Ask a Nurse: A Winning Diet
Pamela is an RN, MSN/Ed.
Pamela is a mother of 6 amazing children ages 11 to 24. She is a nurse educator and loves to travel overseas to work in medical clinics and teach health-related topics to schools and communities. She has been married to her best friend, Steve, for 29 years. She has many different interests including reading, writing (NOT arithmetic!), baking, teaching, and spending time with her family. She lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband and two youngest daughters.
A Winning Diet
Has the Olympic fever hit your house? As I watch these incredibly fit athletes, I think of the Olympic roots which had its beginning in Greece. Over the last few years, the Mediterranean diet has gained popularity among health experts. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.”
The Mediterranean diet is easier to follow than many other “diet plans.” This is more of a way of life, which is the best way to develop a healthy and fit body.
Here are the basics of the Mediterranean Diet:
- Eat a mostly plant and grain based diet
Residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Use whole grains and a small amount of nuts daily.
- Limit fats to healthy fats found in olive oil, nuts, fatty fish and canola oil
These healthy fats help lower triglycerides, decrease blood clotting, are associated with decreased sudden heart attack, improve the health of your blood vessels, and help moderate blood pressure. Fatty fish — such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon — are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is eaten on a regular basis in the Mediterranean diet.
- Wine
The Mediterranean diet typically includes a moderate amount of wine. This means no more than 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine daily for women (or men over age 65), and no more than 10 ounces (296 milliliters) of wine daily for men under age 65. More than this may increase the risk of health problems, including increased risk of certain types of cancer. As always, if you have you have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or if you have heart or liver disease, refrain from drinking wine or any other alcohol. Also keep in mind that red wine may trigger migraines in some people.
- No red meat, or limited
The Mediterranean Diet limits red meat to once or twice a month, and only very lean cuts about the size of a deck of cards. It is best to avoid higher fat meats such as bacon or sausage.
- Low fat dairy
Switch to skim milk, lowfat cheese and fat free yogurt.
- Eat fatty fish such as fresh or water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring once or twice a week.
The food pyramid for the Mediterranean Diet looks like this:
As with any healthy lifestyle, make sure you get exercise on most days of the week!
I hope you have a great week! I would love to stay and chat some more, but I need to get back to the Olympics!
Be Well,
Nurse Pam
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