Issue #3 - Exercise, Fasting, and the Mediterranean Diet

Welcome to Weekly.health’s third issue. Every week, we explore cutting-edge research, actionable advice, and science-backed nutrition insights to help you live longer and healthier.

Our aim is to help you live another 10 healthy years and cut your risk of age-related disease.

🗒️ In This Issue:

• 🔬 Longevity Spotlight: Ditch collagen, exercise more, be blue

• 📈 Research Digest: What’s new in nutrition science

• 🏭 Breathe Better, Age Better: Protection from pollutants

• 🍽️ The Mediterranean Diet in 5 Minutes

• ❤️ Support Weekly.health: Help us keep the research flowing

• 📘 Glossary of Terms: Definitions for technical terms in this issue

🔬 Longevity Spotlight: Ditch Collagen, Exercise More, Be Blue

It might not be a surprise that not every supplement works, and supplement companies make billions from selling these products, regardless of how effective they are. Clinical studies on foods and supplements should be scrutinised just as much as studies conducted on medications. This week, we found disappointing research published recently about collagen supplements, but two other pieces of research to help you age better.

• Ditch collagen supplements (they may not work): A recent analysis of 23 studies and 1,474 participants taking collagen supplements to assist with skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles, found that the supplements provided no significant benefit when conflicts of interest were considered. Studies funded by pharmaceutical companies did find significant benefits, but those studies with no ties to that industry found no benefits. While we can’t completely discredit collagen supplements, these results certainly make us question their value as a skin anti-ageing supplement. (source)

• Combine exercise types to improve physical and brain health in old age: 
  A review of 193 studies found that, rather than only utilising one type of exercise (such as aerobic exercises like running or cycling, resistance exercises such as pushups or lifting weights, or mind-body exercises such as yoga), a combination of all exercise types can result in significant improvements in cognitive function, executive function, and daily living activities, in old age. In other words, combine different types of exercises throughout your week to experience a range of physical and mental benefits as you age. (source)

• Take inspiration from the Blue Zones to age better: A review of the literature on Blue Zones, areas of the world where populations have some of the longest and healthiest lives, found several factors that appear to correlate with better ageing. Access to green spaces, daily natural movement such as walking and gardening, fibre-rich Mediterranean-style diets, strong social bonds with friends and family, and a general sense of purpose, all appeared to be associated with longer lives. (source)

  • Go for a walk in the forest with your friends, grab a hummus bowl from a healthy cafe, and find a way to contribute something meaningful to the world to build your own sense of purpose.

👉 Want to learn more about the Blue Zones? Watch Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones on Netflix.

📈 Research Digest: What’s New in Nutrition Science

Here’s the best of recent nutrition research:

🤸‍♀️ Exercise and Eat a High-Fibre Diet with Fermented Foods to Improve Gut Health
A four-week lifestyle camp, combining exercise through outdoor activities, high-fibre meals, and daily fermented foods such as sourdough and kefir, significantly boosted gut microbial diversity, improving gut health and markers of immunity. Meals comprised of organic, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and participants more than doubled their fermented food intake to more than 500g/day. Physical activity jumped from about 12 minutes, to 108 minutes daily. (source)

🍽 Eat a Healthy Plate and Fast Twice-weekly to Improve Health Markers
A 12-week study found that losing just 5% of visceral fat - the fat stored around your organs - significantly improves health markers, including HDL (“good”) cholesterol, triglycerides, waist size, and blood sugar via HbA1C. Participants fasted from dawn to dusk, twice weekly, and on non-fasting days ate a healthy plate of half vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter complex carbs. (source)

🚵 Exercise Alongside Intermittent Fasting for Greater Results
In a meta-analysis of 616 adults, combining intermittent fasting with exercise (3–5 times a week, 30–60 mins/session) led to greater fat loss (−0.93 kg), slimmer waists (−2.5 cm), better insulin control, and improved fitness (VO₂ max), compared to fasting alone. Activities included treadmill walking, cycling, resistance training, and HIIT - done solo or combined. If you fast, move too. (source)

🏭 Breathe Better, Age Better: Protection From Pollutants

A recent review looked at biomarkers of ageing and how environmental factors such as air pollution affect our cells. 102 studies and over 180,000 participants were reviewed for epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and their exposure to air pollution, chemicals, climate, and cigarette smoke, generally finding that these were associated with faster ageing. (source)

Here’s how to reduce your exposure and be pollutant-free;

• Air purification: Indoor air purifiers using HEPA filters can improve cardiovascular and inflammatory markers (source), with some evidence showing cognitive benefits in older adults with improved air quality (source).

