What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a diet inspired by the Greek and Italian eating habits of the 1960s. Key aspects of this diet include the relatively high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined grains, fruits and vegetables, moderate to high fish consumption, moderate consumption of dairy products (mainly cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption and consume less non-fish meat products.

Optimizing heart health

According to a study recently published in the American College of Cardiology Journal, a specific diet can help optimize heart health, and the key is the Mediterranean diet. Because in addition to prioritizing nuts, seeds, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, this diet also pays special attention to canning fish and seafood. This diet not only helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cognitive decline, depression or some cancers as previous studies have shown, but also very useful for people. want to adopt a healthy diet when combined with intermittent fasting.

James H. O'Keefe, Director of Preventive Cardiology at Saint Luke's, said that although people can eat a multitude of foods, the ideal healthy diet remains a problem. solution for many people. Plant-based diets reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, vegan diets are difficult to follow and can lead to serious nutrient deficiencies. On the other hand, many people in modern Western cultures consume too much meat. Therefore, experts suggest applying the Mediterranean diet combined with intermittent fasting to solve the "difficult situation" of those who want to lose weight but cannot follow a vegan diet.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting means eating fewer meals, limiting the time from the first to the last meal of the day, and ensuring at least 10-14 hours of no food during the day. This method is said to increase the body's metabolism and help burn energy from belly fat. Not only will this help you lose your waist, but it will also reduce cardiovascular disease, as belly fat has been shown to increase your risk of this disease.

Prefer to use olive oil

Previously, a meta-analysis of five dietary studies found that compared with regular meat eaters, death from coronary heart disease was 34% lower in those following a fish-based diet. . The Mediterranean diet also emphasizes the use of extra virgin olive oil in place of butter or other fats. Lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol are proven benefits of olive oil.

A randomized clinical trial of heart disease found that a mixed serving of nuts per day reduced the risk of heart disease by 28%. Intermittent fasting, typically 8-12 hours/day, has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity by forcing the body to switch from burning glucose to fatty acids. According to the researchers, the daily time-limited Mediterranean diet is an ideal diet for cardiovascular protection.