To adopt it is to revolutionize! Say to yourself “Come on now, my body is a temple and I only bring good and healthy things into it” . Everything has been said for years about this diet whose name alone is an invitation to put your body and mind on vacation from bad choices. The Mediterranean diet, also known as the Cretan diet, has once again been scientifically recognized as THE most beneficial dietary practice for the body. It arrives, in fact, at the top of the new ranking of US News &World Report (ranking of the best diets).
So let's take advantage of this beginning of the year to radically change our shopping list by slipping into our basket, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, garlic, onion, spices, herbs, legumes, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish… Regarding chicken and eggs, yes, but a few times a week. The same goes for sugary foods and dairy products; moderation on these last types of food is mandatory. As for red meat, if really the desire is too strong, we have fun but at the rate of two to three times a month. Good news:this diet invites you to drink a glass of wine with meals. For the rest, we drastically reduce the consumption of other alcohols and we drink water, the essence of the body.
A way of being during your shopping that will naturally condition your attitude in the kitchen.
But let's come back to a few points on the virtues of the Mediterranean diet:
– It is excellent for fighting cognitive decline and therefore against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These are certain antioxidants present in this diet that help reduce cellular aging. One small thing, know that the redder your vegetables, the higher the concentration of antioxidants.
– The omega-3 and omega-6 contained in oily fish or olive oil act effectively to fight AMD (age-related macular degeneration). A study by Inserm confirms that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of developing AMD, the leading cause of visual impairment in people over 50, by 41%.
– It slows down the progression of psoriasis; the mechanism could be linked to the anti-inflammatory properties of fruits, vegetables and fish due to their omega-3 content and vitamins A, D, E and B9.
– The Cretan diet also increases bone density in the femoral neck of people with osteoporosis.
– It is obviously to be adopted in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer or type 2 diabetes.
So many benefits that you will think about when shopping. Time during which you will opt for the quality and freshness of the products, and for the seasonality of the vegetables. Last thing, when sitting down to eat, we take our time. Ritualizing the meal is fundamental in this type of diet which, let's remember, is only good for you, so we savor and chew.
