A Pesco-Mediterranean Diet With Intermittent Fasting

As opportunistic omnivores, humans have evolved to be able to consume our needed calories and nutrients from both animal and plant sources. In today’s Westernized society, there is a clear overconsumption of processed foods and meats which have been linked to a multitude of chronic diseases and potential cancers. Individuals and organizations are constantly struggling to find the best way of eating that ensures that you are receiving adequate intake of nutrients and that is environmentally sustainable. This study focused on specifically the implementation of the Pesco-Mediterranean diet. The Pesco-Mediterranean diet is similar to the standard Mediterranean diet. This diet is characterized by servings of seafood, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and moderate alcohol consumption (primarily red wine). The Mediterranean diet is a commonly recommended diet for individuals hoping to mitigate or prevent cardiovascular diseases due it having an association with “lower risks for all-cause and CVD mortality, coronary heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cognitive decline, neurodegenerative diseases (including Alzheimer’s disease), depression, overall cancer mortality, and breast and colorectal cancers (O’Keefe et al., 2020)."

Vegetarian/vegan diets have also been found to have some beneficial effects and are linked to positive health outcomes for some disease processes. However, these diets have been linked to deficiencies in both vitamin B12 and vitamin D which can cause potential neurological damage and defects. Although not all vegans/vegetarians deal with nutrient deficiencies, it is a common occurrence in strictly vegan populations so following a strictly plant-based diet is not necessarily the best solution for the general population. Plant-based diets also have the potential to be just as harmful as diets high in processed and red meats if the individual’s diet tends to be high in sugars, refined carbs, and low in fruits/vegetables.

Research conducted on the Pesco-Mediterranean diet with intermittent fasting found several key findings. Research conducted in Spain on older adults who were at high risk but had no prior diagnoses of CVD found that adults in the experiment group (those following the standard Pesco-Medierranean diet) were found to have a 29% risk reduction for CVD compared to the control group who did not follow the Pesco-Mediterranean diet. Another research study conducted a meta-analysis on CAD mortality rates in Westernized countries. This study showed that individuals who followed a pescatarian diet had a 34% lower mortality rate than individuals who did not restrict their type/amount of meat intake.

In conclusion, the Pesco-Mediterranean diet is rich in needed nutrients such as Zn, Mg, Omega-3s, Selenium, and other nutrients that may be beneficial for reducing the risk of developing CVDs and other related comorbidities. However,the purpose and benefits of intermittent fasting still need to be researched more thoroughly. Currently, the ADA recommends at least 2 servings of seafood a week, and a Pesco-Mediterranean diet may be beneficial for long term implementation.

Sources:

O’Keefe, J., City, U., Torres-Acosta, N., O’Keefe, E., Center, T., Saeed, I., . . . T., N. (2020, September 01). A Pesco-Mediterranean Diet With Intermittent Fasting: JACC Review Topic of the Week. Retrieved December 01, 2020, from https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.07.049