Health Hotline Magazine | August 2024

Mediterranean Diet The An eating lifestyle that promotes health, longevity, and healthy aging By Lindsay Wilson

We’ve all heard of the Mediterranean Diet (MD). It is the most researched diet in the world and is a long-running favorite of healthcare practitioners and nutritionists. It comes out on top nearly every year as the best diet to eat for good health (it has been named the number one diet seven years in a row by US News & World Report) and there is no sign of its popularity waning. There’s good reason for this. All of that research has proven it’s golden for overall health and longevity, it’s easy to follow (it doesn’t focus on individual foods, but rather whole food groups), it is family friendly, and can be adapted to other types of diets, like vege tarian or Paleo. What is it? The MD is the traditional diet eaten in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea—namely southern Italy, southern Spain, northern Africa, Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Middle East. Characteristics of the original MD include a high consumption of virgin olive oil; high intake of vegetables, fruits, and legumes; regular consumption of fatty fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat, and nuts; the use of spices and herbs; and small amounts of alcohol (typically a small glass of wine with a meal). Addi tionally, the diet promotes sharing meals with family and friends and slowing down to savor the tastes, aromas, and textures of food. And yes, it really is that good for you. A Diet You Can Live (A Long Time) With A large body of research shows that following a MD reduces the risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), certain types of cancers, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthri tis, and asthma. Research also indicates that following a MD supports a healthy weight. Accordingly, the MD also seems to promote longevity and healthy aging. It is likely that the potential health benefits from the MD come from the synergistic effects of an increased intake of phy tonutrients, including flavonoids and other antioxidants, omega-3 fats, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. The many health benefits of a MD are related to its ability to reduce inflammation and oxidation in the body, both underlying causes of most modern-day diseases. The ATTICA study, a large, cross-sectional study involving 1,128 men and 1,154 women found that those most closely following a MD had lower levels of several markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, fibrinogen, and homocysteine. Other studies have shown that extra-virgin and virgin ol ive oils, staples in the MD, contain phenolic compounds that suppress several pro-inflammatory genes and protect red blood cells from oxidation, which leads us to cardiovascular health…

Natural Grocers ® | 25