Role of Red Wine in Mediterranean Diet

The significant thing is self-control, with a doze of two small glasses of red wine for men and one glass of red win e for women on a daily basis. In France and Italy people get pleasure from a glass or a bottle of red wine with their meals and this can help cut down the danger of heart attack by nearly 50% according to different studies. You should always verify these facts with your physician to make out if they suite you and your physical state.

Red wine, not white, can boost the good cholesterol and reduce LDL, which is the bad one. This 4,000 year old medicine is full of antioxidants that can help considerably to decrease the blood’s propensity to clot. A garlic and red wine blend makes available extra health benefits. The health consequences of alcohol have been questioned for a lot of years, and a few physicians are unwilling to support alcohol consumption for the reason of the health consequences of too much drinking. On the other hand, light drinking of alcohol is related with a decreased risk of heart disease.

Red wine actually has an aspirin-like effect, decreasing the blood's capability to clot, and also have antioxidants. The Mediterranean diet normally takes in some red wine; however this should be consumed only in control.

If you are not capable to limit your alcohol drinking to the quantities told above, you have an individual or family history of alcohol exploitation, or you have liver disease, stay away from drinking wine or any other alcohol. Don’t forget that red wine may also activate migraines in a few people.

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Role of Olive Oil in Mediterranean Diet

Olive oil is the main fat used in the Mediterranean diet. It is a monounsaturated fat that lessens ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels and increases the good HDL levels. Olive oils antioxidants also maintain LDL from damaging arteries with plaque. It helps decrease blood pressure and controls blood sugar, and is famous by name of the prolonged existence food. Mostly all types of olive oil make available monounsaturated fat, however "extra-virgin" or "virgin" oil are the slightest processed forms, and as a result have the highest levels of the defensive plant compounds that make available antioxidant effects.

The Mediterranean diet takes in nuts which are rich in fat i.e. nearly 80% of their calories; however tree nuts, together with walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat. Walnuts also have omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts offer an effortlessly available and highly nourishing food all through the cold winter months, when other food sources were limited. For the most excellent nutrition, stay away from honey-roasted or greatly salted nuts. The Mediterranean diet pyramid puts nuts in the same group as fruits, vegetables, beans, and other healthy plant-based foods.

Below 15% is red meat and usually consumed on a monthly basis more willingly than on a normal weekly basis. Fish in contrast is far more vital, even though it is to a greater extent hard to get fish that has not been infected by pollution in the sea and rivers; fish is a resource of omega3 fatty acids that shield against heart attacks.

Fish eating has long been known as vital in keeping blood vessels in a fit state. Means of advantage for omega-3 fatty acids are in research. Several studies have revealed that besides lowering triglycerides and making available a probable anti-inflammatory effect, omega-3 fatty acids develop parameters of autonomic job, together with heart rate inconsistency.

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Role of Fats in Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean diet is a balanced and healthy diet followed by populations like that of the French, Italians, Spanish and Greek in addition to the common countries around the north eastern Mediterranean basin of southern Europe. These populations have positively revealed a lower rate of heart disease amongst them. The Mediterranean diet is well thought-out to be a high fat diet, however how can people from these countries get pleasure from an outstanding state of health when 40% of their daily lively necessities come from the eating of fats?

Studies point out that in addition to the real quantity, the value of fats plays an influential role in general health. The most widespread feature of most Mediterranean populations is the broad use of olive oil as a main source of fat. Olive oil replaces the saturated animal fats so distinctive in northern European cooking.

More notably, the entire calorie ingestion must be taken into thought. People can lose or keep up weight at the same time as on a Mediterranean diet given that the quantity of calories is in sync to attain or keep up a sought-after weight.

The customary diet among a few Mediterranean countries consists of fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice, for instance, residents of Greece eat incredibly small quantity of red meat and usual nine servings daily of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

In the Mediterranean diet pyramid, grains in the Mediterranean region usually include very small number of harmful transfats, and bread is a significant element of the diet there. On the other hand, all the way through the Mediterranean region, bread is consumed without butter or margarines, which is full of saturated fat or transfats.

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Mediterranean Diet: An Introduction

The real Mediterranean diet benefits have been confirmed by a lot of generations of Mediterranean peoples. And many modern research studies have certified their customary cooking and eating practices.

Every Mediterranean region and country has a separate cuisine with its own individual uniqueness. On the other hand, they carve up basic elements. These patterns appear to be accountable for the common good health, deficiency of plumpness, and longer life expectancy of the Mediterranean peoples that cook and eat the customary way.

The magnificence of it is that anybody, anywhere who goes after a Mediterranean-style diet can take pleasure in those benefits just the same.

People like to take up the customary Mediterranean diet for the reason that it's a reasonable and appetizing diet with health-enhancing benefits obviously incorporated into it.

There are three common features that are very necessary and that will make it well-balanced in a usual way.

1/ Variety is incredibly significant. You should on a regular basis make an effort to eat foods of various groups: vegetables, poultry, fruits, etc..

