Day Three - Nutrition
Today's challenge is to incorporate some ‘Mediterranean’ elements to your diet. There are clear links between the quality of diet and enhanced physical and mental health which is good because food is one of the most cost effective and modifiable factors available to us.
The Mediterranean diet is not new and in 2020 was named the best diet overall in the U.S. News & World Report annual rankings for the third year in a row1. So what defines a Mediterranean Diet? Like the new Nordic diet it consists of large amounts of fresh vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit, in addition to whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Fish, and to a lesser extent lean meat and poultry, are eaten in moderation.
The diets impact on physical health is clear with from the study of 7000 Spanish people who followed the Mediterranean diet were 30% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, 52% less likelihood of developing diabetes and the women in this group has nearly 70% lower risk of getting breast cancer.2 In another study 33% participants significantly reduced depressive symptoms whilst on the diet and those who improved their diet the most experienced the greatest benefit to their depression. 3
What can you add to your next meal to improve your health and wellbeing?
Reference
Med Diet repeats as best over diet in 2020 webmd - diet
PREDIMED study
SMILES trial by the food and mood institute in Melbourne.
Further reading
Read: Can healthier diet be actually cheaper myth-healthy-food-is-more-expensive
Read: How to eat healthier – james clear eat-healthy
Listen: Health benefits www.abc.net.au health-and-fitness-the-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet
** Disclaimer – Part of the Build Your Ideal Day Program – 30 Day challenge by Duncan Young. All content and media on the Build Your Ideal Day Website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.
