May is National Mediterranean Diet Month!
Patients often ask the therapists at Rebalance about the Mediterranean diet. Why ask a PT about nutrition? Because we treat many inflammatory conditions, we appreciate the influence of nutrition on the way the body works.
Think about your body like your car. You can’t drive a car without the right fuel. You wouldn’t put oil in your gas tank or use a low-grade fuel or oil to improve your car’s efficiency.
Just like a car, the food that you eat can affect your energy level and the way your body functions. For any inflammatory condition, such as arthritis, tendinitis or muscle strains we need to consider the influence of diet on that inflammation.
Even with the best treatment that we could provide, without the right fuel, the inflammation can be made worse or not completely resolve.
There is also evidence that the Mediterranean diet helps lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, neurodegeneration and chronic disease. Here’s a brief tutorial on the Mediterranean diet:
Disclaimer: Please remember that we are not nutritionists and this post is purely informational. If you would like specific recommendations regarding your nutritional needs, Rebalance has nutritionists and integrative medicine doctors that we work with and recommend. Please contact us if you would like a recommendation.
Mediterranean Diet 101:
- Olive oil is one of the main components to the diet.
- It is a modern nutritional recommendation that includes:
- high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables
- moderate consumption of diary and wine
- low consumption of non-fish meat products
Staple Foods in the Mediterranean Diet
- Legumes: White, Black, Kidney, Garbanzo, Lentils
- Whole Grains: Whole grain pasta, quinoa, farro
- Seafood and Meat: shrimp, chicken, salmon, lean pork
- Fruits: avocado, figs, berries, pears, peaches, pomegranates, tomatoes, apples, melon
- Dairy: eggs, Greek yogurt, cheeses (fermented preferred)
- Heathy Fats: Nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil
- Vegetables: artichokes, arugula, beets, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, celery, collard greens, dandelion greens eggplant, fennel, kale, leeks, mustard greens, okra, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, spinach. The list is lengthy but these are a few to get you started.
One important tip to consider with the Mediterranean Diet:
- Olive oil cooked at scorching point may be converted to saturated fat. So the large amounts of olive oil that are recommended with the diet may not necessarily be cooked at high temperatures and still be considered as healthy for you as if the oil is ingested at lower temperatures.
