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Your Guide to Living Life the Mediterranean Way and Transitioning to a Truly Healthy Lifestyle

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Your Guide to Living Life the Mediterranean Way and Transitioning to a Truly Healthy Lifestyle THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET GUIDE Your guide to living life the Mediterranean way and transitioning to a truly healthy lifestyle Both my mom and my grandma have arthritis, so I always assumed that I’d about me be lucky enough (sarcasm) to have it Hi, I’m Erin, author of the food blog, someday as well. Unfortunately, my The Almond Eater. I wanted to put pain went from being occasional to together a guide to help explain what pretty frequent within a year. Similar- the Mediterranean Diet is, the “cans” ly to my migraines, I knew I could ei- and “can’ts” of thd diet, and why I ther go the trial and error route with decided to transition into this way of medicine, or attempt to take matters eating, along with some of my favor- into my own hands by adjusting my ite recipes and a weekly meal plan. diet. See, I spent my whole life preach- I started researching ways to mini- ing that no diet is the best diet, and mize joint pain, and I stumbled upon while I still believe that, I’ve come to the Mediterranean Diet. Like any learn that when health issues arise, other person these days, I immedi- certain diets may be better than oth- ately Googled anything and every- ers. thing I could about it, and was VERY intrigued. After suffering from chronic mi- graines for over a year and trying Don’t hate me for saying this (ok you everything under the sun to fix them can hate me a little bit), but the Med- -- various medications, chiroprac- iterranean Diet isn’t a diet at all, it’s tic care and acupuncture, to name a a lifestyle. I know, I know, but please few--I finally decided to stop eating stick with me here. I wouldn’t have chocolate and most alcohol once and written this book if I wasn’t obsessed for all. This was NOT easy for me--I with this way of eating. I can sit here used to eat chocolate daily--but I did and say that, since starting this diet a it, and guess what? I feel SO much few months ago, my joint pain is less better, and not eating chocolate has frequent and I’m filling my body with been easier than I ever thought pos- more nutrients than ever before. sible. Along with migraines, I’ve also had joint pain for the past several years. If you’ve been following The Al- whole grains, and healthy fats, in- mond Eater for awhile, you’ll know cluding seafood, olive oil and avo- that I post several vegan, paleo and cados. whole30 recipes, because I enjoy making recipes healthier if and when The Mediterranean Diet focuses on possible. However, I never truly iden- shifting your mindset around food. tified with any of those labels. Again, Again, although the word “diet” is I don’t think people need food labels in the title, it’s much more of a life- in order to be healthy, but I’ve re- style. The goal is to get you to view cently found that having some sort food as fuel--food that benefits of guide--following the Mediterra- your mind, body and overall health- nean Diet--has forced me to eat more -rather than just eating food be- fruits and vegetables than I normally cause it tastes good. would. Ok so what’s the diet all about anyway? Let’s talk about it! With that said, food included in the Mediterranean Diet DOES taste good. Since this way of eating isn’t what is the a structed eating plan, you’ll have the flexibility to incorporate tons of good-for-you foods into your life as mediterranean you please. diet? The Mediterranean Diet is a diet in- spired by the eating habits of Greece, Italy and Spain in the 1940s and 1950s. Nowadays, many people who live in those countries tend ot eat a little more... American. Think: fried food and a lot of sugar. But back in the day, the Mediterranean Diet was something to aspire to. In fact. U.S. News & World Report called the Med- iterranean Diet the best overall diet in 2019. The diet primarily focuses on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, why try the mediterranean diet? HEALTH BENEFITS • can help prevent cancer • provides plenty of fiber, which The diet claims to have many health helps with digestion and to ward benefits, including but not limited to: off hunger • reduce bad cholestoral +more • decreased risk of Alzheimer’s • reduced risk for heart disease Are you convinced yet?! On the next • strengthens bones page, I’m going to