Year of Wellness Series- August 2021: Mediterranean Diet at Midlife
If you’re like me, you may have noticed that it isn’t as easy as we age to eat everything that we want and not worry about weight gain- like when we were in our 20’s. After I turned 40, I started noticing the weight slowly gaining, especially around my middle. Let’s face it though, I definitely wasn’t exercising and eating right. It’s hard to do with family-young children demanding your time as well as ongoing exhaustion from full-time work as a nurse and farm wife. I placed my own needs second to all that, and truthfully, I didn’t have the energy. I was exhausted all the time! Which of course, was partially due to eating poorly and not exercising!
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. So many women find themselves in this situation where we place priority on everything above ourselves. We feel guilty when we spend time on ourselves that “we should/could be spending on others”.
Adding to this- as we age our metabolism slows and we start to lose muscle, which further decreases our metabolism and promotes fatty tissue deposits. So, it’s not unusual to gain weight during this time of your life.
Healthy eating at midlife isn’t just about losing weight or keeping it off, it’s about getting the vitamins and nutrients you need to keep you healthy and decrease your chances of disease. Not all diets ensure you have this, so it’s important to recognize these needs before choosing a plan.
I’ll admit that I did use a Keto diet to help me lose 25lbs quickly last year. But, I have moved towards a Mediterranean diet at midlife now after doing more research into my nutritional needs to benefit not just my weight, but my overall health.
I want to be able to enjoy my life to the fullest so I am researching how to be as healthy as I can at midlife and beyond. You can join me in this journey in my Year of Wellness Series found at the following links:
Health Assessment
Sleep Health at Midlife
Daily Fluid Intake During Menopause
Decluttering to Improve Your Health
Midlife Skin Care
Brain Health at Midlife
There is a lot of research highlighting the benefits of the Mediterranean style of eating. Studies indicate that adhering to a Mediterranean diet at midlife shows a decrease in mortality from Cancers, Heart Disease, Diabetes, as well as reduced incidence of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Along with this, the nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants found in eating this way helps to decrease the aging process, prevent aging frailty, reduce depression, and recover from illness more quickly. The Mediterranean diet may be the key to healthy aging!
The Mediterranean Diet includes:
• An abundance of whole, plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes. These are preferably grown locally and organically.
• Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil.
• Low fat milk products.
• Fish, seafood and poultry lean meats.
• Wine consumed in moderation.
The Mediterranean Diet limits/omits:
• Higher fat, red, and processed meats.
• High fat milk products.
• Foods with added sugar.
• Processed foods
A great resource for getting you started on the Mediterranean Diet at midlife has been created by Registered Dietitians from Alberta Health Services at this link: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-mediterranean-style-of-eating.pdf
Tips for helping you to easily incorporate the Mediterranean Diet include:
• Ensure you get enough calcium and vitamin D to maintain your bone health. The current recommended dietary allowance is 600-800 IU for vitamin D and 1200mg daily for calcium for midlife women.
• Eat fresh fruit for dessert instead of sugar-filled desserts. If you must have something sweet, consider using sugar alternatives in your recipes like stevia, erythritol, or monkfruit instead of aspartame.
• Seek out the freshest and best quality food available that you can afford. Farmer’s markets are an excellent source of locally grown, seasonal foods that are often organic.
• Eat nuts and olives instead of processed snacks.
• Add an extra serving of vegetables to breakfast (yes breakfast), lunch and dinner; aiming for at least five servings a day. Try a new vegetable every week for variety.
• Use olive oil and balsamic vinegar in place of butter to dip your multigrain bread in. If you like garlic- add some minced garlic. Yummy!
• Eat whole vegetables and fruits instead of juices- these will give you more fiber which helps fill you up, helping you lose weight.
• Try new recipes that include legumes instead of meat. Options for legumes include lentils, chickpeas, beans, and peas.
• Choose lean poultry and fish in 3- to 4-ounce portions.
• Substitute wine in moderation for other liquor. Limit to two 5-ounce glasses per day for men, and one glass per day for women.
• Drink plenty of water, unsweetened teas, or sparkling waters. See my post on Fluid Intake During Menopause for tips on how to drink more fluids.
There are many studies and reviews that highlight the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet at midlife, some of which I have included below. It’s an easy way to eat and help stay healthy as you age. Will you join me in this journey of healthy eating?
I hope that you will join me in this 2021 Year of Wellness Series, even if you don’t have many changes to make. You can create your own goals and plans for wellness as it works for you. Please don’t compare yourself to anyone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is who you are today. Change isn’t easy or comfortable at times, but it is possible! Let me know in the comments how you’re doing.
Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter below. This gives you access to my free resource library for all of the printables for this health assessment, as well as many more. Signing up for my newsletter also gives you updates on my blog articles as well as the Year of Wellness Series.
Please note that while I am a registered nurse, I am not your nurse and my opinions above do not constitute or replace medical advice. Please discuss any questions or concerns with your physician or health care provider. Also, see my disclaimer here for more information.
Take care,
Resources
1. Capurso C, Bellanti F, Lo Buglio A, Vendemiale G. The Mediterranean Diet Slows Down the Progression of Aging and Helps to Prevent the Onset of Frailty: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2020; 12(1):35. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010035
2. Romanidou, M., Apergi, K., Tsiptsios, D., Abdelkhalek, H., Tsamakis, K., Constantinidis, T. C., & Tripsianis, G. (2020). Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Aging: A Narrative Review over the Last Decade. Maedica, 15(4), 521–528. https://doi.org/10.26574/maedica.2020.15.4.521
3. Sofi F, Cesari F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and health status: meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008 Sep 11;337:a1344. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a1344. PMID: 18786971; PMCID: PMC2533524. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533524/
4. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-mediterranean-style-of-eating.pdf
5. Vitamin D and calcium in midlife women. Manson J. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 2016, 23(12), 1368‐ | added to CENTRAL: 31 May 2017 | 2017 Issue 5. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/central/doi/10.1002/central/CN-01360224/full#abstract
6. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-practical-guide-to-the-mediterranean-diet-2019032116194