The Mediterranean Diet

[Audio] The Mediterranean Diet by Sofia Alimonos.

[Audio] The Mediterranean diet is a diet inspired by the eating habits of people who live by the Mediterranean Sea. This diet is recommended to people looking to improve their overall health..

[Audio] Who is this diet for? This diet is recommended to people looking to improve their overall health. Although just about anyone can can follow it..

[Audio] The diet encourages fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy fats. The main focus of this diet is on plant foods so this means consuming low amounts of animal products including meat, while fish and seafood should be eaten a minimum of twice a week..

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[Audio] There are no set restrictions on this type of diet but it promotes limiting processed foods, added sugar, and refined grains. This includes white bread, white rice, table sugar, syrups, candy, baked goods, and chips..

[Audio] Although alcohol should be limited or cut back and smoking is not allowed..

[Audio] Not only does this diet look at what you eat but your lifestyle and mental health. This diet is built to last. While on this diet physical activity should be done regularly. This means 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week. In addition sharing meals with others is recommended. Sharing meals with others can boost your mood and build deeper connections to your community.

[Audio] Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Obesity is not a condition but is a health problem that progresses over time from overconsumption of calories while a decrease of calories is expended. Being obese increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some cancers. But obesity is a treatable condition..

[Audio] For instance, a study done in Europe, "analyzed a cohort of 497,308 people aged between 25 and 70 years from 10 European countries. In this study, it was shown that, within 3 years, a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a significantly lower body mass index and waist circumference 33 inches.". The Mediterranean diet is an excellent alternative to typical diets because it is more sustainable over a longer period of time..

[Audio] Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes.The Mediterranean diet does have an effect on your metabolism but in a positive way. Highly processed foods with simple sugars can spike blood sugar quickly and lead to insulin resistance. The eating patterns of this diet such as primarily consuming fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains will help regulate insulin and inflammation in the body. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. Nuts provide healthy fats like omega 3's and some protein. Lastly whole grains provide fiber which lowers the secretion of insulin..

[Audio] For instance, this diet is, "considered to be modulators of insulin resistance, can exert beneficial effects on blood pressure, improve atherogenic dyslipidemia or attenuate the inflammatory burden associated with metabolic syndrome.". Eating nutrient-dense foods provides the body with what it needs to function properly..

[Audio] Following the Mediterranean diet is a good example of building healthy dietary patterns because it more sustainable in comparison to other fad diets . Overall this diet can prevent cardiovascular disease, increase lifespan, and healthy aging. The benefits of this diet are heightened when combined with physical activity and if alcohol and tobacco consumption are limited..

[Audio] Lastly I am going to share some meal ideas that can be easily put together when partaking in this diet. A few examples of what a breakfast would like are greek yogurt with berries, oatmeal with berries, cinnamon, and almonds or scrambled eggs with veggies such as spinach or peppers with a slice of whole wheat bread..

[Audio] Three lunch examples that follow the Mediterranean diet could be mixed greens with tomatoes and other veggies dressed with olive oil and vinegar and some pita bread with hummus, quinoa with peppers, tomatoes, olives, and garbanzo beans topped with feta cheese, or a salmon bowl with farro, greens, dressed with a tahini style dressing.

[Audio] A few dinner ideas for this diet could be mediterranean stuffed chicken breasts, sheet pan salmon with broccoli and sweet potatoes, or a pea and spinach carbonara..

[Audio] Three desserts that you can enjoy on the mediterranean diet are banana nice cream, avocado chocolate mousse, or greek yogurt with honey and walnuts..

Sources. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2022, March 29). Obesity . MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/obesity.html#:~:text=Obesity%20means%20having%20too%20much,for%20his%20or%20her%20height. https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/biof.1096 Diet Review: Mediterranean diet . The Nutrition Source. (2022, April 4). Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/#:~:text=Research%20has%20consistently%20shown%20that,the%20course%20of%2012%20years..