that impinge on your body on a regular basis and adds to the burden placed on your adrenals, increasing the likelihood of developing AFS.

Dental Health Issues: Toxins

Toxins in the body make up one of the major sources of stress that affect the adrenal glands and often lead to AFS. An often overlooked source of toxins and one that is shrouded in controversy is the mercury found in common dental fillings.

Mercury was used in thermometers for quite a while until its toxicity became a problem. It’s a toxic heavy metal, found in nature, that is highly volatile. When exposed to air, it quickly becomes a vapor. If these vapors are inhaled, they invade body tissues very fast. Too much of the vapors can be deadly. The vapors kill cells outright, not merely damaging them.

Mercury has been used in dental fillings for years. Even the so-called “silver” fillings frequently used by dentists because of its malleability contain mercury. In fact, this type of filling is typically fifty percent mercury, thirty-five percent silver, fifteen percent tin, and some copper and zinc.

Some dentists believe there is no mercury vapor released by these fillings. However, research has since shown mercury vapor is released through sublimation. In this process, mercury goes from a solid form to vapor. If you have these kinds of fillings, you may be breathing mercury vapor. This takes the mercury vapor into the lungs where it is absorbed into the blood. It then is transported to the liver where it is methylated. In this form, it goes to the brain and spinal cord and is stored in the cells. This entire process only takes a few hours to complete.

Interestingly, when these fillings are removed from your mouth, they are considered hazardous material and have to be handled according to federal guidelines. The other metals included in fillings like these are also considered toxic to a certain degree.

Some of the most frequent results of the leaching of these toxins from your tooth fillings include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Inflammatory conditions such as phlebitis, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome
• Low pain threshold
• Some chronic neurological conditions