Adams Media - Try-It Diet: Mediterranean Diet: A Two-Week Healthy Eating Plan

Avon, Massachusetts

A Try-It Diet is just that a diet that you can try out for two weeks to see if it is a good fit for you. Keep in mind that not every diet is right for every person; please consult with your doctor before making radical changes to your diet.

The Mediterranean cuisine offers so much variety with the different produce of the region and the variety of herbs and spices that it really is easy to dine healthfully.

Following the Mediterranean diet will boost your fruit, vegetable, and whole grain intake, making it easy for you to get the fiber you need for health and satiety; the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain a healthy body and an active lifestyle; and the phytonutrients that seem to help with the promotion of health and prevention of disease.

The Mediterranean diet has been enjoyed for centuries, but within the last sixty years it has been the subject of much interest. People in the southern Mediterranean countries tend to have less heart disease, even though they consume more fat than many dietary guidelines recommend. In addition, a core element of diet in many of the Mediterranean countries is the consumption of wine. These two factors together seem to contradict the concept of healthful eating, but for people in the Mediterranean they are a part of life. Another factor that characterizes the diet is the use of oils, nuts, and seeds. The use of oils, in place of animal fats, seems to provide not only more healthy fats but also provides a variety of phytonutrients, which help in the prevention of disease.

Understanding the role of diet in the health of the Mediterranean people has been a topic of much research with studies looking at components of the diet; is it the fruits and vegetables, the wine, or is it the total diet? These questions still perplex researchers, and have caused other researchers to look at the overall lifestyle as a contributor to health. People in the Mediterranean region spend more time walking, tending to gardens, and biking for recreation and transportation, so this movement could also be a factor in the health of the region.

Another lifestyle factor is the importance of time with family and friends. Mealtime is often long and slow paced. The midday meal is a time for everyone to take a break, savoring the meal and the company of others. Taking time to smell, taste, and savor the flavors of a meal improves the feeling of satisfaction, a factor that makes it easier to enjoy smaller portions. Taking time to savor foods requires a plan, and that plan needs to include an understanding of why changes in your eating patterns are important, tips for making small, gradual changes along with recipes, and suggestions for how to make foods more enjoyable.

In addition to choosing the right foods, the traditional Mediterranean diet is very focused on the right balance of these foods. If you want to make the Mediterranean pyramid work for you, consider the following tips: Choose your fruits and vegetables by their season; Focus on whole grains and whole fruits and vegetables; Choose fish or shellfish twice a week; Enjoy red meat once or twice a week; Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy choices; If you drink alcohol, keep portions moderate.

Meals in the Mediterranean are built around fruits and vegetables with smaller amounts of protein foods. Some of the grains found in the various Mediterranean diets include whole-grain breads, couscous, rice, polenta, and bulgur.

In addition to the variety of grains found in Mediterranean diets, vegetables and fruits fill many breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates. Some of the frequently consumed fruits and vegetables include artichokes, arugula, beets, dandelion greens, eggplant, avocados, apricots, oranges, pomegranates, and olives.

Beans are often used as entres or side dishes, with the most common being chickpeas, cannellini, fava, and green beans. Nuts and seeds are added to many Mediterranean dishes: pine nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, and walnuts.

Complementing the plant foods are dairy foods like yogurt, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. Animal proteins are mainly from chicken and fish with salmon, sardines, shrimp, and tilapia being most common. And finally, olive oil and herbs and spices boost the flavor of Mediterranean cuisine, with basil, cloves, oregano, parsley, sage, and savory being some of the more commonly used herbs and spices.

While people in the Mediterranean region consume healthful foods, they also include movement or activity in much of their day. The original Mediterranean routine was built around tending to farms, so walking, plowing, and raking were everyday activities. In addition, mode of transport was often walking or biking, so again, a boost to calorie burning, an aid to cardiovascular health, and a regulator of overall body functions. For most Americans, physical activity is not a part of the daily routine and for many it is not even a part of their lifestyle. While guidelines recommend two and a half hours of aerobic activity every week, fewer than 60 percent of Americans meet this guideline. In addition to this aerobic activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that you do some type of muscle-strengthening activity two or more days a week.

If youre finding it difficult to add activity to your routine, you might find it easier to start with small steps and build from there. If you can walk for ten minutes a day, you can slowly build this to twenty minutes and then thirty minutes. Some ways to get started are to park your car a little further away from work, walk one more stop when catching the bus or train, or take the stairs when you get to work. As your endurance increases, you will find that you dont breathe as heavily during activities and this will be your clue that it might be time to increase the length of time. As your daily length of time gets closer to thirty minutes, you can add more days. The important thing is that you make activity a regular part of your routine.

If youd like to explore the Mediterranean Diet in more detail, check out The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book , available in print (ISBN: 978-1-4405-0674-1) and eBook (eISBN: 978-1-4405-0675-8) formats.