0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello. Now, if you'd like to know which foods can help you
0:00:04 > 0:00:06live longer, then you're in absolutely the right place,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08because today, we'll be identifying some,
0:00:08 > 0:00:13as well as finding out if it's true that food can help beat dementia
0:00:13 > 0:00:15or even, heaven forbid, make it worse.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The papers are full of headlines claiming both those things,
0:00:18 > 0:00:20but they don't always tell the whole story,
0:00:20 > 0:00:21so that's where we come in.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Every day, we're bombarded with conflicting information
0:00:28 > 0:00:30about our favourite foods.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35One minute we're told something's good for us, the next, it's not,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39and we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Well, we've been wading through the confusion
0:00:43 > 0:00:46to separate the scare stories from the truth,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48so you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Hello, and a very, very warm welcome to Food - Truth Or Scare.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Now, this is the programme that cuts through all those contradictory
0:01:04 > 0:01:08news stories about how the foods we eat affect our overall health.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10That's right, and today,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13we're unpicking food's powers for good and bad,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15which isn't always easy when there seems to be another headline
0:01:15 > 0:01:19claiming the food we eat could be doing us untold harm, and even
0:01:19 > 0:01:23upping the chances of developing some really serious conditions.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26But then, turn the page, and you might find just the opposite,
0:01:26 > 0:01:31with reports that our meals can help stave off or even cure
0:01:31 > 0:01:35the same conditions, and help us live to a ripe old age, hopefully.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37So by the end of this programme,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40you'll have a much better idea of which of those stories
0:01:40 > 0:01:42that you really need to pay attention to.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Coming up - does drinking alcohol delay dementia, or even cause it?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52The headlines seem to come thick and fast,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54but can we believe any of them?
0:01:54 > 0:01:57There doesn't seem to be anything definitive coming out.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Lots of tests, but of headlines, but nothing that says, "This will help".
0:02:01 > 0:02:05And, the oldest men in the world live in the Mediterranean,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07and the oldest women live in Japan,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10so which of their diets should you follow if you want to live to 100?
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Now, here's a shocking revelation for you -
0:02:19 > 0:02:22more people die from dementia than any other condition.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Look at this headline - "the leading cause of death".
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Now, sadly, my sister Lena had it, and I have to tell you,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30it's just the most horrible disease.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Because it's so painful,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35watching this sister that you've loved for so long
0:02:35 > 0:02:37almost, like, disappear before your very eyes,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and really disturbing for the family.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42It's not something I've had any experience in, fortunately, but it's
0:02:42 > 0:02:45something we're starting to see a lot more of in the press, isn't it?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And I think if you have it in your family, you do worry about it.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52But you're right, it does seem that there's a new story about dementia
0:02:52 > 0:02:53every single day.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57And while lots of them focus on whether what we eat and drink
0:02:57 > 0:03:00could increase our chances of getting it, or more positively,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03fend it off for good, the arguments rage on,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06particularly fiercely when it comes to alcohol.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Now, this is the truth - I actually don't drink that much.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12But the question is, if I want to avoid developing dementia
0:03:12 > 0:03:15like my lovely sister, should I give it up altogether?
0:03:16 > 0:03:20For more than 50 years, heart disease was the biggest killer.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23But in November 2016, that all changed.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death
0:03:27 > 0:03:29in England and Wales.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31By 2025,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34it's estimated that a million people will have the condition.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36I really hope I won't be one of them,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39but it's very easy to see how the odds might be stacked against me,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42because two-thirds of all people living with the condition
0:03:42 > 0:03:46are female, and if one of your parents or siblings have or had it,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49I've seen reports saying that your chances may be higher, too.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53My sister Lena was seven years older than me,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and she'd lived with dementia for quite a number of years,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58which was all very disturbing for the family.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01And sadly, she died as a result about five years ago.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04And I'm absolutely determined to do whatever I can
0:04:04 > 0:04:07to make sure that I don't develop it as well.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10But trying to work out how we can avoid the condition
0:04:10 > 0:04:13is a bit of a minefield, because almost every day,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17the newspapers tell us that one food or another can either increase
0:04:17 > 0:04:20our chances of developing it, or help us beat it.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And nowhere is the confusion more apparent than in the conflicting
0:04:23 > 0:04:27headlines about how alcohol affects the condition.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Christina MacDonald from Surrey shares my confusion.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Now, sadly, her mum Hazel died of dementia in 2016.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38My mum was diagnosed officially in 2009, but I think
0:04:38 > 0:04:43she'd actually had the condition for a couple of years before that.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Looking back on it, there were signs that things weren't right.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50But like a lot of people, she was reluctant to go to the GP.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52She could see that there was an issue with her memory,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54but she blamed it on stress and old age,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57so it took a long time to actually get the diagnosis.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Christina cared for Hazel for seven years after her diagnosis.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Now that, unfortunately, she's not here any more,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08it has given me time to reflect and think about the future.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13And also think about where I might be in, say, 10, 20 years' time -
0:05:13 > 0:05:16is there a risk that I may develop it?
0:05:16 > 0:05:20My mum had vascular dementia, which is linked to smoking,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
0:05:22 > 0:05:23all of which she had.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28And if you read some reports, you'll also see headlines like this one,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32saying there's a very clear link between dementia and alcohol.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It's a suggestion that's made a big impression on Christina.
0:05:35 > 0:05:42I've heard that, you know, there is a risk of developing dementia
0:05:42 > 0:05:46pretty much solely through excessive abuse of alcohol,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and actually you'd be better off abstaining altogether.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Now, neither Christina nor I drink excessively,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55but should we really stop having ANY?
