HEALTH
The Mediterranean Diet…and Beyond How to be health conscious without giving up the pleasures of fine food.
W
hen put to the scientific test, the Mediterranean diet consistently comes out at or very near the top among various eating approaches. The diet derives from the healthy, locally sourced foods and slow-paced, stress-free lifestyle enjoyed by people living near the Mediterranean Sea. Scientific studies have shown that the diet may reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Researchers have also found that people who closely follow a Mediterranean diet may live a longer life and be less likely to put on weight. Here are the diet’s five basic guidelines:
1
Eat plenty of fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables; dry-roasted
30 Spring 2017 / Live Naturally
BY LAYNE LIEBERMAN
nuts and seeds; legumes like chickpeas and lentils; potatoes; whole grains including bread and pasta; and local seafood—and use fresh herbs, spices and cold-pressed, fresh olive oil.
2
Enjoy local eggs, poultry, fresh cheeses and yogurt in moderation.
3
Drink wine in moderation, and with meals.
4
Choose red meat occasionally.
Eliminate added sugar and sugarsweetened beverages, refined grains, processed meat, refined oils and other highly processed foods.
5
*
May is Interna tional Medite rranea n Diet M onth.
But it’s not just a diet—it’s a way of life. When the concept of the Mediterranean diet was first developed in the 1960s, fast-food restaurants were nonexistent, and there were few processed and packaged foods. It’s quite different from the U.S.’s current grab-and-go, obsessively-reading-food-label-ingredients lifestyle. So how can we incorporate the Mediterranean philosophy with our contemporary society? By employing the modern lifestyle and dietary practices of today’s healthiest European countries: Switzerland, Italy and France. People in these countries walk the line between staying healthy and enjoying decadent foods. For example, the Swiss
SHUTTERSTOCK
kitchen