Chronic Diseases: How can the Mediterranean Diet Help Prevent it?
Chronic Diseases
The definition of chronic diseases can be stated as conditions that last one year or more and must have ongoing medical attention, or one must regulate activities in your daily life, or in some cases both. Chronic diseases are a significant cause of illnesses and death in the United States. The main causes of chronic diseases are smoking, unrestricted alcohol consumption, and poor nutrition. Some examples of these diseases are diabetes, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. In the United States, it is claimed that six in ten adults have at least one chronic disease. In addition, four in ten have two or more diseases.
What is the Mediterranean Diet and how does it Work?
First of all, what even is the Mediterranean Diet? Well, the Mediterranean diet is often prescribed by doctors to people who have high blood pressure or heart disease. It’s used to promote decreasing risks of heart disease, dementia, and depression.
Since there are many different countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the diets vary, so there are multiple versions of the Mediterranean diet. However, the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid was introduced by the Harvard School of Public Health, Oldways Preservation Exchange, and the European Office of the World Health Organization, and its purpose is to guide others with common foods around that region. It is said that the diet, which consists of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, dairy, fish, and olive oil, has an abundance of health benefits.
The Mediterranean diet is plant-based and you must incorporate a daily amount of nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes (members of the bean family), herbs, and spices. It is up to one to determine how much food to eat at each meal of the day, and vary depending on body size and physical activity. The Mediterranean diet consists of Unsaturated fats, rather than saturated and trans fat, which play a role in heart disease. This replacement lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Tips for Getting Started:
Reduce red/processed meat (if you do eat meat, reduce its portion and remove visible fat)
Use herbs and spices to boost flavor and use less salt
Eat more Fruits and vegetables
Eat more whole grains (bread, cereals, pasta)
Eat more seafood: 2-3 times a week (limit depending if one is pregnant or a child due to mercury levels)
Have some dairy (skim or 1% milk, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat Greek/plain yogurt)
Eat about four servings of unsalted nuts each week
References
“Mediterranean Diet for Heart Health.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 15 July 2023,
“About Chronic Diseases.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html
“Diet Review: Mediterranean Diet.” The Nutrition Source, 15 Nov. 2024, https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/
