The Wonderful Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is now recognized as one of the healthiest in the world consisting as it does of large amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, salads, nuts, seeds, omega-3 rich oily fish, olives, and olive oil and being comparitively low in dairy products and red meats. The people of the Mediterranean region, particuarly Greece and Spain, are very fortunate to live in an area where naturally healthy food is readily and cheaply available. The incidence of heart disease and cancer are lower here than anywhere else in the western world and experts now believe this is due in great part to what has become known as the Mediterranean diet. Modern farming techniques and world wide transport has changed most peoples diets dramatically in the past centuary and it is now widely believed that such changes have had an exteremely detrimental effect on our health. Fortunately the impact of these developments has not had such a catastrophic effect in Mediterranean regions
where to a large extent traditional diets are still followed. Of course with the advent of Globalization and MacDonald's! this is sadly changing. However we can all learn alot form what has become known as the Mediterranean diet and by adopting it,vastly improve our health and longevity. The foods that grow naturally and abundantly in that region and have always formed a part of the local diet are as follows: Olives, avocados, oranges, lemons, garlic, wild asparagus, walnuts, almonds,tomatoes, artichokes, figs, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums, spinach, broad beans, peppers along with many other of the more common fruits and vegetables. These provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fibre along with a wide variety of antioxidants and phytochemicals, the importance of which scientists are only now beginning to recognize as they discover more and more healthful benefits of including these elements in our diet. Historically alot of the milk was produced from goats and cheese made from goats and ewes milk. Very little red meat is eaten and a large majority of the protein is supplied by oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, sword fish, boquerones and anchovies. The main oil used is olive, traditionally cold pressed virgin, and this is used not only for cooking and in salads but also for putting on bread in place of butter. All these foods provide a wide variety of nutriments which have an astonishing array of claims for improving our health such as lowering cholesterol, improving our immune system which thus not only fights infections but also helps to prevent cancer, increasing our metabolism, improving insulin sensitivity and thus lessening the risk of diabetes. It really has never been so true that you are what you eat. Certainly since moving to Andalucia and adopting the Mediteranean diet myself I have never been so healthy or managed to maintain my ideal weight so easily. Of coures in addition to all the healthy components of this diet there is the added fact that honey is often used in place of sugar and little refined carbohydrates are eaten. All in all most experts now agree that the Mediterranean diet is the optimum diet Article submitted by Ruth Polak the owner of http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com a web site that specializes in holiday properties on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. In addition you will find lots of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular.
Related News
INFINIT Nutrition raffling a free registration to the Suzuki 24 ... - PPOLNews (press release)
Planet Nutrition's Subsidiary IM & M Exercise Equipment Inc ... - CNNMoney.com
New tool helps schools track physical activity and nutrition policies - Leland Tribune
County school board sends out nutrition bids - Lexington Dispatch
County school board sends out nutrition bidsLexington Dispatch, NC -5 hours agoBy Deneesha Edwards Invitations for bids from the Davidson County Board of Education’s Child Nutrition Department were mailed out Wednesday, ... |
Vitamin Shoppe Launches New Online Community - MarketWatch
Vitamin Shoppe Launches New Online CommunityMarketWatch -2 hours ago"Since the boards launched in early August, topics that have been discussed include nutrition, dieting, health conditions, bodybuilding, and vitamins," ... |
BioGaia Enters Agreement With Nestlé Nutrition - NPIcenter (press release)
BioGaia Enters Agreement With Nestlé NutritionNPIcenter (press release), Canada -4 hours agoThe company already has an agreement with Nestlé Nutrition in the area of healthcare nutrition. Nestlé Nutrition is the world leader in specialised ... |
Public input: School lunches not good eating - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Public input: School lunches not good eatingAtlanta Journal Constitution, USA -2 hours agoBrownies given the same nutritional value as a slice of whole-wheat bread. Federal nutrition programs are failing children and contributing to an epidemic ... |
Day Care Meal Provider Serves Up Nutrition and Education - MarketWatch
Chinese Professor Joins Herbalife's Nutrition Advisory Board - MarketWatch
Don’t let rising food costs affect nutrition - NorthernLife.ca
Don’t let rising food costs affect nutritionNorthernLife.ca, Canada -2 hours ago(NC)-While food prices continue to rise, it is important to ensure that child nutrition and the healthy development of children remain a priority both at ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Busy Mums Guide to Losing Weight
Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often makes many women feel unattractive and sometimes quite depressed. Many women still believe that "eating for two" is the way to go during pregnancy. I am sorry if I disappoint some of you, but this really is not the case. If a woman eats to satisfy her appetite, her weight will usually increase by about 3.5kg (8lb) in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and then by about 0.5kg (1lb) a week until the end of the pregnancy. The total weight gain during pregnancy will be about 12.5kg (27lb). Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can raise blood pressure and increases the risk of becoming obese (very overweight) in the future. Although women should not restrict their food intake or go on slimming diets when pregnant, there is no need to increase food intakes significantly until late pregnancy. Incidentally, those who do gain weight over and above what is normal are the ones who struggle most with post-pregnancy weight loss, and fatigue.
