Here's the problem with nearly every diet out there. While they may work in the short term for cutting weight or improving health outcomes, they're hard to sustain over the long haul.
Take the carnivore or paleo diets, I've had patients who've tried both. Sure they can do some nice things in the short term, but I rarely find anyone who's been doing either for many years.
That's what separates The Mediterranean Diet from the field. It's actually sustainable over long periods of time. Research also shows The Mediterranean Diet to be effective in preventing a variety of disease processes, including dementia.
Newcastle University recently found: "Eating a traditional Mediterranean-type diet -- rich in foods such as seafood, fruit, and nuts -- may help reduce the risk of dementia by almost a quarter, a new study has revealed."
Scientists evaluated 60,298 individuals from the UK over a ten year period, and scored how closely they followed a Mediterranean style diet. Those following the diet had a 23% lower risk for dementia. A lead author went on to say, "The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person's genetic risk, and so this is likely to be a beneficial lifestyle choice for people looking to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia."
This isn't the first time The Mediterranean Diet came out on top when evaluating health outcomes. Research shows the diet decreases heart disease, increases life span, and promotes healthier aging.
Hallmarks of The Mediterranean Diet include: Healthy fats, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and sardines - a wide range of fruits and vegetables - eggs, poultry, and red meat in moderation - smaller portions of yogurt and cheese - water as the predominant beverage.
Here's what I tell my patients; the best diet isn't the one you can follow for weeks or months, but for the rest of your life. That's the key for long term health. Building good habits around what you eat and how much you move over the long haul.
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