The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet' is probably the most realistic and
safest way not only to lose weight, but to also help prevent
serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
There have been countless studies on this type of diet by
scientists keen to discover why heart problems and obesity are
so low in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.
This nutritional concept includes a high consumption of fruit,
vegetables and grains, a medium consumption of olive oil, fish
and white meat and a low consumption of red meat, dairy products
and saturated fats. Red wine also plays a part in some versions
of this diet as it contains powerful anti-oxidants called
'polyphenols' which offer protection against cardiovascular
diseases. In fact the 'American Heart Association' refers to the
'Mediterranean Diet' as the 'gold standard' in heart disease
prevention.
The most important element in this diet is 'olive oil' which
acts as a healthy substitute for commonly used saturated fats
such as butter and margarine. Studies by various institutions
including 'The Harvard School of Public Health' have discovered
that olive oil contains extremely beneficial properties which
can lower the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing blood
cholesterol levels.
This research also found that patients with 'hypertension' who
purposely switched to a diet with a high olive oil consumption
were able to reduce their 'anti-hypertensive' drug dose by up to
50%!!
Olive oil is also thought to lead to a reduced risk of some
cancers and even diabetes.
One of the other key aspects of the 'Mediterranean Diet' is the
low consumption of dairy products such as cheese, cream and
milk. The belief for instance that cows' milk is beneficial as
it contains calcium is far from the truth. Research has shown
that as the calcium in cows' milk is pasteurized, it is
therefore inorganic meaning it becomes largely unusable in the
human body. Did you also realize that full fat milk is mainly
made up of puss cells? Vegetables, especially root vegetables
are much better sources of calcium.
A diet low in dairy products will not only make you feel less
lethargic, it will boost your energy and improve the condition
of your skin. This will obviously be beneficial to those who
suffer from skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema.
The 'Mediterranean Diet' is without doubt the only option you
should consider in any effort to lose weight. Many popular diets
like those of the 'high-protein' variety are extremely harmful
and although they sometimes succeed in delivering their promises
of 'shedding weight', the chances of keeping this weight off are
very unlikely. Extreme dietary modifications are impractical -
if not impossible - for most people to maintain on a long-term
basis.
Due to the fact the majority of these diets do not even
incorporate a consistent or stable eating program, the
noticeable reduction in weight is actually the body's loss of
water rather than actual fat.
If weight is lost too quickly there can also be up to a 6% loss
of muscle tissue along with any fat lost. If the weight is then
re-gained, MORE fat replaces the lost muscle. This usually means
you will eventually become FATTER after finishing the diet!
The simple fact is, if you want to successfully lose weight for
the long-term and protect yourself from illness, the
'Mediterranean Diet' is the diet for you!
Anthony Glassman
Co - Author of 'Mediterranean Diet Secrets'
www.mediterraneandietsecrets.com