What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits
Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a kick out of feeding her one of her meals of squash. Okay, so not all of it got in her mouth, but she was pretty cooperative overall.
Missing Link to the Immune System
For decades science has been looking for the answers to our health problems in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates have long been overlooked - thought just to be energy or calories and play no other significant role.
The Truth About Omega 3
Since Dr Basant Puri, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer at London's Imperial College MRI unit, released his findings on Omega 3 and its effect on brain function and depression, many studies have been performed regarding the beneficial effects this fatty acid. Studies over the past two years have consistently confirmed that Omega 3, a substance lacking in today's "diet" is a key component in the brain's development and proper functioning.
The Joys of Being Healthy
It is amazing to be able to say I am a whole, happy, healthy, loving woman. I was sick for the first 40 years of my life. Like millions of other human beings I grew up immersed in the family disease of alcoholism. For generations it has plagued my family. The unbalanced life I led is so common in our society; I didnt know anything was wrong. I was a participant in the chaos, confusion, neuroses, pain and suffering which is present in dysfunctional families. I call it The Dance of Death.
Guidelines to a Healthy Diet
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from the different food groups. In order for women to lose one to two pounds a week, they should consume between 1200 and 1500 calories a day.
Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process, Scientists Say
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging, and live healthier longer, simply by eating certain foods? U.S. Government scientists now say it's possible.
Five Reasons You Should Drink More Water
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more water!". Yet, 99% of the people don't heed this advice. Maybe if water was more expensive, people would pay more attention to consume enough of it on a daily basis. We are living in a dehydrated world of carbonated beverages, caffeine and alcohol.
3 Things You Want to Know About Cholesterol
You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, would you?
Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.
Use Food and Focus to Gain Tons of Energy for Summer
While there are many effective ways to get more energy and build your productivity,
I've found it very important to pay attention to the seasons.
The Truth About the Meat You Eat
There are so many topics to discuss which affect our health that it is hard to choose just one at a time. My motto is Unhealthy Soil = Unhealthy Plants and Animals = Unhealthy People. With that in mind, let's discuss meat, fish and meat substitutes. I just read an article by some well meaning person who was bragging that chicken and soy are good for you ? WRONG!
South Beach Diet - US vs. World
Diets concern especially Americans as they do have a "national weight problem". So it would only be natural that dieting issues be so over proportioned in the US. Also, "miracle diet recipes" are very popular and make way rapidly into people's minds. This also happened with the South Beach Diet ? the diet that will not only allow you get rid of a lot of weight rapidly without starving but will also help you improve your health condition.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: What are They, Really?
"The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine."
Omega-3s are "fatty acids" that help build other fats in the body. They derive their name from their chemical structure -- the "omega" end of the molecule has its first double bond in the "3" position.
Know what that means? Do you really care what that means? Isnt fat just fat?
Lawsuits on Foods and Diets
The dangers of processed foods and diets
4 Steps To Brain Health
New studies bring to our attention that high levels of cholesterol might make the brain cells more prone to dementia. The heart and brain are connected to long term health - many things that heart patients do are good for all of us to keep our brain healthy, too. So by preventing a heart attack, you can avoid brain drain.
How to Stop Bad Breath In 4 Refreshing Steps
OK, no more excuses. Here's how to stop making everyone laugh behind your back after getting a whiff of your noxious breath.
Allergy Approaches through Nutrition
Spring in New York City is a really magical time. Flowers and tree buds bring so much beauty to our coveted parks. I was walking through the park this past week and was really loving the site of all those bright, yellow daffodils! However, I also noticed more than one person sneezing in less than a matter of minutes!
Helping Your Immune System Win The War Against Disease
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war against covert terrorism, your immune system is similarly waging a constant war against the hidden enemies within your body.
How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know the answer to this question yet in practice they fail. Everybody I've talked to seems to know that 8-12 glasses of water a day is the recommended standard. But if I ask them how many glasses of water have you consumed today? The answer is usually none. Or the other standard answer at a corporate environment "does coffee count?"
|
