As far as lifestyles go, the Europeans have a long standing knowledge of what’s good for the body and what isn’t. The exact types of foods to consume which promotes for better health. What’s also apparent is that the majority of the Europeans have lean bodies and flawless skin.
So what’s been refined over the centuries is an eating method, a particular type of diet, the most popular being the Mediterranean style of eating, which appears to offer the best health benefits and worthy of adopting.
Reasons why this method of eating is healthy is it’s particular selection of foods which are a combination of fresh produce, lean meats such as seafood and chicken, and the specific use of olive oil while sipping red wine.
This food eating style, when combined with the fact that Europeans get plenty of exercise, as most in particular regions will pretty much walk everywhere, what you end up with is a concise healthy lifestyle plan.
So the idea is that if it’s mimicked, what doing so could potentially leave you with a lower risk of serious health consequences, enjoying better overall health while prolonging the aging process.
A Longer Lifespan
There are studies linking the Mediterranean diet to the reduction of cardiovascular disease, which contributes to longevity. By eating more fresh produce, olive oil, nuts and seeds, does is it ramps up the health benefits by reducing heart related issues.
Although this diet would be most beneficial to begin when young, and then follow it through ones life, research has shown that the positive affects will show when starting at any stage of life.
Better Brain Function
There’s a correlation between the foods found in the Mediterranean diet and better brain function. What aging promotes is cognitive functioning to decline, which can lead to serious conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Memory loss is a function of getting older and is also considered a cognitive disease. The Mediterranean diet helps in keeping one young, deterring the effects of aging.
Prevention Of Fatty Liver Disease
The common North American diet consists of processed foods, which contains unneeded fats, empty sugar, calories, and too much sodium, leading to the risk of obesity, which is one of the causes of fatty liver disease.
What consuming extra virgin olive oil, a common staple that’s found in the Mediterranean diet does is it rids of the unneeded saturated fats from your diet, reducing the risk.
The Mediterranean diet also refrains from eating fatty red meat, as chicken and mineral rich fish are preferred. Once you eat anything that’s difficult for the liver to process, such as red meat, doing so can lead towards liver disease.
Lowers High Blood Pressure
Every food group in the Mediterranean diet is found to lower blood pressure. Although genetics does play a role, an unhealthy diet that contains plenty of fat and sodium are known to aggravate it.
Since processed foods are almost nonexistent in the Mediterranean diet, you won’t be consuming any hidden sugar or sodium which are the main culprits, which can elevate your blood pressure.
What high blood pressure can do is lead towards hypertension along with other cardiovascular diseases. What you eat on a daily basis regulates the levels of your blood pressure.
Lowers The Risk of Diabetes
Olive oil, found common in the Mediterranean diet is used in a variety of cooking methods, the key being that it’s proven to lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
There are studies which shows that high amounts of rich minerals along with phytochemicals that’s found in the Mediterranean diet, are capable of reducing inflammation along with insulin resistance.
What your body needs is to successfully break down unneeded sugar, and if it’s not able to do so efficiently, then the risk of Type 2 diabetes and other related diseases increases.
Lowers Cardiovascular And Heart Disease
Another advantage of using olive oil is that it’s shown to greatly benefit the heart. What olive oil contains are monounsaturated fats, and as a lubricant is extremely organ friendly.
Those who consume fatty foods which are high in saturated fats, does is invites heart disease. The majority of the Mediterranean dishes are prepared using olive oil instead of butter or other fats, while most sauces and dressings includes olive oil as the main ingredient.
The key is creating your own simple and easy healthy sauces by using just a few ingredients, the fresher the better. What just a splash of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar does is adds zing to any food.
Less Chemicals And Preservatives
The Mediterranean diet has a range of one ingredient items, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh lean meat and fish. What this guarantees is you’re not consuming any chemicals or preservatives that’s found in processed foods.
One common and convenient food in the North American diet, for instance, is a box of frozen chicken breasts. The ingredients will list several unfamiliar chemical preservative items, realizing that you’re not just eating chicken.
Prepackaged, premade foods uses plenty of harmful ingredients, usually high amounts of sodium, sugar, and empty fats. By adhering to a Mediterranean type of diet, you’ll avoid all these ingredients.
Increases The Consumption Of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are all the buzz right now, as each specific “superfood” are usually high in them. They’re linked to reducing the risk of major illnesses along with practically every other secondary health issue.
Antioxidants are known to contain natural anti inflammatory properties, which helps in preventing heart disease, lowers the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes, and giving the immune and cardiovascular systems a boost.
Antioxidants are the new superhero with a list of potential benefits, this by just eating more select fresh fruits and vegetables. What the Mediterranean diet consists of is plenty of these food items such as fresh fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, which are packed with antioxidants.