A little olive oil, a glass of wine=good health!

I’ve been a big fan of the Mediterranean way of life for years. Note how I didn’t refer to it as a “diet” but a way of life.  There are so many heart-healthy, delicious aspects to eating this way that it’s hard to call it a diet.

Don’t get me wrong–I’d love to be in Greece or southern Italy right now blogging away but since I’m not, let’s zero in on some of the components of the Mediterranean diet that can be found anywhere in the world:

• Olive oil
• Fresh fruits & nuts
• Fresh vegetables
• Cheese & yogurt
• Fish & poultry
• Wine (moderate consumption such as a glass of wine per day)
• Moderate exercise (20-30 minutes a day)

I was so thrilled to see a large clinical research study’s results earlier this year. As part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study, researchers followed more than 23,000 Greek men and women for 8.5 years to see how various aspects of a Mediterranean diet affect mortality rates by lowering them.  There have been many other studies that show the benefits of this diet from lowering blood pressure to lowering cholesterol levels but this was one of the largest to date.

I love to cook and I use some or all of the above components in almost every menu in some form. It’s easy, it’s healthy and it’s fun.  Here are a few simple suggestions to get you started:

• Try using a tablespoon of olive oil on your salad as a dressing.
• Grab some raw, unsalted almonds as a snack instead of chips.
• Try fresh blueberries with a dash of  low-calorie whipped cream as dessert

We will offer some simple, easy recipes soon so subscribe to the blog so you can receive them. So pour yourself a glass of red wine and start cooking the Mediterranean way!