Pillars of Health 2 :Take a Trip to the Med

The Mediterranean diet has become more popular, which is good, because it is also a very healthy diet. It is largely plant-based, encouraging lots of fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole grains, but it does allow for various animal products, favoring fish more than meat. Studies have shown that this diet reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer’s dementia. The benefit in reducing risk of heart disease depends on how strictly someone sticks to the diet. Variants of the Mediterranean diet include DASH (Dietary Alternatives to Stop Hypertension (high blood pressure)), and the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay).