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All throughout the Mediterranean region, when people come together, it is usually over a meal. The Mediterranean diet lifestyle involves making some major changes for some people, including having to cook all of your meals from scratch, carefully planning your meals daily, exercising daily, and cutting back on all alcohol except for red wine.
You will be most successful in this diet if your whole family gets involved in the process. Make cooking dinner a family event. When my husband took cooking classes, he was able to come home and teach me a thing or two in the kitchen. Being with your significant other in the kitchen preparing meals, talking about your day, or just listening to music while you prepare food together can be very therapeutic and beneficial to your marriage. Children are never too young to be involved in cooking either. Teaching them healthy habits while they are young can save them from a lifetime of medical problems and obesity. Go grocery shopping and scope Pinterest for recipes together as a family so that everyone is involved and excited for the process of changing their eating and lifestyle habits.
If you are eating out at a restaurant, there are many dishes that you can eat that are featured at most places. A lot more restaurants are offering vegan and vegetarian dishes that would fit in with the Mediterranean diet. Also, nearly any non-fried seafood dish is perfect. Ask the waitress about whole wheat pasta choices or even gluten free pasta options at Italian restaurants to avoid refined carbs. Always pair your entrée with a side of vegetables, such as broccoli or brown rice. The easiest option is probably to eat a salad, but ask for it to be dressed with olive oil instead. If olive oil is not available, a vinaigrette is your next-best option.
When it comes to alcohol, the Mediterranean guide limits all alcohol to red wine only. Red wines that are made from high fiber Tempranillo grapes can reduce cholesterol by 12% in people that already suffer from high cholesterol. Even people with normal cholesterol levels can see a significant drop to their cholesterol by drinking one glass of red wine per day. There are also tons of antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols, which directly lead to heart health by keeping blood vessels open, free of blood clots, and flexible. These antioxidants can also help you get sick less often, bounce back from sickness quicker, and help with cognitive health as well. There is also research that has been done that links red wine to weight loss through piceatannol, a chemical compound that prevents the growth of fat cells by binding to insulin receptors.
