Is there a secret to longevity? Why is the Mediterranean diet credited with leading to good health and longevity?
Is it just the food?
According to Dr. Malhotra, an interventional cardiologist and adviser to the United Kingdom’s National Obesity Forum, it’s the Mediterranean lifestyle, it’s the whole approach—it’s the food, but it’s also the social interaction. It’s getting the right kind of exercise. It’s being outside!
It’s getting sunlight and enjoying the sunshine. It’s having a siesta. The Greek people have it all under control…Yes to the Mediterranean diet for good health and longevity!
Before I go on, I would like to mention that it takes a certain kind of people to achieve longevity, and one characteristic that comes to mind is that they are untouchable—nothing fazes them, and they allow nothing to penetrate and get deep down into the core of their souls. They never lose sleep, or at least very seldom do, and when they sleep, they sleep long and deep. They look at the world and at problems from a different perspective.
Super-sensitive people, on the other hand, who take it all in and worry too much about life’s blows, find it difficult in their hearts to achieve inner peace…and long life!
Greek people eat seasonal food, their diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and protein in moderation. They eat none or very little processed foods. We love nuts and have them with honey—two perfect foods with properties that restore and repair while they taste good!
We love yogurt and the probiotics it provides!
We love to take the time to enjoy our meals, always making more for the unexpected visitor or friend who happens to drop by, and we appreciate a good glass of wine with our food.
We feel that food is our good friend but can also be our enemy if we are not careful, so “everything in moderation” is something we practice and try to teach our children.
The people of some Greek islands live a long and happy life. There’s an uncle on my husband’s side of the family who is 105 years old, so we have a centenarian in our family! We all look up to him, and we treasure him. He comes from the island of Crete, where the sun is always shining, the fruits and vegetables are delicious, and the oil and the honey are as precious as gold.
Of course, the point is to live a long and healthy life, if at all possible, and the Mediterranean way of thinking can help us achieve just that. It’s a lifestyle, a very enjoyable one, and it would be to everyone’s advantage to at least try it!
Try the Mediterranean diet and enjoy good health and longevity!
Litsa with Love!