Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most tried-and-true approaches to living a healthy lifestyle, and it can also help you lose weight. If you live in Sonoma or Marin County, call Marin Weight Loss & Wellness or make an appointment online to ask Cassale Sherriff and her team of nutritionists about the benefits of sticking to traditional healthy foods and moderate wine consumption. They provide customized diet plans at both their Novato and Greenbrae, California, locations.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

Mediterranean diets involve eating meals with more natural ingredients and whole foods low in unhealthy fats. Foods that fit a Mediterranean-style diet include:

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Fish

• Chicken

• Legumes

• Whole grains

• Nuts and seeds

• Healthy fats and oils

• Spices and herbs

What foods should I avoid on a Mediterranean diet?

Conversely, Cassale recommends drastically limiting red meat, salty foods, anything unnatural, and items with unhealthy (saturated and trans) fats, such as:

• High-fat dairy (cheese, yogurt, and ice cream)

• Salt

• Butter and margarine

• Trans (hydrogenated) fats

• Sugary snacks and desserts

• Processed foods

• Artificial flavors, additives, and preservatives

What are the benefits of a Mediterranean diet?

A lowered risk of heart disease, stemming from avoiding unhealthy fats while increasing your good cholesterol levels, is your most significant benefit when following a Mediterranean diet. There’s also evidence that a Mediterranean diet reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and breast cancer. Large studies showed lower mortality rates and lower cancer mortality rates for these diets as well.

How do Mediterranean diets work?

Healthy (unsaturated) fats contain omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce your risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke, and help reduce blood pressure are increased and omega - 6 omega fatty acids reduced in the dietary plan. Whole grains and legumes are added and all processed grains are taken out with allows the body to have a better form of slow burning glucose to burn rather than store as fat. Also increasing the dietary fiber by adding grains and legumes aids digestion and optimizing a healthy GUT. There are plenty of vegetables, a serving of fruit and nuts and seeds in this plan. Besides these nutritional guidelines, Cassale recommends a moderate amount of exercise to replicate the traditionally active Mediterranean lifestyle.

Are there risks to Mediterranean diets?

Unlike many nutritional fads you’ve seen on the internet, there's little risk involved in adopting a Mediterranean diet and active lifestyle.

If you'd like to learn more about supervised weight loss and find out if the Mediterranean diet is the best choice for you, call Marin Weight Loss & Wellness or book an appointment online.

*Individual results may vary