Embrace Mediterranean diet the Aussie way

Here's the low down on the Mediterranean Diet.

Fruit, vegetables, fresh salads; whole grain cereals and bread; legumes/beans, nuts and seeds; oily fish; and last but not least, a healthy glug of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

If you think this sounds familiar, you're right - it's the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet).

Delicious and nutritious, simple yet sustainable in the long run, the MedDiet helps promote heart health, supports brain function, regulates blood sugar levels and protects against chronic diseases.

And that's why I'm asking you to give it a go.

In today's time-poor society, you don't want to slave over a hot stove after a long day of work and family commitments.

So, you log onto your go-to takeaway app to order dinner, delivered to your door.

Or maybe you have a stack of frozen meals ready and waiting in your freezer.

I get it, all these meal options are convenient, but as a nutritionist, I'm here to warn you that it could be a recipe for disaster when it comes to your health.

Most ready-made or takeaway meals will not give you the recommended daily intake of five vegetables and two fruit, which means you're not getting the fibre you deserve, and your gut microbiome is not getting the nourishment it needs to thrive.

Microwave meals are often high in sugar and salt and contain processed and refined ingredients, which create inflammation, leading to chronic diseases and weight-gain.

In recent years, I've seen people become fruit-phobic, thinking fruit is too high in sugar.

Restrictive diets, such as Paleo, which is low in complex carbohydrates, Keto, which is typically high in fat and protein and the Dukan diet, which emits fats and limits vegetables, limit key macronutrients and are unsustainable for keeping you healthy long-term.

I'm also seeing a steady stream of patients looking for a cure-all: to help them lose weight, have more pep in their step and overcome chronic conditions.

They want a magic pill that will fix everything from heart disease to inflammatory chronic conditions.

In my opinion, the Mediterranean Diet is the way to go.

It's not a fad or a trend, but a sustainable and healthy way of living that can be followed by anyone for years to come.

It's one of the healthiest diets around with a combination of foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, which is why I recommend it.

As the name suggests, the Mediterranean Diet aims to replicate the diet of what locals in countries around the Mediterranean Sea eat on a regular basis.

It also reflects their lifestyle of regular physical activity and sharing meals with family and friends, both of which are great at releasing endorphins and mitigating stress.

If you're missing out on essential nutrients like protein, healthy fats, iron and B12, or if you want to eat a healthy diet, but just don't have the time to shop, prep and cook, Mediterranean supplement ellinol has just launched in Australia and can provide your body with the nutrients from the diet.

A key ingredient in the MedDiet is olive oil, which improves your heart health, reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, slows the progression of plaque build-up in the arteries, and lowers your diastolic and systolic blood pressure.

Since the MedDiet is rich in anti-inflammatory foods like olive oil and oily fish, it also helps reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, fatty liver, inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic metabolic conditions.

It's also simple and economical.

You don't need to cook Insta-worthy Masterchef meals.

There's no need to eat that expensive eye fillet steak more than once a week; instead, you and your wallet can enjoy low-cost plant-based protein, such as lentils and beans.

But more than half of all adult Australians do not eat the recommended two servings of fruit daily, and only a dismal 7.5 per cent of adults meet the guidelines for five serves of vegetables.

Research shows you get to live a longer, healthier life when on a Mediterranean diet, as it supports heart health, cognitive function and healthy ageing.

It's time for more Aussies to shake up their diet and embrace the vitality of the Mediterranean - it's much simpler than you might think.