I am a big fan of the Mediterranean diet and it plays a major role in my online weight loss program (www.firstgethealthy.com). Not only is this an excellent diet for losing weight, it is one of the best diets for maintaining your health and preventing disease.
Two recent published studies highlight this. The first study published online, in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that a diet rich in nuts and/or olive oil is key to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Those who are at a higher risk for these diseases are often recommended to eat a low fat diet. However, this study showed that those who ate a low fat diet had significantly more cardiovascular disease than those who followed the Mediterranean diet.
The second study published in August in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology showed that a diet rich in olive oil protects against bone loss in older individuals. Hip fractures are becoming increasingly more common in the elderly; consuming more olive oil can help prevent the osteoporosis that leads to these fractures.
There is a high quality nutritional supplement on the market that is unique in containing a potent extract of olive oil. If you would like more information, please contact me: dr.diana@healthtalks.ca.