What Diet Is Right For You? Part 1. Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet.

Seduced by Paleo, or maybe you like the Mediterranean, no matter what your choice there is a lot of consideration when selecting a diet. I am not a fan of quick-fix weight-loss diets. Firstly of all, they can do more harm than good. Secondly, they are not sustainable over the long-term. In comparison, a well thought out diet with a proven track record back by research is without a doubt much more likely to provide long-lasting results.

So over the next 8 blogs in my series “What Diet Is Right For You?” I will cover 8 diets that have research and improved health outcomes for those who follow them. My goal is to provide you with the knowledge to make an informed decision on what diet best supports your health needs. Here is the list: :

The Mediterranean diet

One of the most researched diets on the planet is the traditional Mediterranean diet. So much research has gone into this diet to find out how and why it helps to prevent:

Cardiovascular disease
Improve cholesterol levels
Prevent metabolic syndrome
Insulin resistance
Treat obesity
Increase longevity.

Above all else, this diet addressed the biggest killer in our western society “cardiovascular disease” killing three times more people than cancer.

History

The diet dates back to over 2000 years ago when a fusion between dietary patterns of different civilisations occurred with the Roman Empire and the Germanic people, and then crossed overtime with the Arab world, which had its own unique food culture on the shores of the Mediterranean. ref

Mediterranean diet fish

What does the diet consist of?

The Mediterranean diet consists of:

Lots of these foods:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Whole grains
- Beans and legumes
- Nuts
- herbs and spices
- Healthy fats in particularly olive oil
- water
- Fish high in omega 3 fatty acids
Moderate amounts of these foods
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Yoghurt
- cheeses
- Red wine

Some of these foods
- Meat
- Sweets

Is it just a diet or are there other factors?

Is it all about the food, the lifestyle or the culture or a combination of the all of these? For me it the latter is true. This diet works as part of a larger picture where the lifestyle, culture and food are key factors in a synergistic role towards the diet’s success:

The lifestyle
- Is Relaxed
- People take time out to eat
- They are very physically active each day.
  - Walking
  - Running
  - Dancing
  - Gardening

The culture

- It’s a lot about family and food
- Work happens at its own pace, shops don’t open until 10:00am close a 1:00pm for lunch and open again at 5:00pm till late.
- When eating they socialise with loved ones.

The Food

- Is fresh
- A wide diversity
- Big emphasis on vegetables
- Lots of olive oil

Diet Guidelines

Always check with your health care professional before starting a new diet.

Food and herb-drug interactions do happen. With that in mind, this diet is recommended for the prevention of:

Cardiovascular disease
Obesity
Metabolic syndrome
Insulin resistance

The key point to remember is that the Mediterranean diet is not just about food, lifestyle and culture.

If there are any aspects of your diet, you would like to discuss or clarify, please feel free to contact me through this web site or if it is of a more private nature contact me through my direct email. My goal is to provide you with the knowledge to make an informed decision on what diet best supports your health needs.