Conquer Depression with the Mediterranean Diet.

Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest diets you can eat for your overall physical and mental health.

• It is considered part of an anti-inflammatory diet.
• Mediterranean food consists of nutritious whole food vegetables, legumes, healthy fats and proteins.
• These foods have been a staple for thousands of years and many of the longest living, healthiest people live in this region.
• Science is showing that an anti-inflammatory diet can greatly reduce depression and anxiety and brain fog/cognitive functioning.

What makes up a Mediterranean Diet?

Your new goal; the Mediterranean diet is full of fresh fruits and vegetables! These are vine ripened tomatoes, dark leafy greens like arugula and spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, lemons, garlic and onions. In addition, healthy nuts and seeds and good fats and proteins such as olives, olive oil, fish and grass fed organic meats. Plus, they have whole grains such as farro, bulgur wheat, cous cous, barley, buckwheat and millet.

Meals include fiber filled legumes such as cannellini beans, garbanzo beans and lentils. Revel in delicious organic grass fed dairy with lots of good enzymes and bacteria in the yogurts and kefirs plus aged meats and cheeses. These bacteria and fiber in these foods feed the gut microbiome!! 90% of the neurotransmitters, such as GABA, serotonin and dopamine which regulate your mood are made in your gut, so lets treat it right!

The standard Western diet consists of ultra processed foods that lack fiber, vitamins and minerals. High in refined carbohydrates, sugar and seed oils which are highly inflammatory.

Your old diet is low in fiber and cannot feed the gut microbiome! 

This leads to leaky gut, high inflammation and low immune function. When this happens, our body tries to protect itself against the inflammation and disease happens. This can lead to all of the chronic diseases and mental illnesses we see in society today. Contact Liesl for a solid plan! 

What can you do to change your diet?

It’s hard to make lasting changes in your diet and healthy food is expensive and takes time to make. Processed foods and fast food are quick and convenient and our schedules are becoming busier by the day. This is true, however, when you don’t feel good, either mentally or physically, you will be forced to slow down and medications and doctor’s visits are even more expensive.

Feed Yourself for Energy

Mediterranean Diet feeds the trillions of bacteria in your gut that make up your gut microbiome feed off of fiber. Help them thrive with fiber. What is fiber? All the foods that God provided for us in nature; nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, vegetables, herbs and fruits. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties of each of these categories and each one provides food for a different bacteria.

Pro Tip: Try to experiment with adding different fibrous foods to your meals.

 

 

The more variety, the happier the gut bacteria and the healthier you become. 

•  Add some blueberries and raspberries to your breakfast along with a variety of nuts and ground flax seed or chia seeds to your oatmeal.
•  Keep a bowl of mixed nuts (dry roasted with sea salt) on your counter for a snack. 
•  Keep a container with a variety of cut up veggies in your fridge such as cucumbers, carrots, radishes, snap peas, mini peppers and celery.
• Make homemade hummus to dip your veggies in
• Try making a bowl of lentil soup or vegetable soup with a variety of veggies
• Make a big salad with a variety of dark green leafy veggies and chopped up veggies, topped with pumpkin seeds and ground flax seeds.

Many ways to add fiber to your diet.

Healthy fats make you feel more satiated, provide energy for your brain and are a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself. In addition, fat helps you absorb necessary vitamins such as Vitamins D, A, and E. Enjoy the Mediterranean Diet! What are some healthy fats you can add to your diet? Avocado, olives, olive oil, coconut and coconut oil and grass fed organic butter and cream.

The other day I was inspired to make a huge Mediterranean Diet meal for my family. I made homemade hummus, babaganoush, lentils, Greek salad, chicken shawarma and rice pilaf (ok so you have to have a little carbs every once in awhile but it was made with plenty of grass fed butter and olive oil, to slow the absorption of the glucose).

Although you may not have 5 hours to commit to making all of these recipes at once, they are easy on their own and worth experimenting with. Each ingredient, including the spices and even the salt, is high in nutrients and flavor.

Here are the recipes I used for my incredibly healthy and tasty Mediterranean cuisine: