Good food is a powerful health booster and the Mediterranean Diet has been known to provide health benefits such as:
lowering cholesterol, weight loss, arthritis relief, and reduced risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and various types of cancer.
SMG Internist and nutrition specialist, Solmaz Amirnazmi, MD talks about the Mediterranean Diet , what it really involves, and how it can help you live a longer, healthier life.
Selected Podcast
Mediterranean Diet: The Myths, the Facts and the Food
Featured Speaker:
Before joining Summit Medical Group, Dr. Amirnazmi practiced at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia. She is a member of the American College of Physicians and Former Chair of the Jefferson Medical College American Medical Women's Association. Most recently, Dr. Amirnazmi has delivered presentations at Lenox Hill Hospital and San Antonio Air Force Base Department of Endocrinology on the Mediterranean diet and its effects on longevity, reduction in cardiovascular disease, and its role in preventing other diseases. She created the All Is Well That Eats Well website, which offers visitors healthy recipes and information about healthy eating. While she was at Langley Air Force Base Health and Wellness Center in Virginia, Dr. Amirnazmi launched the Lunch-and-Learn lecture series focused on the Mediterranean diet and healthy snacking.
Solmaz Amirnazmi, MD
Solmaz Amirnazmi, MD, specializes in internal medicine, with a focus on preventive medicine, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle behaviors.Before joining Summit Medical Group, Dr. Amirnazmi practiced at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia. She is a member of the American College of Physicians and Former Chair of the Jefferson Medical College American Medical Women's Association. Most recently, Dr. Amirnazmi has delivered presentations at Lenox Hill Hospital and San Antonio Air Force Base Department of Endocrinology on the Mediterranean diet and its effects on longevity, reduction in cardiovascular disease, and its role in preventing other diseases. She created the All Is Well That Eats Well website, which offers visitors healthy recipes and information about healthy eating. While she was at Langley Air Force Base Health and Wellness Center in Virginia, Dr. Amirnazmi launched the Lunch-and-Learn lecture series focused on the Mediterranean diet and healthy snacking.
Transcription:
Mediterranean Diet: The Myths, the Facts and the Food
Melanie Cole (Host): Good food is a powerful health booster, and the Mediterranean diet has been known to provide health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, weight loss, arthritis relief, and so much more. My guest today is Dr. Solmaz Amirnazmi. She specializes in internal medicine with the focus on preventive medicine, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle behaviors at Summit Medical Group. Welcome to the show, Dr. Amirnazmi. Tell us, what is the Mediterranean Diet and what are some common misconceptions about it?
Dr. Solmaz Amirnazmi (Guest): Thanks so much for having me, Melanie. First off, let me just say how excited I am to be here speaking with you today about one of my greatest passion, which is healthy eating and how it relates to prevention and overall wellness. I’m truly committed to healthy eating and believe that it is the corners to wellness. I’m a huge advocate of the Mediterranean diet for so many reasons, but most importantly, because of its balance of whole, traditional foods, basically incorporating all food groups as well as a healthy exercise regimen. The way I see it, the Mediterranean diet is not really a diet. It’s about embracing a healthy, delicious, and sustainable way of life. I come from a family that has always placed a very strong emphasis on a well-balanced diet, packed with whole nutritious foods. During my medical training, I had the unique opportunity to be part of a special program that emphasized healthy eating as prevention and primary treatment rather than pharmacotherapy. During that time, I specifically focused my research on the Mediterranean diet and its role on longevity and disease prevention. When we talk about the traditional Mediterranean diet, what we’re really referring to are the foods and drinks traditionally consumed by people living in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. As you’re probably aware, the Mediterranean region gets so much of its food from the sea and the majority of it is that from olives. Then on top of that, the region was largely agrarian, so dependence on agriculture meant a diet that was super rich in fruits and vegetables. I think that the most important take home point here is that the medical community really honed in on this diet because of the low rates of chronic disease and the long-life expectancy of the people in this particular region in the setting of such limited medical services. You’re asking about some common misconceptions about the diet and I think that’s a great question personally. I think the most common misconception is that the Mediterranean diet is not really a diet, but rather a nutritional role model to be emulated. It’s really a well-balanced super delicious and nutritious, and most importantly, the most important thing, it’s a sustainable way of life. Really, it’s all about striking a healthy balance, being mindful and respectful of the food we’ve been blessed with each day. I love personally how moderation and variety are key components of the Mediterranean diet, and anyone and everyone can partake, enjoy, and reap the overwhelming health benefits that come with it. There are a few other misconceptions, but I’d have to say the other major one is that so many people associate frequent pasta consumption and then subsequent weight gain as a major component of the diet, when in fact, it really is not. The Mediterranean diet refers to starches like whole wheat, potatoes, polenta, rice, and, yes, pasta as well as part of a well-balanced diet. But these are meant to be accompaniments, not drenched in these creamy, buttery sauces you see, but rather drizzled with olive oil or tomato-based sauces and then plenty of delicious vegetables. When pasta is part of the meal, the serving size is about half a cup and then the rest of the plate consists of salads, vegetables, and a small portion of lean protein. What you really have to consider is that physical activity is a major component of the Mediterranean diet. The people of the region, having such excellent cardiovascular health was attributed not just to the foods that they were eating, but also the fact that they were not sedentary and they led very active life.
Melanie: If people want to know how to get started living that Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, of course the getting active is certainly a very key component, as you said, but you mentioned a few types of foods. Speak more about the foods. Go shopping with us, Dr. Amirnazmi, and teach the listeners how easy it is to prepare to shop for the Mediterranean diet and get those healthy foods on our plate. Give us some examples.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure, absolutely. It’s a great question. There is a specific Mediterranean diet pyramid that dictates the frequency with which one should consume certain foods to stay healthy. Just to highlight some of the component, because it’s really hard to kind of discuss a visual pyramid with you, but I can kind of highlight some things. It emphasizes daily consumption of things like olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and yoghurt; then weekly consumption of things like eggs, poultry, and fish; and then limited meat and meat products consumption. In my mind, it’s really challenging to look at the food pyramid or a handout with the list of foods that you should be eating from your healthcare provider and then translate this into your daily dietary regimen that you actually enjoy and sustain. It’s like there is a disconnect between the science of the pyramid and practical real life application. So to close that gap, you need something else, like easy-to-follow recipes based on the Mediterranean diet. That’s why I initially developed my healthy eating and wellness plug “All is well that eats well” for my patients, so that it would serve as a realistic and accessible tool for getting started on a Mediterranean-based diet.
Melanie: Can kids get the same benefit from this diet and if we cook with our kids and get our kids involved? And the next part of that question would be, Dr. Amirnazmi, you mentioned portion size, because I think this is a huge part of it as well and something to teach our children about the portion sizes today as we look at that plate you described.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Right. Kids can absolutely get the same benefit from this diet. In fact, I encourage parents to involve their kids in grocery shopping and meal preparation because habits form at an early age, so it’s great to nurture healthy ones from the start. Get the kids excited about fresh fruits and veggies. Make fruit kebabs, alternate super fun colors like pineapple, strawberries, grapes, mango, and let them help you make their lunches ready for school. It’s always fun to get those compartmentalized lunch boxes and fill each section with healthy and fun treats like creative sandwiches made with almond butter and fruit, another with edamame, because you know how much kids love edamame, and so on. In terms of portion sizes, it’s difficult to kind of give you a quick rundown on portion sizes in such a limited amount of time, but really what you want to do is embrace an approach that’s focused on really whole foods. You want to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. You want to make sure that you’re loading up on all sorts of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and make sure that you’re getting salmon, fatty fish like salmon packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure that you’re shopping for lean protein like lean turkey, lean chicken. Those are kind of the basic key points to keep in mind.
Melanie: I think that’s such an important point that you mentioned: Shop in the perimeter of the grocery store and getting your kids involved, even getting them involved in picking new produce each week and trying a new recipe, getting involved in that whole process because that’s where the best foods are. Give us an example. You mentioned salmon and then you’ve mentioned some of the legumes and quinoa, all these different kinds of very healthy grains that we should be eating. But, Dr. Amirnazmi, people don’t always know what to do with these. What’s your best advice on how to deal with some of these new grains and things that are showing up on the market?
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure. There are so many delicious and simple recipes I can think of, based off the Mediterranean diet you can use to incorporate. If I had to pick a few of my favorite examples, I would say for breakfast, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt, like a low-fat yogurt topped with your favorite fruits like berries, bananas, peaches, mango, and then a sprinkle of nuts like sliced almonds, pistachios, or walnuts. Then just a small drizzle of honey or agave will be great. Lunch can be a simple arugula or spinach salad. One of my personal favorites is arugula with some scallions, corns, tomatoes, mini cucumbers, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of balsamic and extra virgin olive oil. Then depending on your mood, you can top it with grilled chicken or salmon for lean protein – just delicious. Snacks: my personal favorite is a honey-crisp-apple sandwich with some almond butter and a touch of honey. It’s like heaven. Then dinner, wild salmon, you can season it with garlic, dill, lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil with a side of potatoes or Brussels sprouts, oven roasted with garlic. Yes, those are some examples that I will give you. I just wanted to also highlight that there are still many amazing health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, too, that the science has proven and that it’s important to know about. I didn’t know if you wanted me to go into this.
Melanie: Well, no, that’s okay because that is so important and we only have a minute or two left and I’d love it, Dr. Amirnazmi, if you would wrap it up by giving those benefits, the anti-inflammatory benefits of the Mediterranean diet and your best advice for people that want to start and follow this very healthy eating lifestyle.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure, absolutely. I could talk about the benefits for hours, I know we have limited time, so just to break it down, there are so many amazing benefits, but sticking with the diet will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. I want to highlight that a few major components of the diet that are particularly beneficial to your health is their low consumption of meat and meat products and then a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and olive oil. Changing the oil that you use to olive oil is going to lead to an increase in your good cholesterol, a decrease in your total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar – these are all amazing things. Then with respect to fish and omega-3 fatty acid, consuming more of them can reduce your chances of heart disease, but keep in mind that too much fish can lead to excess consumption of toxins like mercury, so it’s best to have a nice fatty fish like salmon twice a week and then supplement if needed with something like fish oil. The great part of all this is that the studies have shown that it actually doesn’t cost more to eat this way. Those are just some of my suggestions, taking the benefits of the diet that I just mentioned and incorporating those key components into your diet, like if you’re using butter, if you’re using canola oil, just switch to olive oil. Or, if you’re not eating fish on a weekly basis, start incorporating that twice a week into your diet. Make sure you stock up on – shop the rainbow like fruits, vegetables. It’s really important. Any kind of nuts that you enjoy, any kind of seeds, nuts, they’re all beans, they’re all fantastic things to stock your pantry up and make sure that you had easy access to them so that you can get creative with the recipes that come to your mind and reap the overwhelming health benefits with this amazing diet.
Melanie: Thank you so much. What great information. You’re listening to SMG Radio. For more information, you can go to summitmedicalgroup.com. That’s summitmedicalgroup.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening and have a great day.
Mediterranean Diet: The Myths, the Facts and the Food
Melanie Cole (Host): Good food is a powerful health booster, and the Mediterranean diet has been known to provide health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, weight loss, arthritis relief, and so much more. My guest today is Dr. Solmaz Amirnazmi. She specializes in internal medicine with the focus on preventive medicine, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle behaviors at Summit Medical Group. Welcome to the show, Dr. Amirnazmi. Tell us, what is the Mediterranean Diet and what are some common misconceptions about it?
