
The health benefits of diet
Why eating well can improve your quality of life?
Taking care of yourself starts with eating well. Eating isn't just about filling your stomach. Eating is first and foremost the best way to provide your body with what it needs to function at its best: to be healthy and in better shape!
When you provide your body with the right nutrients, it will defend itself better against seasonal viruses, the free radicals responsible for aging, and diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Cognitive faculties can also be enhanced by certain foods.
A good diet also helps maintain the microbiota (intestinal flora) and the nervous and hormonal systems. Among other things, these balance our moods and sense of well-being.
Are there diets that are good for you, easy to follow and without starvation and/or deficiencies?
Studies have shown that following the Mediterranean diet (1) or the Okinawa diet (2) leads to healthier, longer lives:
The PREDIMED study, with 7447 participants, is the largest interventional study ever carried out on the Mediterranean diet. It confirmed the prevention of cardiovascular disease, increased life expectancy and even reduced the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The traditional Mediterranean diet originated in the countries of the Mediterranean basin. It is characterized by an abundance of fruit and vegetables, the use of virgin olive oil as the main source of fat, and the consumption of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Consumption of dairy products (mainly fermented products such as yoghurt and cheese), eggs, fish and red wine is moderate. Meat consumption is very low (once a week on average). Lean meats (rabbit, chicken and turkey) are preferred.
Dishes are always accompanied by ingredients that not only add flavor, but also protect our health. Onions and garlic, for example, form the basis of many Mediterranean recipes.
They are rich in prebiotics (undigested dietary fibre that encourages the development of good bacteria in the intestinal flora). Fresh or dried aromatic herbs (parsley, oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, coriander, basil, etc.) and spices (cumin, cloves, saffron, cinnamon, pepper, etc.) are also widely used and provide numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components.
What effect does the Mediterranean diet have on the body?
The majority of proteins are of plant origin (legumes and whole grains). These proteins contribute to the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet, unlike diets that favor animal proteins.
Virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols (antioxidants). Fish, seafood and certain nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Their regular consumption contributes to a good omega-6/omega-3 ratio and helps reduce inflammation.
Finally, vegetables, fruit, legumes, wholegrain cereals, nuts and seeds provide a wealth of anti-oxidant vitamins, phytosterols (cholesterol regulators) and, above all, fiber to nourish the microbiota.

Probiotics (living micro-organisms - bacteria/yeast - that populate the intestinal flora) are also provided by the Mediterranean diet in the form of cheese, yoghurt, olives, capers, vinegar and wine.
The Mediterranean diet has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microbiota, by increasing microbial diversity and altering the proportion of certain bacteria. Dysbiosis (imbalance of the microbiota) is often associated with chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The microbiota is often unbalanced in Western countries, where the diet tends to be high in animal proteins and low in plant foods. But the traditional Mediterranean diet is more than just all these foods - it's also a lifestyle. As Unesco puts it, "the Mediterranean diet encompasses much more than just food.
Indeed, it fosters social contacts, with communal meals being the keystone of social customs and festive events".
What is the Okinawa diet?
Japanese cardiologist and gerontologist Makoto Suzuki was one of the first to investigate the secret of Okinawa's centenarians. The Okinawa diet comes from a small island of ultra-centenarians in southern Japan.
It is renowned for the longevity of its inhabitants, which is largely due to their diet and lifestyle. This diet is rich in micronutrients and Omega-3s, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as low-fat, oily fish.
Water, tea, green vegetables, watery vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers), citrus fruits, red fruits, low-calorie fruits, soy milk, fresh seaweed, low-fat yoghurt and tofu are consumed in large quantities.
The Okinawa diet recommends respecting other major principles characteristic of the Japanese diet and which have made this method so successful, such as :
- Hara Hachi Bu, which involves stopping eating before you are completely full;
- Kuten Gwa, which encourages eating only small portions;
- Nuchi Gusui, which consists of eating in the belief that food has healing powers; and
- He also recommends eating fresh food, cooking food slowly or over low heat, and avoiding microwaves and barbecues.
The benefits of dieting, in a nutshell?
Anyone wishing to improve their health can follow these 2 tried-and-tested diets. For all those who wish to protect themselves from lifestyle-related pathologies.
What are the main principles to be retained and applied from these two regimes?
- Eat plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruit.
- Focus on high-quality fatty acids (omega-3 and oleic acid)
- Eat more plant proteins than animal proteins
- Reduce your consumption of meat and dairy products
- Eat fermented products (yogurt, cheese, soy, tofu)
- Taking care of your microbiota
- Moderate, conscious eating
- Pay attention to cooking methods
How can we put all these principles into practice, depending on our specific problems, age, physical activity and seasons? Caroline, our nutritionist, answers these questions and works with her patients to set up tailor-made protocols.
Take care of yourself and your plate!
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