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Professor Margaret Rayman from the University of Surrey has analysed
0:05:59 > 0:06:01the results of over 700 scientific studies
0:06:01 > 0:06:05into the effects of food and drink on dementia.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08So we're hoping she can set the record straight
0:06:08 > 0:06:10on whether alcohol DOES present a risk.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13And she totally understands the confusion.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18All the headlines, for the average person who picks up the paper every day, they're always conflicting -
0:06:18 > 0:06:20you know, have a glass of wine a day, don't have any alcohol at all.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22It is very confusing for the average reader.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24I know.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It just seems to be one of those subjects that is just...
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Every study or report that you read, or headline,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31will tell you something different,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33so I think people are probably confused about it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37I've gone through reviews which are so-called systematic reviews,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41where they look at all the studies that were ever done on such and such a thing -
0:06:41 > 0:06:43in this case, sort of alcohol and dementia -
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and I've looked at all of those that there have been over the last,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49I don't know, 10 or 20 years,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52and most of them are saying the same thing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- What's the conclusion? - And the conclusion is,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56light to moderate drinking is good, and is associated...
0:06:56 > 0:07:00I see a bottle of wine over there, are you going to show me what light to moderate is?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Well, that's 87.5 millilitres.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05That's half of a 175ml glass,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09which would be a normal glass of wine in a pub.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Margaret says studies suggest that drinking this modest amount of wine daily
0:07:14 > 0:07:16appears to have a beneficial effect on the brain's
0:07:16 > 0:07:20thinking power. But I'm afraid it's definitely NOT the case
0:07:20 > 0:07:24that the more you have, the better.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26So if you consistently had more than that per day,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29would that significantly increase your risk?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31There was quite a nice Swedish study which looked at twins,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36and what they found was that more than 12g of alcohol a day
0:07:36 > 0:07:39began to give you disbenefit.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Now, what I've poured here is actually 12g.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44But what I find interesting is that
0:07:44 > 0:07:48it's better to have a small glass of wine than have nothing at all.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52In virtually every single study I saw,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53some wine was better than no wine.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56But while Margaret's certain that a small amount of alcohol
0:07:56 > 0:07:59can have a protective effect against dementia,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02others say that the evidence isn't so clear.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Dr Clare Walton from the Alzheimer's Society
0:08:06 > 0:08:09is keen to focus on the damage that TOO much can do.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13What we know for sure is that drinking too much is bad for your brain.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15If you drink in excess,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19you actually can develop a condition called alcohol-related brain damage.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21That is a slightly different form of dementia,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23although the symptoms are very similar.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27If you stop drinking, in most cases you can bounce back,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29- and you will recover.- Really?
0:08:29 > 0:08:30So for people that are heavy drinkers
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and their dementia might be caused by heavy drinking,
0:08:33 > 0:08:34they definitely should stop drinking.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38But after hearing what Professor Rayman said about the potential
0:08:38 > 0:08:40benefits of light to moderate drinking,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Christina wants to know if the few glasses of wine she has each week
0:08:44 > 0:08:48are helping her to delay dementia, or possibly even speeding it up.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I've read conflicting information about alcohol,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54so I just wondered what your view is,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56because I'm quite confused by it.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58When you get down to the low,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00kind of moderate levels within the guidelines,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02the literature is very unclear,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05so it's very difficult to pick this apart.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08As far as the Alzheimer's Society is concerned,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12there simply isn't enough research to prove whether
0:09:12 > 0:09:16a small glass of wine really is going to help keep dementia at bay.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18But reassuringly for Christina,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21the Society doesn't suggest giving up completely.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Our recommendation at Alzheimer's Society is that you definitely
0:09:24 > 0:09:27should not drink above the recommended limits,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29because of the damage that we know about.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32But if you drink within the safe limits, you shouldn't stop,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35thinking that you're creating damage.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37But you also shouldn't start drinking in order to protect
0:09:37 > 0:09:40your brain, cos there's no really strong evidence for that, either.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44While it's a relief for both of us
0:09:44 > 0:09:46to hear that we CAN still enjoy a small glass of wine,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48I'm struck by the fact that in general,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51there's a lot of confusion and very little clarity
0:09:51 > 0:09:53about what might contribute to dementia.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57I think a lot of us who have dementia or Alzheimer's
0:09:57 > 0:10:00in our families are feeling a bit depressed in a way.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02I don't know whether you'd agree, actually.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Because there doesn't seem to be anything definitive coming out.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Lots of tests, lots of headlines,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09but nothing that says, "This will help".
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Are you way, way behind
0:10:11 > 0:10:15when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer's research?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18If you compare dementia to cancer, for example,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20we're about 25, 30 years behind.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- Behind.- But that's because we've only been doing research
0:10:23 > 0:10:26for a much shorter period of time. Thankfully, the funding
0:10:26 > 0:10:29has increased and we are making progress, but I think
0:10:29 > 0:10:31that's why we still need to do a lot more research.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34In the meantime, as you might imagine,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Clare shares our frustration that every piece of research
0:10:36 > 0:10:41so very quickly becomes a headline suggesting concrete proof of a link
0:10:41 > 0:10:45to dementia, before the truth has been definitely established.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48What we try to do is look across all the studies that have been done
0:10:48 > 0:10:51into one topic, and summarise them to give people kind of...