Dr. Solmaz Amirnazmi (Guest): Thanks so much for having me, Melanie. First off, let me just say how excited I am to be here speaking with you today about one of my greatest passion, which is healthy eating and how it relates to prevention and overall wellness. I’m truly committed to healthy eating and believe that it is the corners to wellness. I’m a huge advocate of the Mediterranean diet for so many reasons, but most importantly, because of its balance of whole, traditional foods, basically incorporating all food groups as well as a healthy exercise regimen. The way I see it, the Mediterranean diet is not really a diet. It’s about embracing a healthy, delicious, and sustainable way of life. I come from a family that has always placed a very strong emphasis on a well-balanced diet, packed with whole nutritious foods. During my medical training, I had the unique opportunity to be part of a special program that emphasized healthy eating as prevention and primary treatment rather than pharmacotherapy. During that time, I specifically focused my research on the Mediterranean diet and its role on longevity and disease prevention. When we talk about the traditional Mediterranean diet, what we’re really referring to are the foods and drinks traditionally consumed by people living in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. As you’re probably aware, the Mediterranean region gets so much of its food from the sea and the majority of it is that from olives. Then on top of that, the region was largely agrarian, so dependence on agriculture meant a diet that was super rich in fruits and vegetables. I think that the most important take home point here is that the medical community really honed in on this diet because of the low rates of chronic disease and the long-life expectancy of the people in this particular region in the setting of such limited medical services. You’re asking about some common misconceptions about the diet and I think that’s a great question personally. I think the most common misconception is that the Mediterranean diet is not really a diet, but rather a nutritional role model to be emulated. It’s really a well-balanced super delicious and nutritious, and most importantly, the most important thing, it’s a sustainable way of life. Really, it’s all about striking a healthy balance, being mindful and respectful of the food we’ve been blessed with each day. I love personally how moderation and variety are key components of the Mediterranean diet, and anyone and everyone can partake, enjoy, and reap the overwhelming health benefits that come with it. There are a few other misconceptions, but I’d have to say the other major one is that so many people associate frequent pasta consumption and then subsequent weight gain as a major component of the diet, when in fact, it really is not. The Mediterranean diet refers to starches like whole wheat, potatoes, polenta, rice, and, yes, pasta as well as part of a well-balanced diet. But these are meant to be accompaniments, not drenched in these creamy, buttery sauces you see, but rather drizzled with olive oil or tomato-based sauces and then plenty of delicious vegetables. When pasta is part of the meal, the serving size is about half a cup and then the rest of the plate consists of salads, vegetables, and a small portion of lean protein. What you really have to consider is that physical activity is a major component of the Mediterranean diet. The people of the region, having such excellent cardiovascular health was attributed not just to the foods that they were eating, but also the fact that they were not sedentary and they led very active life.
Melanie: If people want to know how to get started living that Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, of course the getting active is certainly a very key component, as you said, but you mentioned a few types of foods. Speak more about the foods. Go shopping with us, Dr. Amirnazmi, and teach the listeners how easy it is to prepare to shop for the Mediterranean diet and get those healthy foods on our plate. Give us some examples.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure, absolutely. It’s a great question. There is a specific Mediterranean diet pyramid that dictates the frequency with which one should consume certain foods to stay healthy. Just to highlight some of the component, because it’s really hard to kind of discuss a visual pyramid with you, but I can kind of highlight some things. It emphasizes daily consumption of things like olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and yoghurt; then weekly consumption of things like eggs, poultry, and fish; and then limited meat and meat products consumption. In my mind, it’s really challenging to look at the food pyramid or a handout with the list of foods that you should be eating from your healthcare provider and then translate this into your daily dietary regimen that you actually enjoy and sustain. It’s like there is a disconnect between the science of the pyramid and practical real life application. So to close that gap, you need something else, like easy-to-follow recipes based on the Mediterranean diet. That’s why I initially developed my healthy eating and wellness plug “All is well that eats well” for my patients, so that it would serve as a realistic and accessible tool for getting started on a Mediterranean-based diet.
