The Mediterranean diet helps prevent some diseases like heart issues, some cancers, and cognitive decline. So we'll dive into details, learn what to eat on it, and its benefits, but keep in mind you should always check with a doctor before starting any diet, and stop if you notice any bad effects. At Fitness Garage, your health is always our top priority.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
When you hear Mediterranean diet, you might think of Italian pasta or Greek lamb, but that doesn't fully match the healthy Mediterranean diet. Actually, this diet relies on vegetables and fruits, nuts, beans, olive oil, and some traditional dairy products.
That's how the people of Crete island and Greece ate after they got many chronic diseases because of lack of medical resources. This diet had a positive effect on their health. It’s not just about food but also connected to physical activity as well as mental and physical health.
You should avoid or stop ready-made and canned foods, and eat more of some foods like pepperoni, avocado, and some fish. This can be hard for some girls because it’s a big change from what we usually eat at home.
Benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
Following this diet focused on veggies, fruits, and fish has many health benefits, which are:
First benefit: It prevents heart diseases and strokes
Avoid eating processed meats, refined baked goods, and also Eating lots of fruits and vegetables helps prevent heart diseases, strokes, and diseases related to arteries.
The second benefit: It keeps your body fit
If you are elderly, this diet helps you reduce the chance of getting many weakness diseases that come with aging, like muscle weakness.
The third benefit: It lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease
Research shows this diet improves cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and blood vessel health, which lowers the chance of diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.
The fourth benefit: It cuts the risk of Parkinson's disease in half
When you eat a lot of fruits and veggies, you get a big amount of antioxidants, so Reduces oxidative stress, Its positive effect is clear in stopping cell damage and cutting the chance of Parkinson's disease by half.
Fifth benefit: Lowers death rates
By reducing the risk of many diseases, You live longer in good health, and research showed it made the people of Crete island have 20% less death rate.
Sixth benefit: Cuts risk of type 2 diabetes
The lots of fiber in this diet digests slowly which helps keep a healthy weight, controls blood sugar levels, and also reduces sugar level spikes.
Facts about the Mediterranean diet:
There are some facts you should know about this diet:
- You can rely on lentils, fava beans, and some veggies as a protein source. They are cheap too, so you don't have to buy expensive dishes to follow this diet.
- Don't overeat pasta. Make it a small side dish and focus more on eating veggies and fish.
- You need to do a lot of physical activity and not just rely on the diet. The people of Crete island were always moving.
How do you change your diet?
Here are some guidelines you can start with to change your diet:
Step one: Add lots of vegetables
You can put tomato slices on a small plate of cheese and eat it. Also, try eating light vegetable pizza instead of sausages. You can also try vegetable soup or lentil soup.
Step two: Eat breakfast
Fruits and whole grains help you feel full for a long time because they have a lot of fiber.
Step three: Eat seafood twice a week
Fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and great for heart and artery health. You can also add mussels and oysters.
Step four: Be vegetarian for one day
Pick one day a week and don’t eat meat, fish, or chicken. Just eat vegetables and legumes. For more benefit, you can do this two days a week.
Step five: Enjoy dairy products
Try to enjoy unprocessed dairy products, but don't go over 200 calories a day. These include: Greek yogurt, natural cheese, and other dairy.
Step six: Use healthy fats
Always try to use healthy fats like unprocessed olive oil, avocado, and seeds like chia and sunflower seeds.