0:10:53 > 0:10:55..what the truth is as far as the evidence tells us.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58So my advice is don't respond to a headline -
0:10:58 > 0:11:01you know, a headline is not medical advice.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Go to more reputable sources like the Alzheimer's Society or the NHS website,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06and try to look across the board
0:11:06 > 0:11:10what that evidence is for that particular food or drink
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and how it links to dementia.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Later in the programme, Christina and I will be unpicking the truth
0:11:15 > 0:11:19behind some of the other headlines around food and dementia,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and we'll be going shopping for foods that some say
0:11:22 > 0:11:24we should eat more of to avoid the condition,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27but others suggest we should cut out altogether.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40You know, it's an awful thing to say,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42but we're all living so much longer than anyone used to
0:11:42 > 0:11:47that our chances of developing Alzheimer's or dementia are so much greater.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49So, if there's anything at all I can do to stop it coming on,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51I'm definitely going to give it a go.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But trying to find out what to eat to help you live longer
0:11:54 > 0:11:57isn't as simple as you might think, because here, again,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59what you read doesn't always give you the same advice.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Here it's saying a Mediterranean diet is best for you.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05But it seems there's stiff competition from other parts of
0:12:05 > 0:12:08the globe, for whose cuisine is the healthiest.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13If you want to live to a ripe old age,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17it's no surprise that what you eat will play a big part.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21And the diet we've long been told is the healthiest
0:12:21 > 0:12:23comes from the Mediterranean.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Some headlines claim if we all followed the Med diet,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29it could save thousands of lives in Britain every year.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38But others say the secret to long life is an entirely different diet
0:12:38 > 0:12:42from the other side of the world - Japan.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46So if I want to live to 100, which cuisine is the one to go for?
0:12:47 > 0:12:48Well, to settle the argument
0:12:48 > 0:12:51and to see which really IS the healthiest in the world,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I've called in registered nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57who reckons it's going to be a close race to call.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01The Japanese diet is held to be a good one,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05and possibly reducing the risk of early death as well.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09The average lifespan of a Japanese female is up to about 87 years old.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11In UK here I believe it's around about 81,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so they do have a very long life expectancy
0:13:14 > 0:13:15compared to a lot of other countries.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18But what about the Med diet?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21The Mediterranean diet is backed up by a huge amount of research.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24So we know that there are lots of components of the Mediterranean diet
0:13:24 > 0:13:26that are very healthy and that lead us to improve our health
0:13:26 > 0:13:28if we follow it too.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31What's interesting here is that the headlines on either side of
0:13:31 > 0:13:35this sandwich board both came from the same newspaper,
0:13:35 > 0:13:36printed just six months apart.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41One proclaims that Japanese food is the key to a long and healthy life,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43while the other says it's following
0:13:43 > 0:13:46the Mediterranean diet that saves lives.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So which message has really got through to the public?
0:13:50 > 0:13:55We're going to see which of the two diets these shoppers think is the healthiest.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Come and grab the flag that you agree with the most.
0:13:58 > 0:13:59Who wants to go first?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Oh, interesting, that is quite a mix.
0:14:07 > 0:14:0950-50.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11What is it about Japanese food that you think's healthy?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14For me, it's the emphasis on the fresh produce,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- particularly the amount of fish they eat.- OK.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22I know that Japanese people live in general longer than a lot of other populations.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25'As for those who went for the Mediterranean diet...'
0:14:25 > 0:14:29You do genuinely believe that the Mediterranean diet is healthier?
0:14:29 > 0:14:34I think it's more about, you eat because it's good and because you...
0:14:34 > 0:14:35You take pleasure in what you eat,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- rather than just to fill your stomach.- Absolutely.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42The mix between ingredients and way of cooking.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Just like the papers, this lot are split down the middle.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48So which of them is right?
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Well, to find out what makes these two diets so good for us,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55I'm off to do some shopping, and I'll catch up with Charlotte later.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- Good luck!- Thank you very much, everyone, All the best.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Now, you can understand why scientists and newspapers
0:15:05 > 0:15:09can't seem to decide between the Mediterranean and Japanese diets.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15One landmark study found that while the oldest women in the world lived in Okinawa in Japan,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19the oldest MEN came from Sardinia, in Italy.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Clearly for both, what they ate was a major factor in their good health.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27So what exactly is it about these two diets
0:15:27 > 0:15:30that makes them so good for us?
0:15:30 > 0:15:34I'm starting with my personal favourite, the Mediterranean diet.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38It's reported to stave off cancer, protect against heart disease,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42and as that headline said, could apparently save tens of thousands
0:15:42 > 0:15:46of lives every year if we all ate like our cousins around the Med.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51But as much as I love it, there is something that I've always wondered.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53OK, I get it, the Mediterranean diet is healthy -
0:15:53 > 0:15:55we've got lots of veg, we've got lots of fruit,
0:15:55 > 0:15:56we've got lots of fish.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59But we've also got lots of pasta, lasagne, carbonara,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02processed meat, and pizza.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05So maybe it's not all quite as healthy as we think.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Well, of course, the reality is that while some people might like to
0:16:09 > 0:16:13think those creamy pastas and pizzas are central to the Med diet,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15they're not, so don't kid yourself.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19The truth is, it's a diet that relies on fresh,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21simple and seasonal ingredients,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24the sort of things this Italian market is full of,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27and the man in charge is Andrea Rasca.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30So we've got lots of lovely things here,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34but if we're eating a traditional, authentic Mediterranean diet,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37one that's good for us, what sort of things should we be buying?