  • Air purifiers such as BLUEAIR are currently keeping our home fresh. Here is one product we recommend: USA Link. UK Link.

• Face masks: When used in areas of high pollution, respirators can be associated with improve blood pressure. (source)

• Eat organic: Some produce, like berries, apples, and leafy greens, can carry large amounts of pesticide residue. Organic produce significantly reduces your exposure. (source)

• Wash produce: A quick rinse under a tap has been shown to be more effective than many other methods of washing produce. There’s no need to use anything other than just water. (source)

• Clean chemical-free: Cleaning sprays can be replaced by a solution of soap and water, a vinegar solution, or a lemon juice solution. These can be just as effective in many cases, but more affordable and better for your health, with long-term cleaning agent use being linked to respiratory problems. (source)

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🍽️ The Mediterranean Diet in 5 Minutes

Fresh veggies drizzled with olive oil and the tastiest herbs, lean meats and rich, seared fish, crusty whole-grain bread, the occasional glass of red wine… all contributing to improving your health?

In a nutshell, that is the Mediterranean diet, traditional to countries like Greece and Italy.

The diet comprises colourful plant foods, healthy fats, lean proteins, and an abundance of flavour, while omitting much of what you might consider to be unhealthy.

Typically, it emphasises consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains such as wholemeal bread, legumes like beans and lentils, nuts, olive oil, moderate portions of fish, poultry, dairy, and low amounts of red and processed meats.

In this week’s 3-minute lesson, we show you how to experience the benefits of the Mediterranean diet with minimal effort with some easy meal examples of lists of foods to include into or exclude from your diet.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet (MD):

If you need any reasons to be interested in this diet, here are a few of the benefits we found when reviewing the evidence;

• A Spanish study of 7,447 participants found a Mediterranean-style diet with extra-virgin olive oil cut their risk of cardiovascular disease by 31% over five years. (source)

• A review of the MD against other dietary protocols found it produced similar reductions in BMI, fat mass, and body weight versus a vegetarian diet, but not versus a vegan diet. The MD did however outperform a vegan diet in improving blood pressure and vasodilatory effects. Various other benefits were found. (source)

• A study found high adherence to the diet was associated with a 23% decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (source)

• A long-term study of over 25,000 women found that high adherence to the diet was, coincidentally, also associated with a 23% decreased risk of all-cause mortality (death by any cause). (source)

Sample Mediterranean Meals

Making the Mediterranean diet part of your life is easier than you might think. It’s all about simple, fresh ingredients and basic cooking with no fancy chef skills required.

Of course, it does take longer than picking up a packaged meal on the way home from work, but we find many of these foods are easy to cook and store in batches, too, which saves time while encouraging you to eat better food.

Here are some example meals to get those ideas flowing:

• Breakfast: A bowl of Greek-style yoghurt topped with fresh berries, a handful of nuts, and a drizzle of honey. Or whole-grain toast with smashed avocado and a sprinkle of olive oil, with a side of cherry tomatoes.

• Lunch: A big salad loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, olives, and feta cheese, tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. Add a hunk of wholemeal bread and hummus on the side. Or try a veggie-packed omelette (with spinach, peppers, onion) cooked in olive oil, with a slice of whole-grain bread.

• Snack: A small handful of almonds or walnuts, or some carrot and celery sticks dipped in tzatziki (a yoghurt-cucumber dip) or hummus. Fresh fruit like an apple, orange, or a few dates make for a sweet, healthy pick-me-up.

• Dinner: Grilled fish (such as salmon or trout) drizzled with lemon and herbs, served with roasted vegetables (courgettes, peppers, aubergine) and quinoa or brown rice. Alternatively, a hearty bean stew or lentil curry cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, plus a side of steamed greens. If you enjoy wine, you can cheers to your health with a small glass of red wine (a Mediterranean meal classic) - just keep it moderate.

Eat more…

… healthy foods! Evidence supports a wide variety of natural, whole foods. It doesn’t appear necessary to only consume the foods actually eaten in Mediterranean countries, but following those same principles appears to be most important.

