Is the Mediterranean Diet Actually Effective?

About three-quarters of Americans are overweight or obese, and that means millions of people have increased risks of serious, weight-related health problems like hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of dementia and cancer.

Fortunately, losing weight can help, and while portion size is certainly important, it’s also important to pay close attention to the nutritional value of what you’re eating when you’re trying to lose weight.

At Clarksburg Urgent Care in Clarksburg, Maryland, our team helps you manage your weight successfully through personalized weight-loss plans tailored to your unique health needs, lifestyle, and nutritional goals. 

In this post, we review one of the most popular diets available — the Mediterranean diet — so you can decide if it’s the right choice for your needs and goals.

Mediterranean diet: The basics

The Mediterranean diet gained its name from the dietary habits of the women and men who live in the Mediterranean region, an area known for its long-lived residents. Scientists say increased longevity in the region is largely due to the eating habits focused on specific types of foods local to the area.

Generally speaking, these habits center on plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, healthy oils from olives, nuts, and fish, and lean proteins, including beans and whole grains. Flavoring comes from herbs and spices rather than copious amounts of salt. 

The Mediterranean diet also emphasizes fresh foods, eschewing heavily processed foods that tend to be high in sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. Red wine can also be included in moderation and for adding flavoring during cooking.

Weight loss and better health

The Mediterranean diet has been effective in helping people lose weight, but the primary focus of the diet is to improve overall health and wellness, including managing cholesterol levels. 

In fact, the Mediterranean diet is often recommended for people with heart-related issues, including heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Research has also linked the diet with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, depression, and cancer.

For people seeking to modify risk factors for these diseases, the Mediterranean diet can be a great tool for improving overall wellness. If, however, your primary goal is to lose weight, you might want to supplement a healthy eating plan with other tools and techniques focused on that goal and tailored to your unique needs.

Eating plans tailored to your goals

Our team may recommend the Mediterranean diet (or a version of it) for patients whose personal health and wellness goals match the goals of the eating plan. But for patients with other goals, our team is ready to provide other solutions.

It’s important to note that, while effective for many people, the Mediterranean diet is developed based on general principles of health and science. For people with unique and individual needs and goals, a personalized approach is often a more effective and healthier way to achieve weight-loss goals.

Our weight-loss plans are based on your specific medical needs, health history, nutritional profile, lifestyle, and other individual factors that have a surprising influence on weight-loss efforts. 

While your plan may incorporate some aspects of the Mediterranean diet, it may also include other dietary recommendations, nutritional supplements, and even medication focused on helping you reach your goals and maintain your results over time.

And, of course, every weight-management plan includes ongoing support to help you stay motivated, on track, and focused on your goals and healthy lifestyle. This personal approach is the hallmark of our plans and the basis of our patients’ success in enjoying an improved quality of life.

Find a healthy solution that works for you

The Mediterranean diet offers benefits for a specific group of people, but if your goal is to lose weight and keep it off, there’s a good chance you’ll do better with a plan designed specifically for you. To learn how we can help, request an appointment at Clarksburg Urgent Care today. Call our office or book your visit online.