Why this Naturopath is all about the Mediterranean Diet
I know what you are thinking. This isn’t the 1990s! Shouldn’t I as a naturopathic doctor telling you all about the virtues of the paleo or keto diet or suggest that you go on a raw vegan juice cleanse to achieve optimal health? Yes I’m an old fashioned traditionalist when it comes to nutrition and hopefully in a good way. In reality diet fads come and go, but the Mediterranean diet has really stood the test of time. The Mediterranean diet first gained popularity mainly for its cardiovascular benefits but in the past few decades it has been consistently shown more than any other diet to provide the most benefit for a variety of other health conditions. Even if dreams of Italy, Greece or the French Riveria aren’t convincing enough to follow the Mediterranean Diet I hope that some of these facts are. So raise that glass of wine and say “Saluti!”
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet gets its name obviously enough for the coastal regions of Spain, France, Italy and Greece along the Mediterrean. Traditionally people of these regions consumed mostly fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, grain olive oil and fish and very little poultry, red meat and dairy products. Oh and yes the occasional glass of wine. Why the Mediterranean Diet in particular is so beneficial for health comes from the antioxidants, anti-inflammatory omega-3s and low consumption of proinflammatory omega-6, refined carbohydrates and sugar and dairy. Though for some people may eat fermented dairy products, if tolerated. One concept I’ve been recently stressing with my patients is getting your weekly 30. The weekly 30 refers to eating 30 different types of plants a week which helps to promote optimal diversity of the microbiome. Following a Mediterranean Diet makes getting your weekly 30 a breeze. For meal planning, about half your plate should be non-starchy veggies like broccoli or kale, one quarter lean protein (fish, nuts/seeds, beans or occasionally poultry), and the last quarter grains (bonus if they are gluten-free). Add some olive oil and oui if you like un verre du vin.
Bone Health and Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
in Europe, the incidence of osteoporosis is reported to be the lowest the lowest in the Mediterranean areas. This could be very much do to the dietary differences of this region. In fact at the Mediterranean diet acts as a protective factor with respect to bone mass, reducing risk of fracture and maintaining a higher mean bone mineral density (BMD). This could be thanks in part to the high consumption of herbs, fruits and vegetable, which contain phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds that influence bone metabolism by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Having a daily intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables has a pronounced effect on trabecular bone volume, number, and thickness, and lower trabecular separation through enhancing bone formation and suppressing bone resorption. Also the phenols of olive oil may prevent bone mass loss by improving the production of osteoblasts (bone building cells), increasing alkaline phosphatase activity, and depositing calcium ions in the extracellular matrix of bones. The higher weekly intakes of omega-3 rich fish of the Mediterranean Diet has a positive role in BMD because of anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids.. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids appear to increase the absorption of calcium in the small intestine and decrease calcium excretion.
Weight Loss
One the healthiest diets for losing weight and keeping it off could be the Mediterranean Diet. When the Mediterranean Diet was compared to low carbohydrate and low fat diets, it was shown to be more effective than a low fat diet for weight loss and to have similar results as a low carbohydrate diet. But one thing the Mediterranean Diet was shown to have over low carbohydrate diets is long term weight loss. Because what is the point of losing that 10 lbs only to have in come back on a few months later? One study found not only is the Mediterranean Diet effective in weight loss, it is also helps to lower cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and blood pressure which are all often elevated in over weight and obese individuals. I love recommending the Mediterranean Diet to my naturopathic weight loss patients because it puts the emphasis on eating real balanced meals rather than processed or packed diet foods or crazy gimmicks. My patients lose weight because of the flexibility and variety of foods they can eat which makes travel and eating out a breeze. Since it is a whole foods, real food diet full of high quality fats and proteins with fiber rich vegetables and whole grains, people on the Mediterranean Diet feel fuller longer which makes it easier to resist the urge to cheat. With the encouragement of a wider variety of foods dieters don’t feel deprivation like they often do on Keto or other low carb diets. Just like any weight loss strategy portion sizes definitely matter so using the Mediterranean Diet plate can be a help guide.
Fertility
Not only have many studies shown that the Mediterranean diet can lead to sustainable long term weight loss (not to mention its cardiac and anti-diabetic benefits), it could be the ideal dietary approach for future moms and dads. On the weight loss band wagon, because the Mediterranean diet promotes slow weight loss, it doesn’t have the same negative impact on egg quality, fertilization and In vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments that crash diets do. In general, women, who follow a Mediterranean diet, have 44% less difficulty in conceiving naturally and 66% better chance of conceiving while undergoing IVF. This is thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids and high folate and Vitamin B6 content of diet. Even women who are not undergoing IVF can benefit from adding the Mediterranean Diet to their preconception/fertility plan. Because we live in a non-stop, go-go stressed out world, stress is always an an issue and all this stress as we age causes egg quality and ovarian reserve to diminish. Reactive oxygen species are also produced during ovulation causing oxidative damage. Powerful antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E and selenium found plentiful in the Mediterranean Diet help support the production of glutathione reductase, an enzyme that protects against this oxidative damage.
Do you and your partner want to improve fertility for a healthy and natural pregnancy? Then schedule a naturopathic appointment with Dr Ivy.