What is a diet? In today’s culture of fad diets and failed resolutions, a diet is often assumed to be a temporary change to what one eats and drinks. However, the term “diet” does not necessarily refer to a transient attentiveness to intake. Rather, a culture has arisen around the term “diet” which has impressed upon many of us that a diet is a short-term solution, to be maintained until a certain amount of weight has been lost. This must not the case when we talk about keeping a healthy diet1.
One’s diet is intricately linked to one’s health, and a temporary change to one should not be expected to create a permanent change in the other. Indeed, it has been quite well documented that your diet can influence several kinds of chronic diseases, and even set you up for Alzheimer’s. We are working on a free online seminar to discuss this in further detail. If you are interested in attending, send us an email at HuntingtonLifestylePartners@gmail.com, and we’ll put you on the list to be notified for our seminars!
In this week’s edition of #HealthyAtHome, we are excited to share with you some simple and healthy recipes from a diet that has been shown to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s: the Mediterranean style diet.
“We know that food is a medicine, perhaps the most powerful drug on the planet with the power to cause or cure most disease.” – Dr Mark Hyman
What is the lifestyle approach?
Simply put, the lifestyle approach to medicine is an attempt to flip the script on traditional therapies, which often come too late and are only capable of managing chronic conditions. Rather than treating only the symptoms of a chronic health condition, our method aims directly at the root cause, and is capable of completely reversing several common chronic diseases (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and even some autoimmune diseases).
Question
Why is the lifestyle approach better?
Answer
There are several reasons why we believe the lifestyle approach to healthcare MUST be the future of medicine. From a financial perspective, the current style of healthcare is not sustainable. In the United States, $3.6 trillion is spent in health care every year. 86% of that is spent managing chronic diseases. Not treating, not reversing. Managing. From an individual perspective, the lifestyle approach is far more successful, capable of preventing 80% of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes and 40% of cancer.
“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”
Food
The Mediterranean diet revolves around several key components: fish, olive oil, avocados, fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. We have collected a couple of our favorite and simplest recipes – one appetizer, one entrée, and one dessert.
Recipe 1: Cauliflower Popcorn (serves 8)
- 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
- ¾-1 lb. (340-454 g) cauliflower
- Sea salt and other spices to taste
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Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Brush one or two baking sheets with some olive oil. Cut cauliflower into 1″ (2.5 cm) florets. Toss with olive oil and spread evenly on the baking sheet(s). Roast in preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Shake around or toss with a spoon so that they brown evenly. Roast for another 5 minutes. Taste as this point to see if they are done to your liking. Allow to cool for a few minutes before sprinkling with salt and other spices. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe 2: Baked Salmon (serves 4)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) tamari soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. (2 g) fresh grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp. (2.6 g) chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp. (0.5 g) oregano leaves
- ¼ tsp. (1.2 g) thyme
- ¼ tsp. (1.2 g) tarragon
- 1 lb. (454 g) salmon filets
- 4 wedges lemon
- 1½ Tbsp. (22 ml) coconut oil
- 3 Tbsp. (18 g) chopped scallions
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In a small bowl, mix the tamari, sesame oil, garlic, and spices. Put the salmon into a quart-sized (1 L) plastic zippered bag and pour in the marinade mixture. Refrigerate the salmon in the marinade for 2-4 hours, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Spray a large baking pan with oil. Remove salmon from the marinade and place in a single layer in the baking pan. Pour marinade over all the salmon. Bake for 10-15 minutes. While the salmon is baking, heat coconut oil in a small saucepan. Stir in the scallions. Remove salmon from the oven and pour scallion to cover each fillet. Bake about 5 minutes more. Serve immediately, garnish with lemon if preferred and serve!
Recipe 3: Poached Peaches (serves 4)
- 3 oz. (90 ml) canned frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
- ¾ cup (180 ml) water
- 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) finely grated lemon peel
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 4 medium ripe peaches or nectarines
- Sprig of fresh mint for garnish
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In a medium saucepan, mix apple juice, water, lemon peel, and vanilla; bring to boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add peaches and poach, partially covered over low heat for 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool in liquid. When cool, carefully slip skins off peaches, cut in half lengthwise, and remove pits. Garnish with mint and serve!