Dr Elenia Kolokotronis
We hear of the Mediterranean Diet from time to time and know of its great overall benefits but do we know why it has such a healing effect on the body and mind and are we aware just how profound it is for the prevention and cure of existing and future related illnesses? Let us explore this.
The number one rule of thumb when looking at the Mediterranean Diet is that this diet is based on traditional eating patterns of European Mediterranean countries but does also reach further than that to some other countries. The bulk of foods eaten in this diet are unprocessed and as raw and natural as possible. Foods are mostly organic meaning they are grown in ground that is free of chemicals and other harsh GMO seeds and Pesticides. It also incorporates sugars that are mainly from natural sources such as untreated raw honey, sugars from fruits and other natural components in their daily nutrition. This diet also includes all food groups and these are all eating in moderation. Eating this way is still largely not affected by The Western Diet that is completely the antithesis of The Mediterranean diet. Dairy products from regions around the world that base their eating habits on the Mediterranean diet are from organic sources and the most used oil is olive oil in its most pure extraction that is a proven health factor for reducing the risks of chronic diseases. There is a also a plethora of research pointing to the low rate of emotional illness of people in the areas that eat this way namely depression. Insomnia is also rated and noticed as being minimal in these regions where this way of eating is the norm.
The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower risks of diabetes and heart diseases as well the ability to assist in weight loss in overweight and obese persons due to the idea that the Mediterranean diet allows for all foods in sufficient quantities thus allowing the person to not eliminate any one food group. Added, this way of eating combats carvings and eliminates unhealthy relationships with food such as binge eating and feeling food remorse that my trigger a pattern of overeating due to food shame or food related distress. The Mediterranean Diet has time and again proven studies accurate that suggest that it has been consistently associated with a reduced risk for depression, cognitive decline and low mood and anxiety. As I always reiterate – what goes in the mouth, goes in the mind and vice versa. We either nourish or poison ourselves with how and what we eat and this article easily proves that.
How and why does eating this way positively affect our health to such a great extent? Simply put, the food in its natural and clean state benefits body and mind by doing the following. The Mediterranean Diet includes low-carbohydrate and low glycaemic index with a high natural protein and high raw foods intake content. This proved effective in improving markers of risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Added obesity seems to be lower for persons eating this way as, although the low carbohydrate aspect is prominent these foods are not eliminated. Natural wheat breads, potatoes, legumes and other complex and standard Car and starch based foods are still included. So there is no food group elimination and thus, no cravings. This diets is also low in saturated fat with high properties of monounsatured fats and dietary fibre.
The Mediterranean Diet shows longer life span by age and also proves that these persons live a life of mostly all encompassing natural, unprocessed foods without GMO and other chemical sourced foods. The regions that researched the longer living age group (over one hundred years old) eating daily over the years a diet reflecting The Mediterranean Diet were Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, some areas of Portugal, Turkey, France, Israel, Lebanon, Croatia and some countries in Northern Africa like Morocco and Egypt.
In closing, the Mediterranean Diet is indeed nutritious and health-promoting but is also all inclusive of all food groups and has high flexibility with any diet or eating pattern so that aspects from this diet can be incorporated easily into your way of nutritional life. Along with reducing inflammation and lowering risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes this diet has proven time and again that it also lowers the risk of depression and other emotional illnesses. To further promote this way of life we can look to the individuals who have been eating this way their whole life – their life span extending our own by twenty to forty years based purely on how and what they eat. There can be no more proof in the pudding than that to prove that is diet is an all round winner.