2/ Consuming seasonal foods in so far as doable.

3/ The quantity of food you take in your plate should be sensible, particularly meats. However keep in mind that it's not on the subject of give up, however a particular way of life.


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Guiding Principles of Mediterranean Food

1. Consume a lot of local, seasonal, and fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
2. Eating fish frequently.
3. Eating rice, pasta and other grains often in grouping with proteins.
4. If possible consume poultry and lean meat in place of red meat.
5. Consume legumes 2-3 times weekly.
6. Consume little bread with meals.
7. Consuming olive oil in uncooked form: sprinkled on bread, white cheese, in salads, and sauces along with others.
8. Incorporate nuts in the cooking recipes. Simultaneously, eat small amounts of raw nuts 2-3 times weekly.
9. Drinking water with meals in place of sodas.
10. Making use of olive oil as the major fat for cooking.
11. Frying food covered in olive oil.
12. Cooking daily and consuming most meals hot.
13. Making use of components that didn't undertake a deep (industrial) alteration, that is, they are usually simply processed.
14. Taking the sufficient time to eat without rush
15. Consuming minimum 3-4 meals daily: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and perhaps tea time.
16. Sitting at a table to consume your meals

Things you should avoid while following the Mediterranean diet

1. Make use of butter or margarine for frying.
2. Consuming huge quantity of red meat on a regular basis.
3. Consuming meat by itself
4. Consuming processed foods, fast food or any type of junk food
5. Snacking continuously.
6. Consuming sodas, colas or other processed soft drinks
7. Feeling blameworthy regarding food
8. Counting calories continuously

If you look at the guiding principles and features of the Mediterranean diet more rapidly, you'll understand that the whole thing is very reasonable and practical. Possibly a little bit extraordinary for a few, however there are no unusual components or practices.

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Acai Berry or Mediterranean Diet

A lot of people these days are on the fight back to meet their ideal diet; however it appears that all these diet plans are always on the loose. These people turn out to be very much consistent with their diet schedule in order to meet their daily requirements. There are plenty of diet plans that are well thought-out to be healthy and useful as these takes in consumption of fruits and vegetables out-of-the-way from reducing their food eating which a lot of people are perfectly not pleased with. However, Acai Berry Diet vs. Mediterranean diet will present the advantages and disadvantages to set the battle directly.

Acai Berry Diet
There are a lot of people who on listening diet schedule coming from the Amazon have implications of health benefits. The Acai berry which makes available high energy originated from Amazon palm tree. Researches have revealed that these berries are well thought-out to be one of the most nourishing and the most potent foods on the planet. It is generally very responsive to the people who dream of becoming slimmer, although certainly loves to eat so they still long for sweets for the reason that the most excellent news regarding Acai berries is that it tastes absolutely like a blend of berries and chocolates.

Mediterrenean Diet
Out-of-the-way from the Acai berry diet there are a few other diet plans that most people are attracted in. This diet originated with usual physical activity which highlights the profusion of the requirement for additional calorie reduction. This diet has plenty of contraindications for definite people, which makes this to a certain extent restricted. It is relatively more costly compared to other diet plans as it has the need of substitutes in order to sum food as zero calorie.

Acai Berry Diet vs. Mediterranean Diet
Comparing a few diets, it is totally perceptible that Acai berry diet presents more benefits and advantages than the Mediterranean diet. It is significant that people know completely what diet schedule they are making an effort to get used to in order to make certain that it would surely work and would not anymore be a complete waste time for these people who preferred an improved and sexier body.

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Strict Mediterranean Diet Offers Big Health Boost

The researchers also developed an `adherence` score to rate how well people followed the Mediterranean Diet.

Sticking strictly to a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers substantial protection against cancer, heart disease and other major chronic illnesses, Italian researchers said on Friday.

People who did this had a 9 percent drop in death from heart disease, a 13 percent reduction in incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and a 6 percent reduction in cancer compared to those who were not as diligent, their study found.

"These results seem to be clinically relevant for public health, particularly for encouraging a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern for primary prevention of major chronic diseases," wrote Francesco Sofi, a clinical nutrition researcher, and colleagues at the University of Florence.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is full of vegetables, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, and low in red meat, dairy products and alcohol.

Sofi and his team reviewed 12 international studies which included more than 1.5 million people whose eating habits and health were tracked for follow-up periods of three to 18 years.

The researchers also developed an "adherence" score to rate how well people followed the Mediterranean diet, a tool they said doctors could use to help improve people's health and encourage them to eat better.

"The adherence score...could be an effective preventative tool for reducing the risk of mortality and morbidity in the general population," they wrote.


Source Javno Health News

Copyright 2009

Mediterranean Diet Fights Depression

People who practice the Mediterranean diet have 30% less chances of getting depressed than those who don’t.

People who practice the so-called Mediterranean diet, that is, people whose menus are rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and fish, are at a lower risk of developing depression, Reuters writes.

