The Mediterranean Diet: Healthy Eating

My father died when he was 57 after his 3rd heart attack. I was 18 and I knew what killed him... meat. He suffered from what my mother called:

"The Immigrant Red Meat Syndrome." It follows this thinking: "I was poor were I came from and couldn't afford much meat. I am successful in America, and now I will eat lots and lots of red meat."

The fact that the family business was sausage manufacturing didn't help matters.

I never had my father's love of meat and after his death I easily became a vegetarian and remained one for more than a decade. Slowly, as I got into gourmet eating, pregnancy and children, I began eating more animal products, mostly fish, occasionally chicken. My kids are now tweens and are craving red meat, so now we eat that about once a week.

I'm lactose intolerant, very common in Mediterraneans.. but I find as I've gotten older I really desire some dairy products. Probably because it becomes harder to absorb calcium as you age, but woman need it to prevent osteoporosis. I mostly eat yogurt and raw aged cheese which naturally has enzymes that aid in digestion, along with less lactose compared to young cheese like mozzarella and ricotta.

It dawned on me that I am eating the traditional diet of my ancestors.The Mediterranean Diet is a really a simple and healthy one to follow.

You eat mostly fresh fruits, vegetables and pasta. I replace regular pasta with multi-grain and/or whole wheat pasta along with whole grains like: brown rice, barley, millet, quinoa etc.

Use meat as a condiment. Instead of having, for instance, a pork chop as the center of your dinner plate, use a small amount of pork, beef or chicken in a pasta or rice dish, in order to keep your serving of protein down to the recommended 4-6 ounces a day for an adult.

One glass of wine a day at dinner aids digestion, increases circulation, keeps fat from attaching to your arteries. If the wine is red, you get a nice dose of bioflavonoids which help prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke. Wine also helps you to relax, and transition out of your work day into your family time.

When I think back to my childhood and remember the neighbors who were from Italy that maintained their traditional diets, they were amazingly fit and mentally sharp for their ages. Most lived into their 90's without taking medication.

I remember once Miguelina, who lived behind us, fell on her steps, another neighbor asked her the name of her doctor. Miguelina was in her 90's and she replied, "Doctor, I'm not sick. I have no doctor? I drink my wine (homemade dandelion wine) everyday... I feel no pain." Not a bad way to be at 90. I hope that if I continue eating the Mediterranean Diet and exercising daily I won't feel any pain at 90 either...