Live life like an Italian – because in some ways Italians have it all figured out, especially when health is in question. Doctors should prescribe vegetables, olive oil, and nuts instead of beta blockers and statins and encourage people to live like an Italian to fight major health issues, scientists have said.
Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist, in his new film named “The Big Fat Fix 1 , calls for a great health revolution that eliminates medications and embraces “lifestyle medicine”.
Doctor Malhotra claims that heart disease, diabetes, and obesity can all be reversed by accepting the real meaning of the Mediterranean Diet that couples healthy eating with the sunshine, relaxation, sleep, and exercise 2 .
Professor Malhotra states that the Mediterranean Diet or The Greek work “dieta”, in fact, means lifestyle.
“We do seriously need to move away from medications alone to more classified, positive health habits – these can be truly effective in improving diabetic control. The Mediterranean Diet definition has been hijacked”, said Malhotra in the British newspaper “The Telegraph” 3 . “There is an epidemic of many misinformed doctors and patients.”
How to Live Like an Italian
Following, we present you the Mediterranean lifestyle, tips how to live like an Italian and avoid health problems, according to experts.
| The Mediterranean Lifestyle |
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 Sleep: 7 hours + Move: During the day. Try to avoid sitting for longer than about 45 minutes at a time. Breathe: Simply concentrate for two minutes, breathing in for five seconds and breathing out for five seconds. Repeat this 4 times a day. Breakfast: Eat 2 to 3 eggs scrambled in some butter, plus ½ an avocado with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Greek yogurt with berries and nuts with some cinnamon. Finish with coffee with cream. Lunch: Eat Greek salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing and flaxseed sprinkle. Dinner: Try lamb or salmon with buttered sweet potato, spinach, and broccoli. Glass of red wine. Blue cheese. Berries and double cream. Snacks: Dark chocolate (80%+cacao), almonds. Drinks: Kefir (fermented milk drink), water (+apple cider vinegar), tea, coffee. Exercise: Yoga, Tai Chi, and/or Pilates. (check out some amazing Tai Chi exercise that you can do at home: http://yourhealthtube.com/tai-chi-gentle-exercise-great-health-benefits ) Resistance training in order to improve the sensitivity of insulin. Higher intensity workout. Walking whenever possible. Remember, recovery is crucial. Do not overdo it! |
| Credit: Doctor Aseem Malhotra |
Many people believe that the Italian diet includes swapping fat for carbohydrates, still in rural Italy some people consume pasta as a main course and pizza are kept for certain special occasions.
Water and sunlight are great factors in Italy that make this diet ideal. However, experts assume that the Mediterranean Diet can find its place in many other cultures and parts of the world because people spend million dollars on medications like beta-blockers and statins to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Simple changes to lifestyle and diet can see great changes to heart health in about 3 weeks, according to Dr. Malhotra, who believes fat is so significant to health he adds butter to the morning coffee.
Sunlight is vital, an essential synthesis that helps maintain bone integrity – and vitamin D deficiency is linked to heart disease. Being active and being outdoors, in general, is important.
Embracing these lifestyle changes can significantly and quickly improve cardiovascular health. In accordance with Dr. Malhotra – within 21 days.
| Explainer: What Kind of Fat Are You? |
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| Skinny Fat Characterized by: • Low or healthy BMI. • Poor exercise regime and diet. • The absence of muscle tone. • Poor metabolic health (visceral fat, high blood glucose, lipids, high blood lipids). Visceral fat is usually present when there is a great build-up of fat around the abdomen. • In some extreme cases, visceral fat could coat the internal organs, leading to diabetes and serious heart health problems. How to tackle it: • Recognize problem areas by using calipers to measure body fat; a DEXA scan could tell the presence of visceral fat. • Building muscle is essential: a good exercise program should stress muscle and cardiovascular resistance. • Carb intake must match exercise demands. Burn-Out Fat Characterized by: • Persistent tiredness. • Difficulty dropping off or interrupted sleep patterns. • Tiredness could negatively affect metabolism and cause a shift in “hunger hormones”. • Increased sugar, carbohydrate, and appetite cravings. How to tackle it: • Add protein to your meals – this will help to keep the levels of insulin in your body, by slowing down the rate of digestion. • Cutting down on alcohol would help to regulate the sleep patterns. • Supplements that could help with sleep include Lactium, vitamin B, taurine, and magnesium. More about magnesium deficiency and how to solve it naturally.: LINK • Introduce a better sleep-inducing time to the end of the day: sip some caffeine-free herbal teas, banish distractions. Read a book in bed, or just have a relaxing bath before sleeping. • Introducing regular weight-bearing and cardio exercises will promote a healthy sleep pattern, and also help you build muscle. Stressed Fat Characterized by: • Stress fat is usually associated with burnt-out fat, and they have a knock-on effect to one another – the hormones in the body function together as part of the endocrine system. • Weight accumulation around the belly; lack of ability to lose weight, even when dieting. How to tackle it: • Replace caffeine with some herbal tea (a stimulant can make you even more stressed, causing the great release of cortisol, consequently more fat around the belly). • You should stop dieting: if you divest yourself, your body will think it is being starved that raises levels of stress, contributing to great fat storage. • Eat less and often in order to eliminate refined carbohydrates, alcohol, and sugar, and control blood sugar fluctuations. • Food also plays a significant role in relieving stress. Making healthy food choices – fresh fruit, such as cherries, blueberries, and raspberries, vegetables, and balanced proteins – will add a great sense of wellbeing. Asparagus, nuts, and avocado are healthy, stress-relieving foods that you should include. |
Conclusion:
The Mediterranean-style diet has fewer carbohydrates and meats than a standard American diet. It also has more monounsaturated (good) fat and plant-based foods. People who live in Italy, France, Spain, and some other countries have eaten this way for centuries. Live like an Italian can be a great motto if you want to live healthier and, of course, happier life. Making certain lifestyle changes and accepting new habits from the Mediterranean diet can be an ideal way to take care of your health, and avoid many health problems.
Following the Mediterranean diet can lead to more stable blood sugar, lower triglycerides and cholesterol, and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and many other major health problems. So, eat like an Italian – live like an Italian!