Senior Living: The Wellness Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

With so many diets to choose from, how do you choose the best one to fit your health goals? For many seniors, the answer to their health questions is a Mediterranean diet. The diet aims to use ingredients commonly used in the Mediterranean region of the world, including countries like Greece and Italy.

Research has shown that people living in this region and eating this diet have less heart problems and can lose weight more quickly than people eating different diets. Many residents in senior living communities have embraced this as a healthy part of their senior lifestyle.

How a Mediterranean Diet Can Improve Your Health

1. Heart Health

A healthy senior relies on a healthy heart. Mediterranean foods can help keep your heart active longer. Studies have found that over a four-year span, people who ate a Mediterranean diet had 50 to 70% reductions in their risk of major heart problems. They have also proven that this diet leads to a 30% reduction in the risk of cardiac death.

2. Lower Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol: LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, and HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Seniors with too much LDL cholesterol have higher risks for heart attacks and strokes. According to a 2006 study, the fats in a Mediterranean diet lower LDL cholesterol levels.

3. Reduced Risk of Disease

Many people fear that senior living means living with disease. But it doesn’t have to. Mediterranean diets reduce the risk for alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.

4. Weight Loss

The Mediterranean diet balances the right amounts of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to keep weight at a healthy level so that you can be ready for any activity. Many people find that eating these foods keeps them full while they eat less.

 

The components of a Mediterranean diet

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Olive Oil and other healthy fats
• Herbs and spices instead of salt
• Fish
• Poultry
• Nuts
• Limited amounts of red meat, eggs, and dairy

These ingredients can be easily found in any grocery store. Residents at Melrose Gardens have benefitted from organizing their meals around these ingredients. Following this diet, seniors are finding that it is possible to eat their way to better health to maintain an active lifestyle.

Melrose Gardens Senior Living and Assisted Living in Los Angeles

If you’re considering senior living and assisted living communities in the Los Angeles area for a family member, please schedule a tour to discover our community or contact us for more information.

 

Research and References:

De Logeril, M, and P Salen. “The Mediterranean Diet in Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease.” Clinical and Investigative Medicine. Medecine Clinique Et Experimentale., U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17058434.

 

Willett, W C. “The Mediterranean Diet: Science and Practice.” Public Health Nutrition., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16512956.