It's no secret how the Mediterranean diet does wonders to people's health. This food lifestyle is commonly practiced by people in the Mediterranean region and has been spreading to other parts of the world. Following the Mediterranean diet, however, isn't enough. It's also important to model your lifestyle around it to access its full range of benefits.
The Mediterranean diet involves high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and lean sources of protein such as chicken, fish, and turkey, Parent Herald previously covered. The diet avoids processed food and sugar and harmful saturated fat. Olive oil, canola oil, avocado, and nuts serve as the sources of the Mediterranean diet's healthy fat.
Following the Mediterranean diet means subscribing to the lifestyle that it requires, too. According to The Washington Post, the Mediterranean region (which involves the countries of Italy, Israel, Greece, Turkey, and France, among others) doesn't appreciate the way people in the United States consume their food fast. The Mediterranean diet is meant to be savored, with people slowing down and enjoying the company of others while eating.
Some people, especially those who have demanding jobs, don't have the time to sit down, eat, and converse for long periods. As an alternative, they can sit, avoid electronic devices for a while, and slow down their eating even just slightly for a mindful eating.
The Mediterranean diet is also known for following traditional eating patterns, which helps people avoid overeating and make them feel good after a meal. Practicing traditional eating patterns positively affects the body's digestion process.
The Mediterranean region highly favors food quality and taste, which means that it's normal to care deeply about food and how it's produced. Their meals may have a simple appearance, but it is filled with highly nutritious and top-notch ingredients. Needless to say, the Mediterranean region shuns low-quality and hyper-processed foods that often come with unhealthy additives, sodium, and sugar.
The Mediterranean diet also strictly follows seasonal eating. A seasonal produce approach ensures that fruits and vegetables taste best and also offers variety instead of eating the same meals again and again.
The Mediterranean diet is known for improving the brain's cognition and deters its decline. It also slows down the brain's decline to Alzheimer's disease, according to a research published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July found that the Mediterranean diet improves bone health and lowers risk of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart problems. The Mediterranean diet is also more successful at weight loss than low-fat diets, CNN reports.
