If you are a person who has been on the hunt for a solid diet plan, you may feel overwhelmed much of the time. In the 21st century it is nearly impossible for a person to turn on a television set or open a newspaper without being bombarded with advertisements for a variety of different diet plans and products.

With the tremendous array of diet plans, programs, supplements and aids on the market, it can seem nearly impossible to select a diet plan that can and will best meet your needs now and into the future. More importantly, it can be hard to discern if one or another of these various diet schemes actually is a healthy course to pursue. In many instances, fad diets really are not based on the fundamentals of healthy living.

As you go forward considering what type of diet plan or regimen will best serve your interests and improve your health into the future, you will want to take a look at the benefits that can be had through the Mediterranean diet.

While there are multiple reasons why the Mediterranean diet is a healthy approach, there are five primary reasons why the Mediterranean diet is a good choice.

1. The Benefits of Fruits, Vegetable, Fiber and Whole Grains

A major component of the Mediterranean diet includes the regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Medical experts and nutritionists universally agree that a person should eat between five and six servings of fresh fruits and vegetables (or steamed items) on a daily basis.

People who adhere to the Mediterranean diet actually end up eating more than the minimum recommended allowance of fruits and vegetables. As a result, nutritionists in different parts of the world have taken to recommending a Mediterranean based diet regimen to their clients. Similarly, doctors who consult with their patients about healthy eating practices oftentimes find themselves recommending the Mediterranean diet in this day and age.

Beyond fruits and vegetables, the Mediterranean diet includes healthy amounts of dietary fiber and whole grains. Fiber and whole grains have proven effective in lowering the incidence of heart disease and some types of cancer.

2. The Benefits of Olive Oil — Avoiding Saturated Fat

Some people have a fundamental misperception about the Mediterranean diet. These people have heard that the Mediterranean diet is high in fat. On some level, there is some truth in the conception that the Mediterranean diet is higher in fat than are some other dieting programs. A person following the Mediterranean diet does take in about thirty percent of his or her daily calories from fat. (Most diets recommended the intake of calories from fat at the rate of about thirteen to fifteen percent per day. However, these diets are contemplating the ingesting of animal fat.)

The vast majority of fat that a person on the Mediterranean diet consumes comes from olive oil. In other words, the fat found in the Mediterranean diet is not the dangerous saturated fat that can cause disease, obesity and other health concerns. In fact, research has demonstrated that there are a number of solid benefits to consuming olive oil, including a reduction of the risk of the incidence of breast cancer in women.

3. Dairy in Moderation

While the consumption of low or non-fat dairy products in moderation can be beneficial in some instances, many people the world over rely on heavy creams, eggs and other fat filled dairy products in their daily diets. The Mediterranean diet is low in dairy. Indeed, any dairy products that actually are included within the diet regimen is low fat. A person is considered an extremely heavy egg eater if he or she consumes four eggs in a week.

4. Red Meat in Moderation

Very little red meat is included within the Mediterranean diet. When it comes to meat items, this diet relies on moderate amounts of lean poultry and fresh fish. As a result, people who follow the Mediterranean diet plan have lower levels of “bad” cholesterol and higher levels of “good: cholesterol.

In addition, because of the inclusion of lean, fresh fish in the diet, adherents to the Mediterranean diet enjoy the anti-oxidant benefits that are found in certain fish oils and products.

5. A Well Balanced Dieting Scheme

In the final analysis, the Mediterranean diet is gaining acclaim from experts and adherents the world over because it is a balanced dieting program. Study after study demonstrate that a balanced diet that is low in fat and that includes fruits, vegetable, whole grains and lean meat works to ensure total health and wellness.

Conclusion

The Mediterranean diet is a comprehensive regimen for healthy living. By following the strictures of the Mediterranean diet, a person can enjoy improved wellness, a reduction of the risk of certain diseases and, in many instances, a longer life.

Site Owner & Publisher Ray Darken – You can gain much more detail from Ray’s sites along with other relevant information at The Mediterranean Diet or http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com/wordpress/

Ever since the 1970s, nutritionists have been arguing over the role of protein in maintaining bone health. Some claim a high-protein diet makes the body excrete more calcium, which in turn could weaken bones. Others assert just the opposite: That dietary protein is essential for maintaining strong bones. Who’s right?

Recent research strongly suggests that the protein proponents were right all along. The research shows that a diet high in protein not only keeps your bones healthy; it can significantly slow down the bone loss that leads to osteoporosis.

What all the studies show is that the amount of calcium you excrete depends on more than just how much protein you eat.

The amounts of phosphorus and magnesium in your diet, for instance, play a significant role. But even more importantly, there’s simply a lot of normal variation in the amount of calcium individuals absorb from their food-some people just absorb more than others, for reasons researchers still don’t understand. In fact, your ability to absorb calcium from your food is probably more important to your bone health than the total amount of calcium you take in.

