Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies. Raffetto RD Meri

Television (may be a stress inducer or reliever)

      • Bedtime (stress reliever)

      The first example has one big stress inducer (work) and four stress relievers sprinkled throughout the day. The second example has three to four stress inducers and only one or two stress relievers. That stress builds up in your body, setting you up for an increased risk of disease and possible weight gain. Taking the time for those small experiences during the day, such as a family dinner or a walk, make a big difference. And remember that the activities here are just examples. You can find stress relievers that work for you, such as knitting, yoga, teatime, painting, meditation, exercise, or conversation with a dear friend. Refer to Chapter 3 for more help.

       Enjoying time with friends and family

      Community spirit is a large part of the Mediterranean culture and is something that’s disappearing in American culture. Getting together on a regular basis with friends and family is an important priority for providing a sense of strong community and fun. The fun and laughter that come with friendly get-togethers are vital for stress management. Without these little joyful experiences, stress can tip to an unhealthy balance.

      To put this strategy into practice, invite some of your close family and friends over each week, perhaps for dinner. It can be as casual as you like. The important thing is to add this type of fun and enjoyment to your life more often.

       Having a strong passion for life

      The Mediterranean coast is full of sunshine, good food, and beautiful surroundings, so the people who live there naturally tend to have a strong passion for life, family, friends, nature, and food. Choosing to have a strong passion and love of life is associated with more happiness and fulfillment and less stress.

      What are you passionate about? Perhaps you love the arts, or maybe nature is your thing. Whatever your passions are, make sure to find a way to make them a part of your life.

Chapter 2

      Discovering the Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      ❯❯ Taking a close look at the powerful nutrients found in simple foods and functional foods

      ❯❯ Toasting to the health benefits of red wine

      ❯❯ Highlighting heart health research

      ❯❯ Looking and feeling your best with anti-aging tips

      ❯❯ Dealing with diabetes and cancer through a Mediterranean diet

      The Mediterranean diet has long been touted for providing health benefits, such as reducing coronary artery disease and decreasing the risk of some cancers. Including fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, and healthy fats into your diet can help improve your health in many ways. And in addition to the health benefits, you’re eating foods with full flavor. Thinking of bland or boring Greek or Italian food isn’t easy.

      This chapter highlights why this diet is full of health benefits (focusing on heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and anti-aging) by looking at some of the main nutrients found in Mediterranean eating.

      

As you read this chapter, note that a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management can significantly reduce your risk of certain diseases, but nothing can bring a guarantee. Genetic components also play a role with chronic diseases. However, if you have family history of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, incorporating these lifestyle and diet changes into your daily life can help you decrease those risks.

Highlighting the Main Nutrients of the Mediterranean Diet

      A plant-based diet such as the Mediterranean diet offers a plethora of nutrients that can help your body stay healthy. These plant foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and healthy fats. The following sections highlight some of these key nutrients found in the foods associated with the Mediterranean coast.

      

These nutrients don’t just benefit humans; the plant itself needs them so that it can grow and protect itself from the elements, bacteria, and other damage. Without nutrients, the plant can’t grow or protect itself from oxidative damage or bacteria.

       Fighting free radicals with antioxidants

      Antioxidants are a key component of many plant foods that help slow down the process of oxidation (when your body’s cells burn oxygen). This slowing decreases the amount of free radicals, or unstable molecules, that cause damage to your cells, tissues, and DNA. Antioxidants are a crucial part of your diet because you can’t avoid oxidation all together. Consider the many contaminants, such as car exhaust, sunlight, unhealthy foods, and air pollution, that you’re exposed to during a typical day. These types of exposures can cause free radicals to gain speed in your body, damaging everything in their path and leaving you at greater risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and cancer.

      Think about slicing an apple. Before you know it, the exposed flesh turns from white to brown. This browning occurs because of oxidation. But adding orange juice or lemon juice to the apple right after you slice it keeps it whiter longer because the antioxidant vitamin C in the juice protects the flesh.

      Eating a diet high in antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene means better protection for your body and overall health (no, the benefits of antioxidants aren’t just for apples). The ATTICA study in the September 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition measured the total antioxidant capacity of men and women in Greece. It found that the participants who followed a traditional Mediterranean diet had an 11 percent higher antioxidant capacity than those who didn’t adhere to a traditional diet. The findings also showed that the participants who followed the traditional diet the most had 19 percent lower oxidized LDL (bad cholesterol) concentrations showing a benefit in reducing heart disease.

You don’t have to look far or even cook that much to get antioxidants into your diet. You can find plenty of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. If you’re only eating one to three servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you need to increase your intake to take advantage of the produce’s antioxidants. We challenge you to increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables to five to eight servings daily! Table 2-1 shows some common foods, including lots of fruits and veggies, that are rich in certain antioxidants.

TABLE 2-1 Antioxidant-Rich Foods

TO SUPPLEMENT OR NOT TO SUPPLEMENT? THAT’S STILL THE QUESTION

      Although you’ve likely heard the news that antioxidants found in foods promote good health, scientists are still researching whether taking supplements such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, or other antioxidant blends can replace eating the real thing.

      Research has provided a great deal of information about many individual nutrients and their impacts on health, but researchers still don’t have the answers to many questions, such as how much of a supplement is enough and whether supplemented antioxidants have the same effect working on their own as the natural ones do working with accompanying nutrients. For instance, many fruits are high in vitamin C, so you may think that you can get the same vitamin C effects from taking a supplement if you don’t eat a lot of fruit. However, the vitamin C in an orange may work with the phytochemicals in the orange to more significantly affect your health than the vitamin C supplement does by itself. Even supplements made from fruits and vegetables may not contain the other nutrients.

      Another supplement concern is that taking high doses of antioxidants may actually cause the antioxidants to work as pro-oxidants that promote rather than neutralize oxidation. And in some cases, you actually want free radicals to attack harmful cells such as bacteria and cancer cells. High doses of antioxidant supplements may interfere with this natural process.

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