The research conducted by Spanish scientists, found that those who ate the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of depression by as much as 30 percent compared to those who didn’t.

Mediterranean Diet reduces the risk of diabetes

- The specific mechanisms that prevent the occurrence of depression, are still not known - Almudena Sanchez-Villegas from the University of Las Palmas, which conducted this study, said.

However, she states that elements of the diet can greatly improve cardiovascular function, restore damaged cells in the body, and reduce the development of depression.

The advantage of the Mediterranean diet, the experts note, is also that it reduces the risk of diabetes, asthma and cancer. Scientists obtained this data by analyzing the questionnaire that was filled by 11,000 persons.


Source Javno Health News

Copyright 2009

Mediterranean Diet Can Protect You From Alzheimer

Mediterranean Diet 'Can Protect From Alzheimer's'

Eating a Mediterranean diet can protect the brain against developing Alzheimer's and other memory problems, a new study suggests.

Scientists found that patients who were already suffering from problems with recall, which can be an early indicator of the disease, were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia if they followed a diet high in fish, oil and vegetables. Those who had no memory problems were also less likely to suffer them over the almost five years of the study.

The researchers believe that the benefits of the diet could help to prevent the transition from early problems with memory, known as mild cognitive impairment, to full blown dementia.

Individual components of the diet could be responsible for the effect, they believe.

"For example, potentially beneficial effects for mild cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment conversion to Alzheimer's disease have been reported for alcohol, fish, polyunsaturated fatty acids and lower levels of saturated fatty acids," according to the study.

The results of the latest study, published in the Archives of Neurology journal, show that those who adhered most closely to the diet were 48 per cent less likely to slip from mild cognitive impairment into dementia than those who ate a normal diet.

Among those who had no such memory problems, eating a strict Mediterranean diet cut their chances of developing mild cognitive impairment by 28 per cent.

"Among behavioural traits, diet may play an important role in the cause and prevention of Alzheimer's disease," according to the study authors, Dr Nikolaos Scarmeas and his team, from Columbia University, New York.

The study gave patients a score for how closely their diet resembled that of a typical Mediterranean diet, which contains lots of fish, vegetables, fruits and cereals, as well as low levels of dairy, meat and saturated fats, and just small amounts of alcohol.

The study followed 1,393 volunteers who had no memory problems and 482 patients already diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

A typical Mediterranean diet may improve cholesterol levels, the amount of sugar in the blood and even reduce inflammation in the body, all of which could help mild cognitive impairment, according to the researchers, who called for other studies to confirm their findings.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Diet almost certainly plays a part in every person's Alzheimer's risk – and diet remains a magnet for research because it could offer a relatively inexpensive way to fight a disease that ruins countless lives.

"By reducing salt and saturated fat intake and adding oily fish and lots of fruit and vegetables to our shopping baskets, we can help reduce the risk of developing dementia as well as reaping the countless other benefits of living a healthy lifestyle."

More than 700,000 people in Britain suffer from dementia, of which around 400,000 have Alzheimer's, the most common form of the condition.

Source: UK Daily Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4569592/Mediterranean-diet-can-protect-from-Alzheimers.html

Mediterranean Diet 'Can Protect From Alzheimer's'

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Mediterranean Diet FAQ

Mediterranean Diet FAQ

Some of the questions answered in The Mediterranean Diet are

How to lose weight properly ?
How to lose 20 to 30 pound in a month or less ?
What is the best diet for me?
How do you lose a lot of weight in a short time?
Is there really away to lose weight without taking diet pills?
I've been trying to lose weight for a year now and I exercise vigorously. What can I do?
I heard that the Mediterranean Diet will also reduce the risk of heart disease, is that true?
Is it also true that it can reduce the risk of cancer?
Is there any evidence to support the above two questions?
How do I lose weight and keep it off?
How do i lose weight on my tummy?
How do I lose a lot of weight and feel good about myself?
How do I flatten my tummy and lose leg weight?
How can I lose weight fast without paying too much money?
How do I get rid of cellulite?
What are some of the risks of family history diseases even though I diet and exercise?
Should I speak to my doctor first?
Is water important in diet?
Is fitness important to dieting?
I hate exercise; do I have to exercise to lose weight?
Will I have a better chance of success if I do it with a friend?
Will smoking cigarettes affect my diet?
What routine should I follow?
Can you recommend any recipes?
I want results in 7 days! How can I do this?
If I could see even the smallest results in 7 days, I would be encouraged to apply myself more; how can I do this?
How can I lose weight when I work long hours and have no time for exercise?
Couldn't I just stop eating and take diet pills for a couple of weeks?
I want to lose weight but I can't afford to spend anything on gyms and fancy diet food etc.! What can I do?
Is it really true that the best way to diet is to keep a healthy consumption going with nutritional food or is that just an 'old wives tale'?
Does alcohol help to make you overweight?
I have a few medical issues; will this affect me going on a diet ?

Mediterranean Diet FAQ

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