Results from the long-running Framingham Osteoporosis Study, published in 2000, showed that eating a diet high in protein has a protective effect on your bones as you age.

Among the 615 elderly people in the study, the ones who ate the most protein had the strongest bones, while the ones who ate the least protein had the weakest bones. And over the four-year study period, the people who ate the least protein lost significantly more bone mass than the people who ate the most protein. The connection held up regardless of age, weight, smoking habits, calcium intake and even estrogen use.

In March 2002 an important study showed that the combination of a high protein intake and calcium and vitamin D supplements significantly slows bone loss in older adults. The double-blind study followed nearly 350 sixty-five-year-old men and women over a three-year period. All the participants ate their usual diet, but half were also randomly assigned to take a supplement containing vitamin D and 500 milligrams of calcium, while the others took a dummy pill.

At the end of three years, the researchers found that among the people taking the calcium and vitamin D supplements, the ones who ate the most protein had the strongest bones and absorbed the most calcium.

Cheese and other dairy foods are a great source of calcium. Just one ounce of cheddar cheese, for instance, gives you 204 mg. of calcium. There is a lot of calcium in other low carb foods, including nuts and green leafy vegetables.

The latest research at Tufts University indicates that strength training at any age can actually add bone, not just slow its loss. The study looked at two groups of women aged 50 to 70 for a year. One group exercised 5 minutes on a cycle, stretched for 5 minutes and did resistance exercise on several pieces of strength equipment.

The other group continued their “couch potato” life style. When bone density was compared at the end of the study the strength training group added 1% compared to a loss of 2.5% by the sedentary group. As a bonus the strength training will improve your balance, lower blood sugar and burn calories while you are sleeping.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, “You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately.” Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen’s chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries.

“A six way heart bypass isn’t a record” said Gene, “but it’s not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me.”

Gene Millen reviews new research on heart attack risks that are more dangerous than high cholesterol… and how natural supplements and heart vitamins can send them packing! Check out The Heart Health website at http://www.heart-health-for-life.com

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This article was written to help parents better understand what their teens may be going through when acne rears its ugly head. I have pulled this information together from many different sources, and I hope you find it both interesting and helpful. Parents who truly understand what their teens are going through with the acne scourge are well ahead of parents who don’t. They have likely positioned themselves to cushion the negative effects of acne in their teens. We will discuss some causes, and management and prevention strategies.

In spite of what the majority believe, your diet does have a tremendous affect on whether you get acne or not. Greasy foods like french fries, fried chicken, and fatty foods, are the major reason why acne is so prevalent among teens. Conversely, a lack of certain foods in the diet can hinder your ability to fight off acne. Leafy vegetables and fresh fruits help rid the body of the over-abundance of oils that tend to pave the way for acne. Moreover, enough cannot be said about the recommended six glasses of water. When was the last time you saw a teenager gulping their required amount? I didn’t say liquids I said water, not Coca-Cola, water. My youngest daughter, who suffers with acne, runs when she sees a glass of water coming her way.

To press the point home, greasy foods are the primary reason why acne is so prevalent among teens and young adults. To go along with a burdened body, these young people are also burdened with psychological challenges. This is when things can really get dodgy. Teens are social animals. They need to be among their peers, acceptance is extremely important during this stage of their development. When teens are stuck in their bedrooms because of bad acne, parents must remain vigilant as this behavior is a recipe for depression and possibly suicide.

Hormones were also looked into as a cause of acne. It has to be said at this point, acne surfaces for a variety of reasons, of which diet, hormones, and stress can play a role. It is commonly known that hormones and the excess oils that they bring can clog the pores, resulting in acne. My contention again is that a person who eats a well balanced diet which allows their system to be flushed and cleaned, won’t have any difficulty with the hormone issue. Stress is a horse with a different collar. I will deal with stress and acne in another article so watch out for that.
Did you know that something so simple as washing your face on a regular basis can help slow down the onslaught of acne? How often do you wash your face? Do you ever? Maybe mornings. Parents watch your children, a gentle reminder at the middle of the day won’t hurt. You would be surprised at what you see in the sink afterwards, oils and sludge with the accompanying bacteria.

Parents, don’t fear, we do have some good news about acne, it’s not all doom and gloom. Those unwanted zits and black and whiteheads generally respond well to treatment. That treatment would not be squeezing, pressing, or picking at them. Please discourage your children from doing that. Bigger bumps or welts can form as a result. A hot wash cloth gently pressed against the acne, while short term, does provide some relief, but we will talk about those types of treatments in an upcoming article.
In football they say that the best form of attack is defense(or is it the other way around), anyway, you get my drift. Protect yourself from acne. How you ask? You got it! Prevention! An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Wycliffe Williams has been in sales management for twenty years. He has a young daughter who has battled acne for years. If you enjoyed this article check my site: http://www.wyclefinnovations.com/indexacnetwo.html