The Mediterranean Diet has stood the test of time as the world's optimal diet for better health, and a longer, happier life
Here’s what you need to know about this way of life, and how it can benefit you.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet is a healthy lifestyle, traditional to the olive-growing countries of the Mediterranean. While we most commonly think of countries such as Greece, Spain, and Italy, the Mediterranean diet actually spans the many countries that border the Mediterranean sea, each with its unique culture and cuisine.
Unlike the ‘diets’ we commonly see these days, the Med diet is not centred around restrictive habits or elimination of foods, nor is it simply a plan to follow for a few weeks or months. Rather, it encourages a flexible, long-term approach that focuses on food inclusion rather than exclusion.
But, the Mediterranean Diet extends beyond just the food we eat… It encompasses an entire lifestyle pattern in which the way we eat, self-care, and our living environments, all come together for optimal health and wellbeing.
Simply put, it is a truly enjoyable and natural way to live and eat.
THE BASIC PRINCIPLES
Regular physical activity, adequate rest, self-care, and social interaction
-
A largely plant-based diet with daily consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts seeds, grains, legumes
-
The principal use of extra virgin olive oil
-
Weekly consumption of fish and seafood
-
Moderate dairy, egg, and poultry consumption
-
Red meat and sweets eaten sparingly
-
A focus on fresh and minimally processed food
You’ll see that there is no list of foods that are off-limits, and that’s because the Mediterranean diet values the importance of flexibility and food enjoyment…It’s my mission to help you find that happy balance between eating for good health and enjoyment, so you can build a lifestyle that you truly love!
What are the health benefits?
The Mediterranean Diet is the most comprehensively studied diet in the world and remains the most scientifically validated diet for optimal health.
Studies have proven time and time again that the Mediterranean Diet is the ideal diet for heart health and for preventing illnesses such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and some cancers. It is also an effective and sustainable weight management approach that does not rely on restriction or elimination.
Most recent research has focused its attention on the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet on cognitive function, mental health (treatment of depression) and healthy aging. These effects are largely due to the high intake of protective anti-inflammatory and gut-loving foods common to the diet.
But beyond these physiological benefits, the Mediterranean Diet fosters a sense of overall personal wellbeing. It is the combined effect of whole-body health and wellbeing that makes this way of life an undisputed winner against any fad diet that simply promotes weight-loss, at any expense.
FAQs
-
Yes! The Mediterranean diet principles can be adapted to your preferences, culture, and location - it’s about the types of foods you eat and their proportions, rather than specific recipes or flavours.
-
No, this way of eating is a balanced approach that focuses on including foods from all food groups in proportions that most benefit overall health. Carbohydrates are generally consumed in moderate amounts, alongside protein and healthy fats.
-
Absolutely! There are no foods that are completely off-limits… It’s my job as your coach to teach you how to incorporate fun foods into your diet in a way that still allows you to reach and maintain your goals.
-
This requires a mindset shift! This is not a ‘diet’ in the sense that it does not give you a list of rules to follow for a set amount of time. View it more as a set of skills, and habits you can rely on for the rest of your life.
Keeping that in mind, many people start to see progress towards their goals in the first few weeks and months of starting the Mediterranean diet.
-
Yes, it is an effective weight management approach that does not rely on restriction or elimination like many fad diets do.
Because the Mediterranean Diet is a flexible and enjoyable way of eating, it is also sustainable, so the results you achieve are easier to maintain long term.
NEXT STEPS
