A healthy immune system fights infections and heals wounds. Inflammation is a biological response of the body to an injury or an illness, where the white blood cells and chemicals of the body fight infection and bacteria.
A continuous inflammation comes from many chronic disease. Poor diet, smoking, continuous stress and invironmental polution, cause chronic inflammation. Diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, are rooted in inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease are rooted in inflammation of the brain.
The Mediterranean diet with olive oil the main ingredient and a plentitude of fish, fruits, vegetables and legumes, has a high ratio of oleic acid to omega-3, to omega-6 and saturated fatty acids.
A diet plays a very important role in preventing or controling illnesses that are related to inflammation like cardiovascular illnesses.
Researchers have proven that people who are following the Mediterranean diet have less inflammation, high circulating levels of antioxidants, reduce oxidative stress and a stronger immune system, with all factors pointing at reduce risk of disease.
How the mechanisms of the olive oil work, can not be fully explained, but researchers blame it to the phenolic compounds in the olive oil.
A study of 20 individuals with metabolic syndrome, showed the effects of olive oil. The individuals ate breakfast that included extra virgin olive oil (high in polyphenols) or virgin olive oil (low in polyphenols). The ones who ate extra virgin olive oil had much higher anti-inflammatory genes and much lower inflammatory genes.
Extra virgin olive oil has possitive effects on the decrease of cardiovascular disease. Other research presents more proof of the possitive effects of the Mediterranean diet and atherosclerosis.
More research also proves the possitive effects of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet on reumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.