discuss what you • helps control blood sugar can and what you can’t eat while on • helps fight depression this diet, so keep reading! • protects against type 2 diabetes • helps with weight loss • improve rheumatoid arthritis So, what’s it all about? The Medi- FOODS TO EAT SOMETIMES terranean Diet can be broken down into three caterogies: 1) foods to eat What does sometimes mean? Some- frequently 2) foods to eat sometimes times means no more than 2x/week. and 3) foods to eat on special occa- sions. • eggs • poultry FOODS TO EAT FREQUENTLY • cheese (feta, brie, halloumi, par- mesan, ricotta) The diet focuses on eating plenty of • yogurt and kefir fruits, vegetables and whole grains. • wine (technically, 1 glass of red Here’s a quick list of things to eat on wine per day is ok) a regular basis: • ANY and all vegetables FOODS TO EAT RARELY/ ON • ANY and all fruit SPECIAL OCCASIONS • whole grain pasta and bread • whole grains in general (brown The cool thing about this diet is that rice, quinoa, barley, farro) even the “off-limits” foods are not • nuts completely off-limits. Feel free to en- • seeds joy these foods on special occasions, • healthy fats (olive oil, avocado oil) but they should be avoided on a reg- • legumes (chickpeas, beans, lentils) ular basis. • seafood (salmon, tuna, shrimp at least 2x/week) • red meat • herbs and spices • processed meats (sausage, hot • tea and coffee (unsweetened) dogs) • PLENTY of water • refined sugar • refined grains (regular pasta, white bread) • refined oils (canola oil) • highly processed foods, including fast food and fried foods • alcohol why I like this diet + my experience You might be wondering why, if I more sugar you eat, the more sugar hate diets so much, I decided to take you crave.” Well, as it turns out, the on this particular diet? To be honest, less sugar you eat, the less sugar you out of all the diets I came across, the crave. Makes sense, right? Mediterranean Diet seems like the easiest one to stick with, probably The same goes with fruits and veg- because it’s not overly restrictive. etables--the more you eat them, Again, it’s a lifestyle, not a diet. the more your body naturally craves them. I mean, I ate a giant plate of The problem with a lot of diets is roasted carrots with pesto the other that they’re temporary--yes, you day. WHO HAVE I BECOME?! Between might lose weight/feel better at first, you and me, I love it. I genuinely feel but as soon as you stop you go back like I’m making good choices for my to feeling the way you did before. But body and my health. not with the Mediterranean Diet. Here’s the thing: if you would’ve You may have heard the saying “the asked me before I started this diet if I ate healthy, I would’ve said yes. But face creams every night (i.e. now I really feel like I’m eating more anti-wrinkle cream), and now I final- whole foods than ever before. I also ly feel like I’m approaching food the know the word “healthy” looks differ- same way. ent for everyone. BUT WHAT ABOUT GLUTEN? You don’t have to have a ton of health issues before implementing There are studies that show that a better way to eating. You can start whole grains--including whole wheat today! bread--provide fiber which ultimately benefits you health-wise. There are HOW I’M FEELING also studies that show that gluten of any kind causes inflammation. Honestly? I feel more energized than ever. Again, I didn’t think that Currently, I’m still eating some glu- I wasn’t energized before, but now I ten, but being mindful of my con- feel really energized in the best way. sumption. It’s going to be up to YOU as to whether or not you feel good Mentally, I like it because technical- eating it. ...meaning you’re going to ly speaking, nothing is complete- have to listen to your body. If you’re ly off-limits. Yes, there are foods just starting out with eating the Med- to avoid regularly, but if you go to iterranean way, I’d recommend keep- your parents house and they’re grill- ing gluten in your diet to start, then ing burgers, you can eat the burger if it feels right, you can try cutting it without stressing! The thing I dislike out to see if you feel better. Cutting about traditional diets it that foods out too many things at once--meat, are labeled “good” and “bad”, and to sugar and gluten--may cause some me, this diet feels much more fluid, people to “fall off the wagon” with the which I appreciate and I think makes diet. it easier to stick with. *I’m NOT a doctor--please consult So yeah, I’m feeling good.
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