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May is Mediterranean diet Month.  Scientific evidence shows that eating a Mediterranean diet can improve your health and reduce your risk for disease.  Specifically, research shows that following the Med diet helps:

– achieve and maintain a healthy body weight

– lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease risk

-fight certain cancers

-reduce asthma

-reduce risk for diabetes

-mange blood sugar levels

-reduce depression

-nurture healthy babies

The Mediterranean Diet is not a fad diet it is a healthy way of living.  It is based on foods from countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, including Italy, France, Spain and Greece.  However, all of these foods can be found in your local grocery store.

11 Ways to eat and live a more Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle

1. Eat more vegetables.  Go for colour and variety.  Include something green and something orange every day.  Have a salad at lunch and a variety of roasted vegetables at dinner.
2. Reduce your red meat portion.  Change the way you think about meat and include it more as a garnish rather than as the mainstay of your plate. Have a stir fry of vegetables on brown rice with a few slices of tenderloin.
3. Always eat Breakfast. Include whole grains, fruit and a source of protein such as yogurt or nuts for long lasting energy.
4. Eat more fish.  Try to include salmon, sardine, tuna or herring and other fish at least twice per week.  Bake a salmon for dinner and have leftovers in a pita at lunch.
5. Cook a vegetarian meal once or twice a week.  Try French lentil soup or Greek salad with chickpeas.
6. Use good fats.  Include foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds and liquid oils more often. Use olive oil for salad dressings and grapeseed oil for sautéing. Toss nuts on your salad and use avocado as a spread on your sandwich.
7. Enjoy some dairy products.  Low fat Greek and regular yogurt, milk and cheese are all excellent sources of calcium.  Try Blue cheese and pear on a salad with walnuts or Greek yogurt topped with berries for dessert.
8. Include more fruit.  Grab a peach or plum for a delicious snack on the go or have some fresh berries for a beautiful dessert.
9. Be Active Everyday! Dance, walk, swim, bike, garden or hike.  Enjoy the great outdoors and move your body.
10. Eat together.  Spend time with family and friends to share stories and thoughts.  It’s time well spent.  Families that eat together make better food choices.
11. Include some red wine (or red grape juice) in moderation.

Some Great Food Swaps to improve your Diet:

Use this                                             Instead of this

Avocado                                              mayonnaise

Almond butter                                  Butter

Chickpeas in pasta sauce              ground beef

Oatmeal with berries                     white toast and jam

Olive oil                                                Margarine

Red wine                                             whiskey

Strawberries                                      candy

Greek yogurt                                     ice cream

The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid Developed by Oldways.