Last week of our international special, and our finale region is the Mediterranean. Oh don't they live the life we idolize about. Living on the coast (with some of the world's best ocean views, eating fresh fish with olive oil, sipping on wine, taking vacations, with a fun-loving outlook . We are constantly hearing about the benefits of a Mediterranean style diet (and I often classify my cooking class as Mediterranean influenced), but where are we talking about when we say Mediterranean? Well the Mediterranean is a seas that separates southern Europe and northern Africa. It can be broken down into three culinary regions: North Africa (Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain). Popular studies are done on Italy and Sicily, and Greece (especially the island of Crete). For these people, though, it is not a diet, but simply a way of life. They tend to enjoy leisurely dining, taking pleasure in savoring their meals. They emphasize minimally processed, fresh and preferably local foods (somewhat higher in fat). Also they are physically active, with strong family ties, and a leisurely paced life. Again, they have lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer, and diabetes. A study of seven countries by Ancel Keys, showed that although Cretans consumed up to 40% of their calories from fat, they (along with Japan) have the lowest rate of heart disease and the highest life expectancy in the world. Another study showed a Mediterranean lifestyle had improved arthritic conditions: decreased pain, inflammation, disease activity, and the number of swollen joints.
Research has shown that physical activity and eating a nutritious diet of whole foods that are filling and satisfying enable people to control weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. So what does this lifestyle do for your waistlines? A Harvard study (in which groups where given a low-carb, low fat or Mediterranean diet) found that those on the Mediterranean where better able to stick to the diet and maintain weight loss, whereas low fat dieters couldn't stick to it, regained, and actually weighed more. So what are they eating? They eat an abundance of plant foods and monounsaturated fats. These monounsaturated fats (like avocado, fish, olive oil) are anti-inflammatory and fight disease at the cellular level. Remember the study on joints, this helps. Olive oils provide antioxidant (hydroxyterosol) and help with joint rubbing, just ask my clients. I have several, where adding olive oil has lessened the arthritic aches. my brother-in-law suffers from knee pains, and noticed progressive grinding in the joint when he reduced his olive oil intake, but bumping it back up relieved the pain and grinding. I t helps to just prevent soreness after workouts too. This region has the vest olive oil in the world. We've all seen those fields of olives, growing in Sicily. They have a great environment for growing olives (plus they know how to make it too: less processed, and first pressed to get all the benefits).
Olive oil from the grocery can't compare! Mediterranean oils are buttery and smooth, with a peppery after taste. Most dishes start with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, surrounded by olive oil. Popular veggies are: egg plants, squashes, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, artichokes, okra, and other leafy greens. Anchovies, fresh and cured, are widely eaten, as are various white-fleshed fish like sole, flounder, and grouper. Other fish served are swordfish, monkfish, eel, cuttlefish, squid, and octopus. They also eat smaller animals like lamb, goats, sheep, pork, rabbit, and fovol. Cretan men (who have a low death rate from heart disease) have a diet mostly of olive oil, abundant fruit and vegetables, fish, with moderate dairy and wine consumption. Oh yes, wine! We'll look at this closer later this week. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but all these health societies do the same thing; it's simple, yet most Americans don't live this way, let alone understand (we want fast and easy, and our food companies produce loads of overly processed foods, with compromised nutrients to maintain self life-sorry bit of a tangent there). Again, though, eat lots of whole plant foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats (monounsaturated). Physical activity (just move!) and a positive outlook don't hurt either!
Last week of our international special, and our finale region is the Mediterranean. Oh don't they live the life we idolize about. Living on the coast (with some of the world's best ocean views, eating fresh fish with olive oil, sipping on wine, taking vacations, with a fun-loving outlook . We are constantly hearing about the benefits of a Mediterranean style diet (and I often classify my cooking class as Mediterranean influenced), but where are we talking about when we say Mediterranean? Well the Mediterranean is a seas that separates southern Europe and northern Africa. It can be broken down into three culinary regions: North Africa (Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain). Popular studies are done on Italy and Sicily, and Greece (especially the island of Crete). For these people, though, it is not a diet, but simply a way of life. They tend to enjoy leisurely dining, taking pleasure in savoring their meals. They emphasize minimally processed, fresh and preferably local foods (somewhat higher in fat). Also they are physically active, with strong family ties, and a leisurely paced life. Again, they have lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer, and diabetes. A study of seven countries by Ancel Keys, showed that although Cretans consumed up to 40% of their calories from fat, they (along with Japan) have the lowest rate of heart disease and the highest life expectancy in the world. Another study showed a Mediterranean lifestyle had improved arthritic conditions: decreased pain, inflammation, disease activity, and the number of swollen joints. 
Research has shown that physical activity and eating a nutritious diet of whole foods that are filling and satisfying enable people to control weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. So what does this lifestyle do for your waistlines? A Harvard study (in which groups where given a low-carb, low fat or Mediterranean diet) found that those on the Mediterranean where better able to stick to the diet and maintain weight loss, whereas low fat dieters couldn't stick to it, regained, and actually weighed more. So what are they eating? They eat an abundance of plant foods and monounsaturated fats. These monounsaturated fats (like avocado, fish, olive oil) are anti-inflammatory and fight disease at the cellular level. Remember the study on joints, this helps. Olive oils provide antioxidant (hydroxyterosol) and help with joint rubbing, just ask my clients. I have several, where adding olive oil has lessened the arthritic aches. my brother-in-law suffers from knee pains, and noticed progressive grinding in the joint when he reduced his olive oil intake, but bumping it back up relieved the pain and grinding. I t helps to just prevent soreness after workouts too. This region has the vest olive oil in the world. We've all seen those fields of olives, growing in Sicily. They have a great environment for growing olives (plus they know how to make it too: less processed, and first pressed to get all the benefits). 
Olive oil from the grocery can't compare! Mediterranean oils are buttery and smooth, with a peppery after taste. Most dishes start with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, surrounded by olive oil. Popular veggies are: egg plants, squashes, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, artichokes, okra, and other leafy greens. Anchovies, fresh and cured, are widely eaten, as are various white-fleshed fish like sole, flounder, and grouper. Other fish served are swordfish, monkfish, eel, cuttlefish, squid, and octopus. They also eat smaller animals like lamb, goats, sheep, pork, rabbit, and fovol. Cretan men (who have a low death rate from heart disease) have a diet mostly of olive oil, abundant fruit and vegetables, fish, with moderate dairy and wine consumption. Oh yes, wine! We'll look at this closer later this week. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but all these health societies do the same thing; it's simple, yet most Americans don't live this way, let alone understand (we want fast and easy, and our food companies produce loads of overly processed foods, with compromised nutrients to maintain self life-sorry bit of a tangent there). Again, though, eat lots of whole plant foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats (monounsaturated). Physical activity (just move!) and a positive outlook don't hurt either! 
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