Melanie: Can kids get the same benefit from this diet and if we cook with our kids and get our kids involved? And the next part of that question would be, Dr. Amirnazmi, you mentioned portion size, because I think this is a huge part of it as well and something to teach our children about the portion sizes today as we look at that plate you described.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Right. Kids can absolutely get the same benefit from this diet. In fact, I encourage parents to involve their kids in grocery shopping and meal preparation because habits form at an early age, so it’s great to nurture healthy ones from the start. Get the kids excited about fresh fruits and veggies. Make fruit kebabs, alternate super fun colors like pineapple, strawberries, grapes, mango, and let them help you make their lunches ready for school. It’s always fun to get those compartmentalized lunch boxes and fill each section with healthy and fun treats like creative sandwiches made with almond butter and fruit, another with edamame, because you know how much kids love edamame, and so on. In terms of portion sizes, it’s difficult to kind of give you a quick rundown on portion sizes in such a limited amount of time, but really what you want to do is embrace an approach that’s focused on really whole foods. You want to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. You want to make sure that you’re loading up on all sorts of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and make sure that you’re getting salmon, fatty fish like salmon packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure that you’re shopping for lean protein like lean turkey, lean chicken. Those are kind of the basic key points to keep in mind.
Melanie: I think that’s such an important point that you mentioned: Shop in the perimeter of the grocery store and getting your kids involved, even getting them involved in picking new produce each week and trying a new recipe, getting involved in that whole process because that’s where the best foods are. Give us an example. You mentioned salmon and then you’ve mentioned some of the legumes and quinoa, all these different kinds of very healthy grains that we should be eating. But, Dr. Amirnazmi, people don’t always know what to do with these. What’s your best advice on how to deal with some of these new grains and things that are showing up on the market?
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure. There are so many delicious and simple recipes I can think of, based off the Mediterranean diet you can use to incorporate. If I had to pick a few of my favorite examples, I would say for breakfast, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt, like a low-fat yogurt topped with your favorite fruits like berries, bananas, peaches, mango, and then a sprinkle of nuts like sliced almonds, pistachios, or walnuts. Then just a small drizzle of honey or agave will be great. Lunch can be a simple arugula or spinach salad. One of my personal favorites is arugula with some scallions, corns, tomatoes, mini cucumbers, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of balsamic and extra virgin olive oil. Then depending on your mood, you can top it with grilled chicken or salmon for lean protein – just delicious. Snacks: my personal favorite is a honey-crisp-apple sandwich with some almond butter and a touch of honey. It’s like heaven. Then dinner, wild salmon, you can season it with garlic, dill, lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil with a side of potatoes or Brussels sprouts, oven roasted with garlic. Yes, those are some examples that I will give you. I just wanted to also highlight that there are still many amazing health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, too, that the science has proven and that it’s important to know about. I didn’t know if you wanted me to go into this.
Melanie: Well, no, that’s okay because that is so important and we only have a minute or two left and I’d love it, Dr. Amirnazmi, if you would wrap it up by giving those benefits, the anti-inflammatory benefits of the Mediterranean diet and your best advice for people that want to start and follow this very healthy eating lifestyle.
Dr. Amirnazmi: Sure, absolutely. I could talk about the benefits for hours, I know we have limited time, so just to break it down, there are so many amazing benefits, but sticking with the diet will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. I want to highlight that a few major components of the diet that are particularly beneficial to your health is their low consumption of meat and meat products and then a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and olive oil. Changing the oil that you use to olive oil is going to lead to an increase in your good cholesterol, a decrease in your total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar – these are all amazing things. Then with respect to fish and omega-3 fatty acid, consuming more of them can reduce your chances of heart disease, but keep in mind that too much fish can lead to excess consumption of toxins like mercury, so it’s best to have a nice fatty fish like salmon twice a week and then supplement if needed with something like fish oil. The great part of all this is that the studies have shown that it actually doesn’t cost more to eat this way. Those are just some of my suggestions, taking the benefits of the diet that I just mentioned and incorporating those key components into your diet, like if you’re using butter, if you’re using canola oil, just switch to olive oil. Or, if you’re not eating fish on a weekly basis, start incorporating that twice a week into your diet. Make sure you stock up on – shop the rainbow like fruits, vegetables. It’s really important. Any kind of nuts that you enjoy, any kind of seeds, nuts, they’re all beans, they’re all fantastic things to stock your pantry up and make sure that you had easy access to them so that you can get creative with the recipes that come to your mind and reap the overwhelming health benefits with this amazing diet.
Melanie: Thank you so much. What great information. You’re listening to SMG Radio. For more information, you can go to summitmedicalgroup.com. That’s summitmedicalgroup.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening and have a great day.