Keeping fit and being in a good mood with the Mediterranean diet
Wholesome food influences our life-style in a positive way. In particular a Mediterranean diet has
several benefits on our health. By and large a diet based on tomatoes, olive oil, dairy products, legumes,
fruits and vegetables, a moderate consumption of fish, wine and low consumption of meat has proven to
have salutary effects and has become a dietary recommendation. This kind of diet takes its name
- Mediterranean - from the place where it’s possible to find these foodstuffs: Greece, Spain and southern
Italy. Eating salubrious food has a certain number of favorable results especially from a medical point of
view, in a psychological perspective and finally in the field of business and economics.
Scientists have always had food issues at heart, thus a great deal of research on what we eat
daily has been performed. Many findings demonstrate that the Mediterranean diet is the most complete
type of nutrition ever studied. A large-scale study proves how it is linked to many health benefits such as
reducing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, cholesterol and blood pressure. Olive oil, especially,
contains a very high level of “oleic acid” which epidemiological studies suggest may be linked to a
reduction in coronary heart disease risk. There is also evidence of anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties that ameliorate cholesterol reduction. Red wine, for its part, possesses antioxidant features which may cause the improvement of the coagulation system, while fish and dairy
products are equally beneficial for their richness in proteins and vitamins, with few fats as well. Another
important advantage from these products is that they don’t create addiction as junk food does. Recently,
science has confirmed that potato chips, for example, work on our bodies, producing an addiction
comparable to cocaine: we react as if we didn’t have willpower anymore, because we’re weak. When we
take the first bite of a potato chip, we keep on wanting it, as our neurological system demands it: it’s a
chemical mechanism that triggers a vicious cycle of dependence. Feeding our bodies with junk food
becomes a necessity due to the way we metabolize processed food; in fact our bodies absorb their
ingredients very rapidly. As a consequence this dependency causes also other problems related to food
disorders, like obesity. Therefore we cannot ignore how the wholesome Mediterranean diet, made of
genuine products, contrasts with foodstuffs containing highly noxious pollutants. These unhealthy
nourishments are currently sold regularly, and unfortunately people are not able to distinguish what is
sound for their wellness from what it is not.
From a psychological point of view it’s interesting to notice how findings indicate the relationship
between food and mood. Eating our best-loved food may raise our spirits and make us feel satisfied and
relaxed. There’s a strong connection between the Mediterranean diet and the pleasures of the table,
since it’s a diet that satisfies the palate first, and then possesses good effects too. It’s well-known that
eating is one of the most important pleasures of life, and it has been demonstrated that consuming our
favorite sustenance can stimulate the release of beta-endorphins, which can excite our mood. It has also
been shown that the Mediterranean diet is an excellent cure against depression, or at least it’s efficacious
for preventing stress and demoralization. Indeed people who follow a Mediterranean diet live better and
are less exposed to depression. In an article published in the magazine “Archives of General Psychiatry”,
researchers underline that the predominance of food disorders is lower in the Mediterranean countries
than in northern Europe. One possible explanation may be the kind of nourishment these populations
consume, which could represent a protective factor. Previously, another researcher suggested that
mono-unsaturated fats in olive oil could be associated to a minor risk of heavy symptoms of depression.
The investigation carried out in Spain by the University of Navarra has shown through several surveys
that the subjects who strictly followed the Mediterranean diet had reduced the risk of depression by 30%,
compared to those who followed it occasionally. As regards physical wellness, it’s undeniable that
associating regular physical activity to healthy eating helps us keep in shape. Besides, those who nourish
themselves with the Mediterranean diet are less obsessed by the guilty feeling caused by fats and
calories: having a meal with a salad seasoned with tomatoes, cheese and olive oil is never as “heavy” as
snacking on a bar of chocolate! People who regularly eat Mediterranean food are aware of that. In view of
this evidence we can say that the Mediterranean diet reduces our stress rate.
In the field of business, the role of food-related advertising is fundamental. Many times food
produced in a biologically controlled way is sponsored in the media, highlighting the genuineness of the
products in contrast with junk food or fast food. There’s a veritable campaign against food disorders: on
TV or on the radio we can hear that eating healthily prevents us from becoming obese. The Unesco has
promoted the Mediterranean diet as a valuable cultural patrimony and this has contributed to publicize it.
Particularly, the Minister of Agriculture in Italy has taken measures to spread this diet among the school
canteens. In this way the turnover of typically Mediterranean products has become really huge, and the
Mediterranean diet has produced significant earnings which far exceeded expectations. Moreover, other
research regarding women has been carried out. Thanks to a study at Harvard University, scientists have
discovered that the Mediterranean diet increases the fertility of women who follow it: vegetables, fish and
olive oil facilitate conception. As if that was not enough, other scientists of the Harvard Medical School
have found out that women age better, without important physical and mental health problems, with the
Mediterranean diet.
In conclusion, the many research studies mentioned show the importance of consuming
wholesome food, but above all they highlight the several advantages we can have if we follow a
Mediterranean diet. It is demonstrated that it supports mental and physical wellness. That’s the reason
why people should abolish all foods containing dangerous substances, which are strongly cancerous too.
We should be more intelligent and less ravenous when we eat: it’s necessary to eat better to be less
stressed.