The Mediterranean Diet and Your hormones
Diseases of Aging, Hormone Diets, Hormones Comments (0)
There are so many diet plans that most consumers usually get confused as to what is the best and which diet actually works, especially for menopause and weight loss. For those women who want to remain healthy, keep trim and stay fit, perhaps the best diet is the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet, the original hormone diet incorporates all the essentials of healthy and nutritious eating, a daily glass of red wine, and extra virgin olive oil. Eating this diet as a way of life helps hormone levels as we age.
The Mediterranean diet is widely consumed in many parts of southern Europe and it has been observed that individuals in this part of the world have a lower incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and heart attacks. The research on this way of eating supplies lots of evidence of this. The diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, small amounts of meat, legumes, whole grains, and limits unhealthy saturated fats. The food consumed on the Mediterranean diet in southern Europe is also organic because it is not grown on the corporate farms as in North America. In North America, it is best that one buys organic food to avoid ingesting all the chemicals that are so common in the North American diet.
The Mediterranean diet is known to decrease risk of heart disease. Menopausal women who have been on this diet have a far lower incidence of heart disorders than their counterparts who eat a typical western diet. The extra fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are also believed to be beneficial for menopausal females and hormone levels and, often, the Mediterranean diet is referred to as one of the first of the hormone diets to help balance hormones and reduce the symptoms of menopause. The diets that followed such as Dr. Oz’s recommended diet for hormones, Dr. Turner’s hormone diet, Susan Somers’ Somersizing diet have all been based on the Mediterranean diet. The latest study from the U.S. found that both men and women who regularly consumed the Mediterranean diet had a much lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The key features of the Mediterranean diet include the following:
- consuming fruits and vegetables on a daily basis
- living an active lifestyle with some form of daily exercise
- consuming unsaturated fatty acid like extra virgin olive oil
- using a limited amount of salt on food
- eating a variety of nuts on a regular basis
- eating more legumes
- adding whole grains to the diet
- limiting intake of lean meat but eating more fish
- drinking a glass of red wine daily
To stay healthy and lose weight, the Mediterranean hormone diet includes fruits, vegetables, pasta, and rice. If you are trying to eat to combat menopause and weight gain, the extra fruits and vegetables offer a hormone diet which is rich in antioxidants that help lower blood cholesterol and keep one healthy.
The Mediterranean diet also encourages consumption of a variety of nuts including walnuts, pecans, hazzle nuts, and almonds. These nuts are very low in saturated oils, are high calories and low carbohydrates, and can help one lose weight if you do not eat too many of them. You should be careful not to eat honey roasted or excessively salted nuts but to eat nuts in their natural state.
Also recommended on the Mediterranean diet are whole grain breads which are important but one should not use too much butter. Limit your quantities of whole grain bread if you are trying to lose menopausal weight and never use margarine. In fact, margarine should never be eaten because it is not a real fat.
The penultimate ingredient in the Mediterranean diet that has shown to be beneficial to the body is extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil contains omega 3 fatty acids, which, if eaten on a regular basis has many benefits include the lowering of cholesterol, decreasing high blood pressure, and limiting weight gain during menopause.
The final ingredient in the Mediterranean diet is the drinking of red wine on a moderate basis. Red wine has been shown to have a blood thinning effect and has been shown to reduce blood’s ability to clot and also contains numerous antioxidants. However, one should not consume more than 1-2 glasses of red wine a day. Overindulgence in red wine can lead to liver problems and may increase the risk of some cancers. Red wine also has been shown to contain chemicals, which may have anti aging benefits. Menopausal women who drink red wine on a regular basis mention that their skin looks much younger, firmer, and taut. For those who cannot drink red wine for whatever reason, drinking fruit juices made out of grapes or acidic fruits. The benefits are identical.
Going on a Mediterranean diet means one has to become label reader and a smart shopper. Eating real food and preferably organic food will reduce the amount of environmental toxins and xenoestrogens injested. Xenoestrogens are xenohormones and have a toxic affect on the body which causes estrogen dominance, cancer, fertility issues and hormonal imbalance. Select plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits, limit the intake of lean meat, and eat seafood two to three times a week. Avoid saturated fats to cook food and use extra virgin olive oil when cooking and on your salad. Read labels to know what you are putting inside your body.
There is now a lot of data indicating that regular consumption of the Mediterranean diet can lead to better control of blood pressure, lowering of blood glucose and decrease in blood cholesterol. All this eventually leads to a decrease in the risk of heart disease and weight loss. For menopausal females, the Mediterranean diet also helps balance your hormone levels, which leads to a lessening of menopausal symptoms and strengthening of bone.
While the Mediterranean diet as a hormone diet has a lot of benefits and will help you to lose menopausal weight gain, do not forget the human body is complex and one also needs to compliment the diet with regular exercise, proper sleep, a reduction of stress and a healthy lifestyle.
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G. Broker @ September 15, 2009