History has long taken notice of the slim and attractive bodies of men and women from Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Tunisia, Lebanon and Morocco, an area also known as the Mediterranean. Medical professionals have also noted the lesser incidence of heart disease and longer life spans enjoyed by inhabitants of the region.

Mediterranean people have a unique diet, rich in antioxidants and heart healthy oils, which has remained unchanged for more than a millennium. Despite the drastic change in dietary habits in Western countries, Mediterranean men and women continue to consume a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and high in whole grains.

Modern researchers have uncovered the reasons why the classic diet provides such incredible health benefits, and diet programs incorporating the Mediterranean style of eating now flourish. Mediterranean diets focus on the key components of olive oil and fresh, high-quality produce.

Adherents of a Mediterranean diet are encouraged to replace dietary fats and oils with heart-healthy olive oil. Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E, and K, as well as being high in iron. It has also been shown to lower cholesterol and may protect against ailments like stomach ulcers and constipation.

High consumption of fresh produce is encouraged, with emphasis placed on consuming those fruits and vegetables which are minimally processed and locally and seasonally grown. Whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, also minimally processed, give the Mediterranean diet variety.

Although fresh produce and olive oil (25 to 35 percent of total calories) are the true focus of the Mediterranean diet, lean meats are allowed in moderation, which reflects the eating habits of the Mediterranean peoples. Lean red meat is not off-limits, but followers of the diet should eat read meat sparingly.

Other protein sources like cheese, fish, poultry, and eggs are to be consumed in moderation throughout the week. Yogurt and cheese should be consumed in moderate amounts daily, while fish and poultry are to be eaten in limited servings weekly. Mediterranean dieters are encouraged to eat anywhere from none to 4 servings of eggs each week.

Like Western eaters, the Mediterranean peoples have long enjoyed a little something sweet each day. The Mediterranean diet calls for daily consumption of fresh, unprocessed fruit as a dietary treat. High fat, high sugar, processed sweets should be limited or cut out of the diet entirely.

Another health-affirming component of the Mediterranean diet is the addition of moderate amounts of wine. While over-consumption of alcohol is discouraged, Mediterranean dieters may enjoy one or two glasses of wine per day.

Moderate consumption of wine has been found to produce many health benefits, including reduction in incidences of kidney stones and reduction in risk of heart disease. Researchers have also found a link between moderate wine consumption and longevity.

While the Mediterranean way of eating is now supported by current dietary research, many adherents choose the diet for the simplest reason: it’s an enjoyable way to eat.

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

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Ask the average man or woman, and their number one body complaint will be belly fat. A sleek, toned mid-section is the single greatest quest in most dieter’s weight loss journey. How can you target mid-section flab and bloat?

Consider the Atkins Diet. This diet is ideal for fast-paced fat burning and is relatively easy to stick with. The primary principal behind the Atkins Diet is limiting carbs to force the body to consume its fat stores (like in the belly.) for fuel.

Dieters who enjoy meats and butters and oils will love the food selection. Beef, turkey, pork, chicken, shellfish and other meat favorites are staples of the Atkins Diet. Although alcohol and sugary foods are strictly prohibited in the earliest phase, the diet is less restrictive in later phases.

If you like the principles behind the Atkins Diet but are looking for something with a little more freedom, the South Beach diet may be the diet for you. Similar to the Atkins Diet, South Beach is a low carb, high protein diet.

Get a lean, attractive mid-section by focusing on healthier carbohydrates and shunning high starch, low fiber, and processed carbs. The South Beach diet also allows a small amount of some alcohols as well as greater cheese and vegetable options. South Beach dieters may also be pleased to discover a large number of prepared South Beach food items commercially available.

The Zone is another convenient diet choice that boasts prepared meals to make planning and eating easier. While The Zone limits carbs like South Beach and the Atkins Diet, the principle behind The Zone’s dietary regimen is insulin control.

The Zone diet is comprised of three stages and prescribes a 40-30-30 meal plan where 40 percent of calories are carbohydrates, 30 percent are proteins, and 30 percent are fats. This diet is well known for being the diet of choice for many celebrities.

If you’re looking for a diet that is truly a life-long change in habits, you may enjoy the Mediterranean Diet. This diet reflects the eating habits of Mediterranean peoples, who have long been known to be exceptionally healthy and fit.

The Mediterranean Diet calls for the dieter to replace fats and oils with heart-healthy olive oil. Meals and snacks are based around fresh seasonal produce. Protein comes from nuts, seeds, and moderate intake of high quality lean meats.

Weight Watchers offers a flexible program for banishing belly fat. The program combines two distinct dietary regimens from which the dieter can choose along with motivational meetings and tools.

Weight Watchers dieters may choose between a program that “budgets” food by assigning all foods a numeric value based on fat, fiber and calorie content, and one that allows for unlimited consumption of healthy, whole foods.

Obtaining a slim, trim abdomen is not the unattainable goal we sometimes tell ourselves it is. With so many options available, it’s only too easy to choose a program that compliments your lifestyle.

Tags: atkins diet, food, food items, food selection, heart-healthy olive oil, Mediterranean, mediterranean diet, south beach, South Beach Diet, Turkey

A new diet study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine has had some interesting results. I am always a little shocked by the poor results of these studies but lets dig into it.

The study was done in Israel with a group of 332 moderately obese people, that is people that knew that they had to lose some weight. The group dieted for two years and most of them, 84% were still on the diet at the end.

There were three diets, a low fat diet, (standard diet) a Mediterranean Diet (like the book), and a low carb diet (Atkins). The people stayed on the diet that was chosen for them for the entire two years.

The shocking part? That the did not lose very much weight at all over the two years. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: American Heart Association, atkins diet, diet study, energy intake, england journal of medicine, Israel, low carb diet, low fat diet, Mediterranean, mediterranean diet, New England Journal, olive oil, The New England Journal of Medicine

The oldest of the nation’s 79 million baby boomers will begin turning 60 in only three months.

So the timing is right for the latest book by Andrew Weil, the Tucson physician known for his pioneering work integrating Eastern and Western approaches to medicine. Weil has just written his 11th book, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, out last week.

Weil spoke with USA TODAY’s Janet Kornblum from his Arizona desert home not only about medicine, but also about attitudes on aging.

Q: There are so many books on aging out there. Why do we need one more? And what is different about this book?
A: I found most are written from the perspective of anti-aging — and that bothers me. Aging is a natural process and inevitable. The baby boomers are soon going to be in the ranks of the oldest people. I don’t think they’re going to put up with the stereotyped roles of old people that have been held out to previous generations. It’s the right time for this book to come along.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: aches, age-related disease, Andrew Weil, anti-aging products, anti-inflammatory skin-care products, Arizona, Arizona desert, Janet Kornblum, Mediterranean, mediterranean diet, pains, physical energy, Tucson physician, USA TODAY