0:16:37 > 0:16:39I would start with a tomato, for instance.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Tomato is the base of the Italian diet,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- and the Mediterranean diet as a whole.- Yes.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- Yeah, we'll have some of those. - Some tomato, please.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51What comes to mind immediately with tomato, and tomato sauce - pasta.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53OK, I'm huge fan of pasta, but is it healthy?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- Is it good for us?- It's freshly made, there are no preservatives,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00no colourants, it's totally natural.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02You can add cheese, you can add spinach, you can add meat,
0:17:02 > 0:17:07but they all come from an incredibly good selection of ingredients.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Thank you.- So what other ingredients do we need
0:17:10 > 0:17:13to make an authentic, traditional Mediterranean diet?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Well, there is the king of all cheeses.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20- Cheddar?- The Parmigiano-Reggiano. - Oh!
0:17:20 > 0:17:22I love cheddar, by the way.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26But Parmigiano-Reggiano has got such a long history and tradition, and the taste is just amazing.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Along with that lot, Andrea adds to my basket
0:17:30 > 0:17:34more of the building blocks that make the Med diet so healthy.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39Another pillar of the Mediterranean diet - the olive oil.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- Yes.- You use it in so many different ways.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46But the most important ingredients in our diet are
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- lentils and all kind of legumes, and pulses.- Yeah.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53It's an incredibly important part of our diet.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'Andrea tells me legumes like lentils, beans and pulses are cheap,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59'nutritious and so full of protein
0:17:59 > 0:18:01'that they're often used instead of meat and fish.'
0:18:01 > 0:18:03We have a full menu here,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07so what is missing now is something to drink, that goes along with this,
0:18:07 > 0:18:08which a glass of red wine.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Red wine is, again, another of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16'Some might quibble over that one, but you won't find me arguing.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18'And Andrea's not finished yet.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'For him, there's one final, fundamental part of the Med diet,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25'and it isn't actually an ingredient at all.'
0:18:25 > 0:18:29The joy of eating together, this is part of the Mediterranean diet.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32And it makes you feel better when you eat it,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and while you eat it with your friends.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37That's probably the most important ingredient.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Well, even with the wine, by anyone's standards,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46I've certainly come away with a basket full of healthy looking stuff
0:18:46 > 0:18:48to show Charlotte. And as a greengrocer,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51I know just how good for you some of this lot is.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54But the question is, is it going to be better
0:18:54 > 0:18:58than what I'd be eating if I was following the Japanese diet?
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Yuki Gomi is a Japanese food writer.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08And, just like Andrea,
0:19:08 > 0:19:13she's keen to stress that her diet is based around simple, fresh,
0:19:13 > 0:19:14nutritious ingredients.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18It's like, really nice, simple, super healthy, Japanese everyday.
0:19:18 > 0:19:24I'm not totally surprised to see that first on Yuki's list is rice.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- Look at this big bag!- Yes.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32- So it obviously makes up a big part of Japanese diet.- Yeah.
0:19:32 > 0:19:33But is it healthy?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- I think so.- Yeah?
0:19:35 > 0:19:37First of all you need a balanced diet.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41So you need some carbohydrates, and vegetables or protein
0:19:41 > 0:19:43like meat or fish.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46So you have to have that nice carbohydrate from the rice.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48OK. We'll put that one in.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52'Up next, something else I was expecting - fish.'
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Any particular type of fish?
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Yeah, we do a lot of different types of fish.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- Especially mackerel is great, in season now.- Right.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01And salmon is very common.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- So they're good oily fishes, aren't they?- Oh, yeah. - You know, mackerel, salmon...
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Oily fish, and the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13can help protect against heart disease. And as we'll see later,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17some studies suggest they can even help fight the onset of dementia.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21So with the Japanese eating almost 30 kilos of fish every year,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25it just has to be one of the reasons they're healthier in old age.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32'Also into the basket go mushrooms...'
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Really nice, nice aroma.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36'..tofu...'
0:20:36 > 0:20:38It's great for protein, and high protein in it.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39It's really good for you.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- '..miso...'- It's high protein.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45So far the Japanese diet IS looking as if it's particularly healthy,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47- isn't it?- Yeah.- And you're in better shape than I,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50so I think maybe it's... Maybe it is.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52'..and seaweed.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:56A lot of minerals, and fibres.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58And the good thing is, it's no calories.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00You know, so perfect for diet.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Let's get some of that!
0:21:03 > 0:21:07'Altogether, that makes a really tempting, and again, I must say,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10'a very healthy looking basket of food.'
0:21:10 > 0:21:11- Arigato.- Arigato.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14'Shopping trip complete,'
0:21:14 > 0:21:17'it's time to head back to nutritionist Charlotte to analyse
0:21:17 > 0:21:19'and compare my Japanese and Mediterranean baskets.'
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It looks like you've been really, really busy.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'And laid out in front of us like this,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'it's obvious these two diets have a lot in common.'
