Enjoying seafood weekly
Seafood is a weekly staple in the Mediterranean diet, and with good reason. Not only is it a local product (see the earlier section “Fishing the Mediterranean Sea”), but it’s also a great source of those coveted omega-3 fatty acids. If you live near a coast, you have a great opportunity to find fresh fish in your local stores and restaurants. If you’re landlocked, don’t discount lakes and rivers for fresh fish.
Don’t like fish? You can get omega-3 fatty acids in other ways, such as with fish oil supplements or by eating lots of fresh herbs, walnuts, omega-3 enriched eggs, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Even if you don’t like fish, we still encourage you to try some of the seafood recipes in Chapter 18 to see whether we can change your mind!
Limiting red meat
Red meat used to be a luxury item in rural parts of the Mediterranean, so folks there ate it less frequently. Even though it’s now more accessible to the average Joe, the serving limits have stuck over the years.
Beef is only served once or twice a month in the Mediterranean rather than several times a week like in many U.S. kitchens. And when it does hit the table, it’s usually as a small (two- to three-ounce) side dish rather than an eight-plus-ounce entree. This habit helps ensure a reasonable intake of saturated fats and omega-6 fatty acids. (See the earlier section “Focusing on healthy fats” for info on balancing fat intake.)
Don’t panic at the idea of cutting your meat portion so drastically. You can easily replace some of that meat with lentils or beans to add plant-based protein to your meals, or add more vegetable servings to help fill the plate. Also keep in mind that Mediterranean beef recipes are so full of flavor that a small serving becomes more satisfying. (You can see this difference for yourself by trying out the recipes in Chapter 19.)
Having a nice glass of vino
Wine lovers, rejoice! Drinking a glass of wine with dinner is certainly a common practice in the Mediterranean regions. Red wine has special nutrients that are shown to be heart-healthy; however, moderation is so important. Enjoying some red wine a couple of times a week is certainly a good plan for heart health, although you want to check with your doctor to ensure its okay for you. Check out Chapter 2 for specifics on the benefits of red wine.
Getting a good dose of daily activity
Historically, the people in the rural Mediterranean got plenty of daily activity through work, getting where they needed to go on foot, and having fun. The most notable difference is folks who lived in these areas participated in low-impact movement, like walking, kneading bread, and gardening, all day long. In today’s fast-paced environment, people tend to do one short burst of high-impact activity and then sit the rest of the day, a pattern still associated with a higher risk of heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and mortality. Both types of activity are important for optimal health.
Although you may rely heavily on your car and think this lifestyle isn’t realistic for you, you can still find ways to incorporate both aerobic exercise (which gets your heart rate up) and strength-training exercises regularly.
If you don’t believe that slowing down can really do that much for your health, consider this study. Researchers from the University of Rochester found that from Friday night until Sunday, study participants, even those with high income or exciting work lives, were in better moods, showed greater enjoyment in life, and had fewer aches and pains. Having unscheduled time on the weekends provided individuals with opportunities to bond with others, explore interests, and relax. Hey, wait; those are some of the main tenets of the Mediterranean lifestyle! And if just a couple of days of downtime can make a difference, think about the effects of making this type of time a priority throughout the week.
Taking time for the day’s biggest meal
Even though the Mediterranean residents of days gone by were hard workers, often doing a significant amount of manual labor, they always made time for their largest meal of the day. Traditionally, this meal was lunch, where people sat down as a family and enjoyed a large meal full of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and seafood or meat. Taking time for meal and family was a priority; you didn’t see people eating in five minutes at the countertop.
In many cultures, having this large relaxing meal at lunchtime is difficult because of work schedules. However, you can adapt this strategy into your life by focusing on supper. Prioritizing some time to unwind and relax from a busy workday provides other benefits for your family. According to a Columbia University survey, teenagers who eat with their families at least five days a week have better grades in school and are less prone to substance abuse.
Although taking time for a large, relaxing meal sounds like one of those optional strategies you can skip, keep in mind that even small lifestyle choices can make a very big impact on overall health. Family dinners can help you clear your head from work and provide enjoyment through good food and conversation. If you’re go, go, go all day at work, prioritizing family mealtime can be priceless for your daily stress management.
Many principles of the Mediterranean lifestyle revolve around family, community, and fun. It’s so easy to get caught up in a busy, hectic life and put these small experiences on the back burner because they don’t appear to be that important. However, these little rituals throughout the day add up for a big impact on stress management. Stress impacts your health in so many ways, from increasing your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease to promoting weight gain, so managing it is key. Here are two examples of daily routines that illustrate how little experiences sprinkled throughout the day can provide more stress relief:
1. Using Mediterranean lifestyle strategies
• Wake up and have a light breakfast
• Workday begins (stress inducer)
• Lunch break with a light walk (stress reliever)
• End workday
• Home for sit-down dinner with family (stress reliever)
• Clean-up and evening tasks, such as kids’ homework
• Reading or journaling (stress reliever)
• Bedtime (stress reliever)
In this example, the person has opportunities to let go of a little stress multiple times during the day. Now take a look at an example far too many people get trapped in:
2. Using fast-paced lifestyle strategies
• Wake up and skip breakfast (stress inducer)
• Workday begins (stress inducer)
• Lunch break, eating quickly in ten minutes at the desk (neutral – doesn’t induce stress or reduce it)
• Work late (stress inducer)
• Rush through the drive-through to pick up a meal for family, eating in five minutes at the countertop (neutral)
• Clean-up and