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..