0:21:31 > 0:21:34When you look at these diets,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38you'll find that what a lot of these diets do have in common is things like fresh fruits and vegetables.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Pulses and beans and lentils make up a fairly large part of the diet.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Neither Yuki or Andrea chose to add meat to my basket, both of them
0:21:48 > 0:21:52opting for traditionally cheaper alternatives instead.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Yuki's tofu and Andrea's lentils are great doses of protein -
0:21:56 > 0:21:58and because they're plant-based,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01they're lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre than meat,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03so they're good for the heart.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06The same can be said for the fish that Yuki chose,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09so Charlotte thinks Andrea should have picked it too.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12Oily fish, I would say,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15is actually a component of both the Mediterranean and the Japanese diet,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18and it's full of good protein,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21it's full of healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23as well as vitamins and minerals.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26And alongside the lovely fresh veg,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30mushrooms from Yuki, and these tomatoes from Andrea,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Charlotte says the starchy carbs like rice and pasta
0:22:33 > 0:22:34have their place too.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Carbohydrates get a bad name, but actually
0:22:38 > 0:22:42carbohydrates do contribute a significant proportion of nutrients to our diet.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44So for example, they give us plenty of energy,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46they do tend to give us B-vitamins,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50we also tend to get fibre from our carbohydrate food groups as well.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53So from that point of view, they are very important.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56I think what I see, certainly, in my practice
0:22:56 > 0:22:59is that what we tend to do in the UK
0:22:59 > 0:23:01is we overeat our carbohydrates.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05- OK. Cheese?- We're often told to restrict cheese,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08and that is because of the high saturated fat content in cheese.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11What I would say is, though, they do include Parmesan in the
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Mediterranean diet quite regularly - it tends to be a small amount.
0:23:15 > 0:23:16I'm going to push you for an answer -
0:23:16 > 0:23:21what are we saying? Is the Japanese or is the Mediterranean diet the healthier diet?
0:23:21 > 0:23:24If I had to choose based on what we've got here in front of us,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28I'd probably say, yes, the Japanese diet is ticking the boxes.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32But actually, the Mediterranean diet has been researched very thoroughly,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34and always come out trumps in a lot of studies
0:23:34 > 0:23:37so we know that there is something about this Mediterranean diet
0:23:37 > 0:23:38that is very beneficial.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well, if it sounds like Charlotte's slightly sitting on the fence,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48the truth is you don't have to follow any one country's diet.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51And it's common sense, really - the key to living a long life
0:23:51 > 0:23:55is just eating a balance of fresh and healthy foods.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57It's about context,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01it's about the way that we eat as well as what we are eating...
0:24:01 > 0:24:05There's no single foods that we can add into a diet that are going to
0:24:05 > 0:24:09have magic improvements, because it is about our diet as a whole.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10And it's all about variety,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13so we've got lots of different foods in front of us here,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17and that's what really good diets are about.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27If you'd like recipes and ideas
0:24:27 > 0:24:29for quick and simple Mediterranean dishes,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33you can find them, along with more information from the series, at...
0:24:38 > 0:24:39And still to come -
0:24:39 > 0:24:42how cutting out just two foods stopped the debilitating migraines
0:24:42 > 0:24:46that one woman had suffered for 25 years.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I just could not raise my head, I couldn't get out of bed.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It was really, really bad.
0:24:57 > 0:24:58But first, earlier in the programme
0:24:58 > 0:25:03I investigated those confusing headlines about alcohol in relation to dementia.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07But alcohol is just the tip of the iceberg,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09because there are dozens of reports about foods
0:25:09 > 0:25:12also said to have an impact on the condition.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's been declared that soup, white rice, coffee, yoghurt,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19carbs and much more can beat dementia,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21while we're also told that fried foods, sugar
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and processed meats could do just the opposite, and speed it up.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Earlier we met Christina MacDonald, whose mum died of vascular dementia,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33which is linked to high blood pressure, smoking and cholesterol.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Very keen to avoid the same fate,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Christina made changes to her own lifestyle and diet.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42But it's not easy to know what advice to follow.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I'm trying to kind of be aware of, you know, what I should be eating,
0:25:45 > 0:25:50but there's so many mixed messages out there that it's difficult to kind of make sense of everything.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53I've got to say, I'm confused as well.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56So Christina and I are going shopping.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59We've gathered together some information - I mean, there have been so many headlines,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01let's see if there is any truth behind them.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I've got a little shopping list - not too many things on my list -
0:26:04 > 0:26:06but I thought maybe we would go off and do a bit of shopping.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11My list is full of foods that the papers say could slow down dementia,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14and top of the list of those reported to keep it at bay
0:26:14 > 0:26:16is oily fish.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I am a big fan of oily fish,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22and I do subscribe to the fact that it could be beneficial for reducing dementia risk.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Next, we're going for coffee,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27which hit the front pages with claims that drinking it every day
0:26:27 > 0:26:30could help reduce the risk of developing dementia.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32So, do you drink tea and coffee?
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I just drink coffee, but for me that's good news if it's true,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37because I do like coffee.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Also going into our basket are other foods reported to be
0:26:40 > 0:26:44dementia busters - rapeseed oil, olive oil, tea,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47and even something that lots of us would love to have a reason
0:26:47 > 0:26:49to eat more of - dark chocolate.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Now, I've heard a lot about dark chocolate,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and one of the headlines in the paper said that dark chocolate is really good for the brain.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58It sounds too good to be true.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Generally, with chocolate I try to steer clear,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03because I'm trying to maintain a healthy body weight.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Well, while Christina isn't convinced about the chocolate,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08next on my shopping list are berries,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11which we're both fairly sure have to be good for us.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Blueberries in particular are widely reported to be loaded with a type of
0:27:15 > 0:27:18antioxidant believed to protect the brain from the condition.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21What's your feeling about this?
0:27:21 > 0:27:23I'd be interested to hear more about it.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I've heard that there is a chemical in berries, particularly,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28that can actually help reduce dementia risk.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31But it's just understanding, what does that chemical do?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33If, indeed, it actually works.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36So, according to the newspapers,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39everything in our basket is potentially dementia-busting.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41But are the claims actually true?
