Nutrition: The Med Wins Again
Men are constantly searching for the holy grail of diets. Whether it’s for weight loss, weight gain, energy, or general well-being there is never any shortage of information regarding what men should do or shouldn’t do to their diet.
Thankfully, we have science to help us out.
Each year the U.S. News & World Report lists the Best Diets based upon a panel of experts in the fields or medicine, nutrition, obesity, weight loss and psychology.
Year in and year out, despite all the changes and new fads that emerge, the Mediterranean diet continues to hold the title of the best overall diet to follow.
This is an especially important discussion in the beginning of each year as people look down at the numbers on their bathroom scale and contemplate what to do about the weight gained after a successful holiday season.
The Mediterranean diet is the traditional way of eating in the countries that typically surround the Mediterranean ocean. It is healthy, family centric, and low in sugars and saturated fats, and meat products. It is higher in seafood, whole grains and specifically focuses on the use of unsaturated virgin olive oil. Of course, there isn’t a one specific Mediterranean diet as there are many countries that surround “the med” and they all have their own take on the Mediterranean diet. But there is a specific pattern of what is acceptable to be deemed a Mediterranean diet. The benefits of this diet continue to shine with an overall reduction in type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and an improvement in lifespan and health spans in those that use this diet.
So, what are the components of a Mediterranean diet?
Load up on your plant-based foods
Consume lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables
High intake of whole grains, legumes and other high fibre foods
It’s emphasis on the use of extra virgin olive oil
Lots of seafood and fish
Moderate intake of poultry, eggs and cheese
Less processed foods
Less salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates
Small amounts of red meat and sweets
Red wine is, as one would expect coming from this area, is acceptable in moderation
What is especially nice about this diet is everyone in the family can participate. It is generally easy to follow, convenient, cost effective and filling. It is a lifetime diet not a specific weight loss diet although men can lose weight if they follow it closely. It has a tasty variety of herbs and spices. It is simple to follow!
There are thought to be many health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. These include a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer, as well as improved weight management, blood sugar control, and overall mental and physical well-being. The Mediterranean diet may also have benefits for brain health and cognitive function and may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It specifically helps in the control of weight gain and blood sugar and may even help in the prevention and maintenance of diabetes. This is important, especially for aging men. The Mediterranean diet can help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of men. Over 30% of men die every year from heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Anything we can do to reduce this percentage would be a remarkable success story.
I have seen a very strong interest recently in the using “food as medicine” approach to generalized health and wellness. This is a good thing.
Look no further than the Mediterranean diet as you look for a diet for both Lifespan and Health span!
