Reduce the incidence of death caused by heart disease and cancer, by
following the Mediterranean diet. Eating food prepared from this plan is
believed to reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) in
your body. If you’re looking for a healthy and tasty way to get back in
shape, the Mediterranean Diet may be exactly what you’re looking for.

However, in choosing the diet to follow, you will need to understand that
there are many small countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and each of
them boasts their own variations on this healthful diet. What they all
seem to share in common are these simple principles:
1) Get plenty of exercise.
2) Eat with friends and family.
3) Instead of salt, use herbs and spices to season food.
4) Consume very little red meat, making certain cheeses, bread, vegetables
and fruit the mainstays of your
diet.
5) Use healthy oils like olive and canola.
6) Drink red wine, in moderation.
7) Eat fish once or twice a week.

The Sardinians, in central Italy, are likely to add six-years to their
life expectancy because of their variation of the Mediterranean Diet. One
unique aspect of the diet from this culture is vino nero, literally
meaning “black wine”. It is one of the darkest red wines produced and is
believed to create antioxidants that actually scrub the arteries when it
is served with the meal. Drinking it with the meal is imperative for
optimal results.

Another fact that sets the Sardinians apart from others consuming the
Mediterranean diet is that they don’t put much emphasis on eating fish.
It, along with red meat, is reserved for special occasions and is not one
of their diet staples. As a protein mainstay in Sardinia, pecorino sardo,
is a common part of any meal. It is cheese made from the milk of grass-fed
goats and contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Other standard fair
on a Sardinian table will include:
1) carta de musica – a very thin whole wheat bread high in Vitamin D
2) leavened bread
3) fava beans
4) almonds and hazel nuts
5) Cannonou, the beverage of choice, boasts the highest levels of
antioxidants of any other dark red wine
in the world.

Health experts applaud it and those who have eaten it, say it’s delicious.
The Sardinian version of the Mediterranean diet may be exactly what you
need to get your heart health back on track and actually enjoy the
flavorful process.

About the Author

Valery Fortie is the editor of the mediterranean diet book, a news source
focused on healthy eating habits to prevent the negative effects of untreated high blood pressure to live longer and better.

Mediterraneanbook.com is a non commercial website created to preserve the
Italian Healthy Eating Traditions. Founded in 2004 in Italy,
Mediterraneanbook.com feels very strongly about having informed consumers
on duty in all healthy eating fields.