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Well, we asked Professor Margaret Rayman at the University of Surrey
0:27:48 > 0:27:50to look through our basket of food,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54to see if any of them were as good for us as the headlines made out.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58The thing that perturbs me is that nothing seems to be definitive.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02There isn't much that's definitive. There are probably...
0:28:02 > 0:28:06maybe up to half a dozen definitive things that you could talk about.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10There's vitamin E, but it's vitamin E from foods, not from supplements.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14- How do you get that?- Well, I think I can see vitamin E sources here -
0:28:14 > 0:28:16that, I think, is...
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- The rapeseed. - Rapeseed oil?- Rapeseed, yes.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20And then this, which is extra virgin olive oil.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23This is what you want to use on your salads.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Margaret tells us that both olive oil and rapeseed oil
0:28:26 > 0:28:30have beneficial components that are likely to reduce the risk of dementia.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- How does this resonate with you? - I mean, I'm finding it encouraging.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36I'm certainly not an expert on nutrition,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38but it is encouraging to hear...
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- That there are things...- Yes.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43And you're quoting results - you know, very concrete information.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Exactly. Exactly. It's good quality evidence.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50And Margaret's very pleased to see that there's oily fish in our basket,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53because there's good evidence that it can help delay dementia.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57One of the components of fish oil is definitely important,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59the evidence is good. Very good.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02And so you will obviously get that from oily fish,
0:29:02 > 0:29:07such as the salmon that we've got here, or mackerel, or herring, or sardines, or...
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Fish, oily or not,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13seems to be associated clearly with reduced risk.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Margaret says there's evidence, too, that three portions a week
0:29:17 > 0:29:20of the berries we chose could have a positive effect.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But it seems that Christina was right to be a bit sceptical about
0:29:23 > 0:29:27the chocolate. Or at least, about how much we should be eating.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30This one is a dark chocolate, which I got at the House of Lords.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33And the reason I asked if I could take it away
0:29:33 > 0:29:36is because I suspected it was exactly the amount
0:29:36 > 0:29:40you're supposed to have every day for optimum effect.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44And when I got it home and weighed it, it was indeed 10g of chocolate.
0:29:44 > 0:29:4810g of chocolate was the most beneficial in reducing risk.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52And then if you go above that, the risk will rise.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55There's a similarly mixed message with the coffee.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58While Margaret believes that a couple of cups a day could have
0:29:58 > 0:30:01a beneficial effect, other experts aren't convinced,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04and some say too much coffee could be a problem.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08But overall, the message from Margaret is one that
0:30:08 > 0:30:11we've heard before - while making small changes to your diet
0:30:11 > 0:30:14is a good first step, leading a healthier lifestyle
0:30:14 > 0:30:16is really the key to helping delay dementia.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19And in Christina's case,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23the positive changes she made in her 40s came at just the right time.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26If dementia's well advanced,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30it's been going on in the body for perhaps 20 years,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34maybe 30 years, it's too late to intervene at that stage.
0:30:34 > 0:30:35So the message for all of us, really,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38is that the sooner we get a healthy diet,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42- the more chance there is that we might not get dementia in older age. - Yes.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47While research into the foods that could delay dementia continues,
0:30:47 > 0:30:48at the Alzheimer's Society,
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Dr Clare Walton agrees with Margaret that a substantial number
0:30:52 > 0:30:56of dementia cases could be avoided if we all led healthier lifestyles.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02We think about 30% of cases of dementia might be due to lifestyle
0:31:02 > 0:31:05risk factors. And that's really positive news for the public.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09We aren't at the stage where we can prescribe individual foods or
0:31:09 > 0:31:13individual, you know, lifestyle choices that will reduce your risk.
0:31:13 > 0:31:14But try and keep physically active -
0:31:14 > 0:31:15that doesn't mean go to the gym,
0:31:15 > 0:31:21you know, walk regularly or do something that you can try and keep yourself physically active.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23And then generally, with keeping your heart healthy,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26try to eat a balanced diet that is somewhat around
0:31:26 > 0:31:31the Mediterranean-style, so high in fish, high in olive oil,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33lots of fresh fruit and veg, and then maybe, you know,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36cut back a bit on the saturated fats, the processed sugars, and the
0:31:36 > 0:31:39red meat. You know, what's good for your heart is good for your head,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41but we want people to know that there ARE things you can do
0:31:41 > 0:31:44to reduce your risk, and they are generally the things that would keep
0:31:44 > 0:31:46your heart healthy. So people shouldn't think,
0:31:46 > 0:31:50"Oh, my granny had it, I'm going to get it too." That's not the case.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52That's good news for you and me, then, isn't it?
