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The term “Mediterranean Diet” (Med Diet) refers to human practices, including agriculture, fishing and nutrition that have been associated with a healthy life and considered by the UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This millennial lifestyle is characterised by the production of agro foods through sustainable agricultural practices, respectful of the seasonality, fishing-following the natural cycle of fish proliferation and growth, cooking systems as well as the time of food intake during the day. In terms of nutrition, the Med Diet is centred on the consumption of whole grains, olive oil, legumes, fish, fruits and vegetables, including aromatic herbs. A combination of these foods provides a perfect balance between macro- and micronutrients, which are functional for the control of the glycaemic index, protection against oxidative stress and normalization of blood lipid levels. These effects result in a lower incidence of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. As the pressure of globalization puts at a risk of extinction the cultural background of the Med Diet and hampers its transfer to future generations, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the Med Diet is presented. In order to support this alimentary tradition, some suggestions are proposed as well.

The term “Mediterranean Diet” (Med Diet) refers to human practices, including agriculture, fishing and nutrition that have been associated with a healthy life and considered by the UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This millennial lifestyle is characterised by the production of agro foods through sustainable agricultural practices, respectful of the seasonality, fishing-following the natural cycle of fish proliferation and growth, cooking systems as well as the time of food intake during the day. In terms of nutrition, the Med Diet is centred on the consumption of whole grains, olive oil, legumes, fish, fruits and vegetables, including aromatic herbs. A combination of these foods provides a perfect balance between macro- and micronutrients, which are functional for the control of the glycaemic index, protection against oxidative stress and normalization of blood lipid levels. These effects result in a lower incidence of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. As the pressure of globalization puts at a risk of extinction the cultural background of the Med Diet and hampers its transfer to future generations, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the Med Diet is presented. In order to support this alimentary tradition, some suggestions are proposed as well.

Summary: Carnosine (ß-alanyl-L-histidine) (Fig 1) is a cytoplasmic dipeptide synthesized from the precursors L-histidine and ß-alanine by carnosine synthetase and degraded by carnosinase which regulates its cellular level. Carnosine is present in relatively high concentrations in skeletal muscle (5–10 mM) and other excitable tissues, such as nervous tissue. Given that the pKa of the imidazole ring is 6.83, carnosine acts as a physicochemical buffer in myocytes. This function is consistent with the fact that carnosine is present in higher concentrations in glycolytic than in oxidative muscle fibers, with the highest levels found in animals that perform frequent sprint exercises (e.g., greyhounds, thoroughbred horses), explosive flight behaviors (e.g., pheasants), and prolonged hypoxic dives (e.g., whales) (1). Recent studies have described other biological roles for carnosine such as antioxidant, antidiabetic (reduction of glycation), anti-aging (lengthening of chromatid telomere), anti-cataract (when administered as eye-drops) and anti-autism (2). The present paper reviews some recent studies on the role of carnosine in athletes and in the elderly and adds some preliminary results from athletes in acute and stressed conditions where lactic acid is produced. MediaObjects/13749_2012_Article_BF03223387_Fig1_HTML.jpgFigure 1 Chemical structure of carnosine (ß-alanyl-L-histidine)