​Seniors Matter(s): The Mediterranean Diet!

Quite a while ago, I discussed the China Study by Colin Campbell.

It described a whole plant food diet. Let’s look at another one I am working on.

In the mid-1900s, scientists became aware that people in several Mediterranean countries were healthier and lived longer than in other regions of the world. So, researchers started studying the diet and lifestyle of the Mediterranean people to find out if what they ate, and how they lived, had anything to do with the reason they were healthier.

What they discovered is that the diet of the Mediterranean people was much different than the Western diet and its benefits include a reduction in cardiovascular disease, lower risk of cancer, reduced incidence of inflammation, oxidative stress and lower insulin levels. Thus, the Mediterranean Diet was born.

Mediterranean cuisine is about fresh, healthy foods and balanced meals. Onions, olives, chicken, whole grains, cabbage and loads of flavor mean this meal is sure to keep taste buds entertained and waistlines in check.

The people in the southern regions of Greece and Italy have many things in common when it comes to diet and lifestyle. They eat mostly fresh, locally-grown food (not having access to many of the unhealthy processed foods in the Western diet.

Foods on the diet include:
 

• Brightly-coloured, thick-skinned fruits, including apples, berries, red grapes, and oranges
• Brightly-coloured vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes
• Cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil (a great source of mono-unsaturated fat that lowers bad cholesterol [LDL] levels and raises healthy cholesterol [HDL] levels)
• Fresh herbs and spices
• Fresh, wild-caught cold-water fish, such as cod, mackerel, oysters, and tuna
• Green leafy vegetables, including collard greens, kale, spinach, and Romaine lettuce
• Lean meat, such as chicken and turkey
• Nuts and seeds, including Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, and walnuts
• Red wine (in limited amounts, one glass per day for women, two glasses per day for men)
• Whole grains, such as barley, oatmeal, quinoa and more
• Extra virgin olive oil (replacing butter, which is high in saturated fat)
• Primarily vegetable sources of protein, such as beans and legumes
• Very little red meat - this is where it differs from the China study inasmuch that if it isn’t from the ground, you don’t eat it

The lifestyle of the people, who socialize frequently and are physically active every day, makes the diet astounding for overall health and disease prevention, on many different illnesses — including Alzheimer’s Disease.

While on the diet, you are asked to limit animal products, such as eggs, low-fat cheese, and yogurt (in moderation), as well as the following:
 

• Artificial sugar
• Fried food
• Processed foods (crackers, boxed instant foods, packaged potato chips and more)
• Red meat should be limited (rarely)
• Starchy foods
• Sugary foods
• Trans-fats (lard)
• Unhealthy saturated fats (butter)
• White pasta
• Low-fat dairy as one to two servings per day of plain (no sugar added) Greek yogurt with live cultures, a four-ounce glass of low-fat milk, or one to two ounces of low-fat cheese.
• Fatty fish from cold-water sources, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, was shown in studies to be an important factor in brain and heart health. Fish should not be fried in oil, but baked or broiled. Farm-raised fish is considered by many food experts to be unhealthy and toxic, and should be avoided altogether.

When I visited Italy for three months, I had to change my eating habits, adding more colourful fruits and vegetables, along with healthy grains, to my diet, simply because my usual options weren’t there. The benefits of doing that were numerous.

Since developing diabetes, I have realized it has helped with an increased control of insulin levels. I believe I developed diabetes in a very short time frame after following the plant-based diet and indulging irrationally in snacks and treats, loading myself full of sugar and carbs. Since going a little Mediterranean, plant-based, I am close to no longer being insulin-dependent (a goal I am actively seeking).

What this means is that adopting only part of the Mediterranean diet will not be beneficial if I top it up with snacks.

Finally, alcohol consumption (no more than two small glasses of red/white wine per day) is essential in letting the diet work.

I am currently looking into a new one called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, (DASH) but the diet includes more meat and dairy products than I am comfortable with. (Details may follow)

As with all aspects of my life, I am working on it.

‘Till next time!