0:32:01 > 0:32:02I love that phrase,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05it's so simple - what's good for your heart is good for your head.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09Now, Christina and I came away from those interviews really encouraged,
0:32:09 > 0:32:13and of course I know that the evidence isn't exactly overwhelming.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17But the chance that changing what you eat or drink can help stave off
0:32:17 > 0:32:21or even just delay dementia, I think, is a really positive message.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25Now, while changing what you eat to boost your chances of living longer
0:32:25 > 0:32:28could have some really big benefits later on in life,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31day-to-day it might take a while before you start to notice any difference.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35But there's one condition where, if you believe some reports,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38simply cutting out a few foods could change your life overnight.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40And you know, that's absolutely correct,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43because about eight million people in Britain get migraines -
0:32:43 > 0:32:47by the way, three times as many women as men -
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and it's long been thought that food can be a key cause.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53The Paralympian Danny Crates is one of those sufferers.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56In fact, there are certain foods and particular situations that he thinks
0:32:56 > 0:32:59are more likely to trigger a migraine -
0:32:59 > 0:33:02and I'm afraid to tell you, it includes a night out.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11I'm at the Sports Aid sports ball tonight.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Which means a very late night, and maybe a little bit of red wine.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20So if anything's going to trigger a migraine, it could be tonight.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Well, it's the morning after the night before,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32and having had a very late night - I had one two glasses of red wine -
0:33:32 > 0:33:35as expected, I'm now suffering with a migraine.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38I get them in the back of my right eye, it's a throbbing sensation,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41it'll start off in the morning and gradually get worse during the day.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45That's paired with tightness down the back of my neck and a sick feeling in my stomach.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Usually, a good night's sleep is all I need to knock it on the head.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Which means I get off lightly,
0:33:52 > 0:33:56because some sufferers say their migraines can last up to 72 hours.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Now, I think I know what brings on my attacks, but there are
0:34:01 > 0:34:04millions of sufferers out there in the UK that have no idea
0:34:04 > 0:34:08what triggers this often debilitating condition.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11You only have to take a quick look online to realise how much
0:34:11 > 0:34:13conflicting information there is out there.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17While it's long been thought that what we eat can trigger a migraine,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21the papers can't seem to agree on whether some foods, like chocolate,
0:34:21 > 0:34:25cheese and wine, will cause or even cure them.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29But then I spotted a headline that did seem to have the answer.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33It reported one woman's 25-year battle with migraines,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36that suddenly stopped when she changed what she ate.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37And now, she says, they're cured.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- Hi!- Hi, Andrea. How are you doing? - Yeah, good, thanks. Come on in.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45'Andrea Henson didn't just have the occasional migraine.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48'She says they were every week.'
0:34:48 > 0:34:51So what would your kind of symptoms be from your migraines?
0:34:51 > 0:34:54If it were one that lasts for days,
0:34:54 > 0:34:58it would start off slow and then just increase.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02I'd probably take medication for it, but it wouldn't necessarily work.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05It might dampen it a little bit, but it would still continue. You know,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07you'd wake up the next day and you think, "Oh, not again."
0:35:07 > 0:35:11And Andrea's migraines went from bad to worse.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14One day, she was even admitted to hospital.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17It came from absolutely nowhere, there was no warning.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20And it was like a stabbing pain, but all over my head.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22I'd never had anything else like it.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25So a very, very scary time for you and your family.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29I had a really bad three months where, for a good six weeks,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32I just could not raise my head, I couldn't get out of bed.
0:35:32 > 0:35:33It was really, really bad.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Andrea, like me, is aware of the most common foods
0:35:37 > 0:35:39that are supposed to trigger migraines,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42but cutting those foods out did nothing to stop HER attacks.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Initially I thought it might be chocolate,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47cos I rather like chocolate.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51So I would stop eating chocolate, but that didn't help.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54I cut out having fruit juices, because I thought it might be that,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56but there was no improvement.
0:35:56 > 0:35:57Kids, tea's up!
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Andrea's whole family would suffer because of the agony she went through.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04It was terrible to see your wife in pain,
0:36:04 > 0:36:05There was nothing you could do for her,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08there was nothing I could do to help her.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10She needed the tablets to make her feel better,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13but the tablets basically knocked her out. Knocked her for six.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18It was only by chance that Andrea stumbled upon the first thing
0:36:18 > 0:36:21that had really helped her migraines in years.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Andrea and her husband Andrew run a catering business,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and when clients asked them to cater for people with food intolerances,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29the couple began to investigate.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33That's when we decided to have an intolerance test.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35And the test showed up...?
0:36:35 > 0:36:40That I was intolerant to cow's milk and corn maize.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44After the test, she cut out those foods from her diet.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Three months later, her migraines have stopped completely,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and so far, they haven't come back.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54We are six months down the road, and now I haven't had one,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57I don't carry any migraine relief or pain relief around with me,
0:36:57 > 0:37:01I don't even think about it. It's life-changing for me personally.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04You get used to feeling unwell, and when that's taken away,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07it was brilliant. I feel so much better.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Andrea's very lucky.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Simply avoiding two foods has changed her life, but the chance
0:37:12 > 0:37:16that those same foods will be the cause of anyone else's migraines
0:37:16 > 0:37:20is very slim, because our individual triggers are all different.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Of course, that doesn't stop the papers making bold claims
0:37:25 > 0:37:29about which foods can reportedly help beat a migraine,
0:37:29 > 0:37:30and which can bring one on.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33These types of reports come up time and again,
0:37:33 > 0:37:35and are often entirely contradictory.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40The idea that so-called "trigger foods" can cause migraines
0:37:40 > 0:37:41is not a new one.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Previously, the most common triggers were known as the five Cs -
0:37:45 > 0:37:49citrus, coffee, cheese, chocolate, and claret.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52But a recent study in America has revealed
0:37:52 > 0:37:55that eating cheese and chocolate, and some of the more common triggers,
0:37:55 > 0:37:59could actually reduce your chances of having a migraine attack.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02It's easy to see why migraine sufferers can end up
0:38:02 > 0:38:05completely bewildered about what they should or shouldn't be eating.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Neurologist Professor Peter Goadsby from King's College London
0:38:09 > 0:38:11has agreed to make sense of it.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- Hi.- Hi, how are you doing? - Welcome.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16'He says, although there IS a clear link between food and migraines,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19'it's not as straightforward as you might think.'
0:38:19 > 0:38:21So, Peter, in front of us
0:38:21 > 0:38:24we have some of the trigger foods associated with migraines,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27or as the headlines would call them, "the dirty dozen".
0:38:27 > 0:38:30What are your thoughts on food and triggers to migraines?
0:38:30 > 0:38:33What's emerged from research in the last five to seven years is that
0:38:33 > 0:38:36some things we've traditionally thought of to be food triggers
0:38:36 > 0:38:38are actually the beginnings of the attack.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42Professor Goadsby says that in some cases, a migraine sufferer
0:38:42 > 0:38:46might eat one food or another because their brain is craving it.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48That craving is actually a symptom of a migraine
0:38:48 > 0:38:50that's already started in the brain.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55So the food simply feeds the migraine, but doesn't trigger it.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57For example, they're driven to eat chocolate.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58Five, six, seven hours later
0:38:58 > 0:39:01they have a migraine, and they ascribe the two together.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Whereas in fact, the migraine had already started.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06So if I'm understanding it right, whether I eat the chocolate or not,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08the attack is going to happen?
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Yes. That's the unfortunate part about it,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12because the attack's actually started.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15If you can recognise the early phase of the attack,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17what it allows you to do perhaps is change your behaviour.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22So if an attack's coming, you don't stay up late, you don't skip meals,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25you certainly don't go out and have some alcohol.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28You avoid the more classic triggers,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31that will more or less ensure that the attack goes ahead.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Professor Goadsby says it's not that food DOESN'T trigger migraines,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38but it usually only does so when combined with other factors,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41like stress or lack of sleep.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44So, if a combination of factors
0:39:44 > 0:39:46ARE responsible, what does the Professor make of the headlines
0:39:46 > 0:39:49that put the blame on particular foods?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52"What triggers your migraines?
0:39:52 > 0:39:54"Common culprits like coffee, chocolate and cheese
0:39:54 > 0:39:59"may NOT be to blame, and could actually prevent an attack."
0:39:59 > 0:40:02I wouldn't say that cheese and chocolate can prevent an attack,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05but I... It is true that caffeine has...
0:40:06 > 0:40:08There's a yin and yang, caffeine's been shown to have some
0:40:08 > 0:40:12analgesical, pain-controlling properties, so that wouldn't surprise me.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14OK, and another headline.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17"Scientists think they've found why chocolates and wine cause migraines
0:40:17 > 0:40:19"for some very unlucky people."
0:40:19 > 0:40:23If scientists have found what's in chocolate causes migraine,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26then that would be a remarkable thing, given that it's pretty
0:40:26 > 0:40:30clearly established that chocolate doesn't trigger migraine.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34'So there's a lot more to understand in migraines than meets the eye.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37'And that's because whatever might cause one person's migraines
0:40:37 > 0:40:40'probably has nothing to do with someone else's.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45'There's no catch-all cause, and equally, no universal cure.'
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But Charis Morgan from London has found a simple solution
0:40:49 > 0:40:52to her migraines. She has been suffering with them
0:40:52 > 0:40:54since she was a child, and it's been a mystery her whole life
0:40:54 > 0:40:56as to what brought them on.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00I had a feeling that kind of food, certain foods were a problem,
0:41:00 > 0:41:05but it wasn't really until recently that I kind of came to understand
0:41:05 > 0:41:09how food affected me a lot better.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11When her migraines got especially bad,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15she contacted a national migraine charity for help.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19And they found that it was not to do with WHAT she ate, but how often.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22The team identified that if Charis went too long without eating,
0:41:22 > 0:41:27it could see her blood sugar drop, and that could be her trigger.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30She now eats smaller meals and snacks at regular intervals,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32and it's transformed her life.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34It's had a real improvement, and it's really helped me
0:41:34 > 0:41:37sort of have a sense of control over my headaches.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39And the experts here at the Migraine Centre
0:41:39 > 0:41:43believe the same could be true for other sufferers too.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Because, though everybody's triggers are different,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49lowered blood sugar is a key trigger that can easily be controlled.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52When I started this film, I thought the relationship
0:41:52 > 0:41:55between migraines and food was an obvious one,
0:41:55 > 0:41:59but I was wrong - it's clearly a much bigger picture.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03So Peter, what's your top tips to help avoid an attack?
0:42:03 > 0:42:05First tip is not to worry too much about food,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07from a triggering point of view.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10The second thing is to think about regularity -
0:42:10 > 0:42:12so regular sleep,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14regular meals, regular exercise,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18not too much stress, not too little.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22And then the only thing one shouldn't be too regular about is alcohol.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24So maybe I wasn't too far off the mark
0:42:24 > 0:42:28in thinking a night out could be behind MY migraines -
0:42:28 > 0:42:32even if the cause isn't quite as simple as just too much red wine.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Do you know what?
0:42:40 > 0:42:42I have to say, today's programme has really surprised me.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Obviously I know what we eat does have an EFFECT on our health,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47but I always a bit sceptical about
0:42:47 > 0:42:50how much diet might influence conditions
0:42:50 > 0:42:52like migraines, or even dementia.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55But it's great to know that our meals can actually be medicinal.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57I know, I think that's a really interesting point.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01But what I take away from today's programme is that at least strides
0:43:01 > 0:43:04are being made to help DELAY the onset of dementia.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08Nothing, of course, is definitive yet, but the main message is that
0:43:08 > 0:43:10you should start earlier, so that's you, Chris.
0:43:10 > 0:43:11Shall do.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14But I'm afraid that's where we have to leave it for today -
0:43:14 > 0:43:15thank you so much for your company,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19and we'll see you again very soon to debunk more of those headlines.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21- But for now, from both of us, bye-bye.- Goodbye.