On nutrition
It’s time to dig into my email and answer a few questions this week about multivitamins, maintaining healthy blood sugar, and resources for adopting a DASH or Mediterranean diet. Without further ado…
I recently heard that a new study says multivitamins don’t work. Should I stop taking them?
The study you’re referring to is probably the June 26 study published in JAMA Network Open, which found that long-term daily use of a multivitamin didn’t help people live longer than others. That particular study was an observational study using data from three long-term studies involving a total of 390,124 people. Participants had a median age of 61.4 years and were healthy at the start of the study, with no history of cancer or other chronic diseases. Over the more than 20 years of follow-up, 164,764 participants died, and their multivitamin status made no difference.
If your goal in taking a multivitamin was to live longer, this study may have come as disappointing news—if you hadn’t already heard of one of the many other studies that have essentially concluded the same thing. But these studies also make it clear that taking a daily multivitamin won’t hurt you.
Ideally, we get our nutrients from food, as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, and fish provide us with more complex and synergistic nutrition than we can get from a dietary supplement. But factors such as a limited diet or limited access to fresh foods can create nutrient deficiencies. In these cases, a multivitamin can help fill in the gaps, which is why many people take a multivitamin as “nutritional insurance.” To discuss your personal needs, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
I want to stay healthy so I can enjoy my retirement years. I am wondering specifically how I can maintain healthy blood sugar levels?
One of the first things I suggest to people who have similar questions is to get some physical activity. Specifically, to move throughout the day. While it’s nice to go for a long walk, take a dance class, or work out at the gym, sitting down for the rest of the day isn’t great for blood sugar levels or our overall health.
In last week’s column, I discussed the idea of microworkouts or “movement snacks.” Research has shown that incorporating small bursts of exercise every 30 to 60 minutes, particularly after a meal, helps the body use the glucose (sugar) from that meal more efficiently. For example, a 2022 meta-analysis of seven studies found that short, intermittent breaks of light walking significantly reduced the rise in blood sugar after meals compared to prolonged sitting. Some people like to take a short walk after meals, but other options include simply walking around the house or yard or doing bodyweight squats.
Stress management is also important because when you are stressed, your body releases hormones that increase blood sugar levels, which gives you a ready source of energy to face any threat. In fact, your body doesn’t know if you are stressed because a saber-toothed tiger is chasing you or because you are on bad terms with a family member.
Finally, on the nutrition front, focus on fiber, varied meals, and hydration. Including fiber-rich carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, and whole grains in our meals slows down the rate at which we digest carbohydrates and modulates the release of glucose into the bloodstream, especially when we pair the carbs with a source of protein and healthy fats (that’s the “varied meals” part). And while it’s not conclusive, it appears that drinking enough water each day can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
I am thinking of trying a Mediterranean or DASH diet. Please suggest any resources that might help me succeed and enjoy this experience.
Both of the diets you mentioned are good options for eating in a way that maintains healthy blood pressure (which I assume is one of your concerns) and overall cardiovascular health. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet was specifically designed to lower blood pressure, and research has shown that the Mediterranean and vegetarian diets can also help lower blood pressure.
All three diets emphasize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and include some servings of dairy, fish, lean meat or poultry, beans or lentils, nuts and seeds, and vegetable or olive oil. The DASH and Mediterranean diets also limit added sugar, and the DASH diet specifically limits sodium to 2,300 milligrams per day — or 1,500 mg/day for greater blood pressure reduction.
The DASH diet is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and fiber, each of which is associated with lower blood pressure, and the Mediterranean diet is said to be comparable due to the similarity of the food groups. The National Institutes of Health has a website that outlines the recommended daily servings of various food groups for the DASH diet and includes links to recipes. My go-to source for the Mediterranean diet is Oldways, where you’ll find a wealth of resources, including the colorful Mediterranean diet pyramid, tips for getting started, and downloads.
It’s a good start, but the key to enjoying a healthy, sustainable diet is to adapt it to your taste buds and lifestyle. If you cook most of your meals at home, you’re ahead of the game. If not, it’s important to ease into it gradually, as is learning to eat more vegetables and fruits if you don’t eat much of them now. There are plenty of cookbooks for both diets, and some are a combination of both. Finding a few with recipes that sound appealing to you and match the complexity of your favorites will make your journey easier.