• Vegetables: Leafy greens (spinach, kale), tomatoes, courgettes (zucchini), peppers, broccoli - basically any and all non-starchy vegetables. Aim for a variety of colours each day.

• Fruits: Berries, apples, oranges, grapes, figs - fruit is the go-to sweet treat in Mediterranean cuisine.

• Whole grains: Opt for whole-grain or wholemeal bread, brown rice, oats, wholewheat pasta, barley, couscous, etc. These provide fibre and steady energy.

• Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas - they’re affordable, filling, and packed with protein and fibre. Think hummus, lentil soups, bean salads.

• Nuts and seeds: Snack on nuts like almonds, walnuts or sprinkle seeds (e.g. sunflower or chia seeds) on salads and yoghurt. They provide healthy fats and keep you satisfied.

• Fish (and some poultry): Aim for fish a couple of times a week, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines that are rich in omega-3s. Lean poultry (chicken, turkey) is included in moderation as a protein source.

• Olive oil: Make extra-virgin olive oil your main cooking oil and dressing - it’s a cornerstone of this diet. Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, olive oil is like liquid gold in the Mediterranean.

• Herbs, spices, and garlic: Use these liberally to make food tasty without needing excess salt. Basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, garlic, cinnamon - they add flavour and health benefits (many herbs are antioxidant-rich).

• Dairy (in moderation): Enjoy small amounts of cheese and yoghurt, preferably as fermented products (like Greek yoghurt or a bit of tangy feta) rather than lots of butter or cream.

Moderate consumption of red wine (such as a glass with dinner) is common in many Mediterranean cultures. If you drink alcohol, you can include a bit of red wine, but keep it modest (no more than one small glass per day for women, up to two for men), as most authorities suggest there is no safe level of alcohol consumption (source). And if you don’t drink, no need to start - grape juice won’t confer the same benefits, but you’ll get plenty of antioxidants from whole fruits and vegetables anyway.

Eat less…

… unhealthy foods! Often the most unhealthy foods are the ones you see advertised the most, in packets on store shelves with long lists of ingredients, and ones sold by fast-food restaurants. Removing these from your diet entirely is ideal, but the more you can replace them with foods in the above list, the better.

• Red and processed meats: Reduce intake of red meats (beef, pork, lamb) and save things like sausages, bacon, and deli meats for rare occasions (if at all). Choose fish or plant proteins more often instead - your heart will thank you.

• Butter and heavy fats: Swap out butter, lard, or heavy cream for olive oil or lighter options. Butter can be an occasional treat, but it’s not a daily staple in Mediterranean cooking (olive oil takes that crown).

• Sugary sweets and fizzy drinks: Cut down on sugary desserts, pastries, and beverages. Instead of cakes or biscuits every day, folks in Mediterranean regions might finish a meal with fruit. Sodas and other sugary fizzy drinks are out; water is in (perhaps with a slice of lemon or a sprig of mint for flair).

• Refined grains: Limit white bread, regular pasta, and other refined carbs. Go for the whole-grain versions when you can. For example, enjoy wholewheat pasta or brown rice instead of the white stuff - you’ll get more nutrients and fibre.

• Ultra-processed foods: Fast food, crisps (potato chips), packaged snacks, and ready meals loaded with salt, sugar, and additives don’t feature in a Mediterranean diet. Try to cook at home with simple ingredients when possible, and keep those packaged convenience foods to a minimum.

• Salt: Mediterranean meals get their flavour from herbs, spices, garlic, and lemon - not just the salt shaker. Use salt lightly, and try boosting flavour with other seasonings. Your blood pressure will likely benefit from the reduction in sodium.

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🙏 Thanks for Reading!

That’s the end of this issue of Weekly.health. We hope you learned something useful to help you on your nutritional journey.

This newsletter is written by a small, independent team, led by James — who’s been following nutrition science for nearly 20 years and is now working towards a formal, industry-recognised qualification.

We’re based in England, so if you’re over the pond, you might notice a few strange spellings.

Our goal is to make cutting-edge, evidence-based nutrition advice simple, useful, and genuinely applicable to everyday life.

We’ll keep improving with every issue. If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, we’d love to hear them (just reply to this email).

See you next week!

📖 Glossary of Terms in This Issue (Alphabetical Order)

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