Olive Oil Nutrient Found To HALT Brain Cancer Cells In Their Tracks

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The Mediterranean diet has long been regarded one of the healthiest ways of eating, especially with regard to heart problems and cancer. Typically made up of plant-based foods, fish, whole grains, the Mediterranean diet is more famously known for its liberal use of olive oil and tomatoes.

Researchers now believe that one of the principal keys to the diet’s benefit lies in its replacement of less-healthy fats with the healthy fats found in olive oil. Olive oil is naturally rich in Vitamin K, E and omega fatty acids 3 and 6. This combination of nutrients is believed to be the reason why the Mediterranean diet appears so capable of safeguarding heart health and affording longevity to a person. ^[1]

But the effects of olive oil go well beyond its heart protective properties. In a fascinating series of recent studies, researchers have discovered that olive oil is also a good for your brain. A study undertaken by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) of Philadelphia, USA has found that extra-virgin olive oil can help preserve memory function and even fight against Alzheimer’s. ^[2]

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition characterized by cognitive decline and memory impaired caused by the build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain. These plaques destroy the delicate structure of the brain, causing deleterious effects on a person’s cognitive functions, notably their ability to retain and recall information. In the study, researchers were to discover that olive oil is capable of trigger the brain’s defense mechanism against amyloid plaques. This defense mechanism is called autophagy. With the presence of olive oil in the diet, the occurrence of autophagy increases, which breaks down and clears out “debris” in the brain. With the debris out of the way, brain function is spared and may work optimally.

Another benefit of adding olive oil to your diet is the anti-cancer properties that researchers have noted. Considering the fact that certain types of brain cancer have some of the poorest prognoses around, every single step you can take to prevent them is most welcome. ^[3] A study from the University of Edinburgh has determined that oleic acid, the primary ingredient in olive oil, is capable of stopping cancer-causing genes from functioning within brain cells. Oleic acid prevents the protein known as MS12 from decreasing the levels of an anticancer molecule called mIR-7. When there is enough mIR-7 in the brain, the likelihood of developing brain tumors is drastically decreased. ^[4]

Although cancer is a multifactorial disease and there is no one direct way of surely preventing it, incorporating high-quality olive oil in your diet would definitely seem to be a decision that’s a step towards the right direction.