Dr Oz did a segment on Health Secrets From The Mediterranean, because for years scientists have studied and identified the secrets of the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle that helps them to avoid Alzheimers Disease, Heart Disease, and Cancer. Doctor Oz revealed some health secrets from his own homeland. What do they eat that helps people in Turkey and the Mediterranean region to live longer and look healthier?
Dr Oz: Mediterranean Health Secrets
Dr Oz said that the Mediterranean people have often been said to be among the healthiest people on the planet. They live 
longer and healthier lives than most Americans. If you live near the Mediterranean, you are 22% less likely to get Breast Cancer, 20% less likely to get Heart Disease, and 40% less likely to get Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr Oz is defining the Mediterranean region to include places including Turkey, Italy, and Greece. Dr Oz’s ancestors are from Turkey, so he is bringing us the secrets from his home country!
Dr Oz: Italy Health Secret: Tomato Sauce
Dr Oz was joined by Marco Di Buono, PhD and Nutrition Scientist. Buono said that in the Mediterranean they have a really healthy pattern of eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and red wine. Plus, they have an active lifestyle that reduces their risk of Heart Disease, Strokes, Diabetes, and some types of Cancer.
Dr Oz asked his assistant what she thought Italy’s Health Secret was: ziti with chicken and broccoli, spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce, or shrimp cabonara. Dr Oz said that the #1 Italian Health Secret is tomato sauce, which is the healthiest of the options. Tomato sauce has a compound in it that protects you from fats in your blood, and by not scarring your arteries, you do not raise your risk for getting Strokes, Heart Disease, or Alzheimers Disease.
Dr Oz: Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
Dr Oz showed an example of what a Mediterranean Diet consists of. On the bottom of the pyramid are the foods you should eat most and as you work your way up, you have the foods that you should eat the least. The bottom most category of foods are fruits and veggies because you should have 7 servings of these daily. Also crucial to the Mediterranean Diet is olive oil, nuts, and one glass of red wine a day to help you look younger. The next level up the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is fish, which is served around twice a week. The third level is poultry, eggs, and dairy. The highest level is meats and sweets, and you should only have a few servings a month from this category.
Dr Oz: Greece Health Secret: Eat Together
Dr Oz said that studies of the healthiest people living in Greece have shown that they always eat meals together with other people. Some other Greek Secrets include taking a walk every day and taking a 15 minute nap in the middle of the day. By having a strong social network, you reduce your stress which is a major risk factor for lots of health problems. By walking for just 15 minutes, you can reduce your blood pressure and your chance of getting Alzheimers when you get older. In America, we tend to have a diet that is high in saturated fats, which is awful for our health. A study recently released said that Spanish men and women are becoming more sedated and not moving around as much plus having a worse diet – thus they are beginning to have the same frequency of health problems observed in North America.
Dr Oz: Turkey Health Secret: Nuts
Dr Oz said that in Turkey, people always eat nuts. Nuts are everywhere, they are like Turkey’s Fast Food stores. Nuts are high in calories and fat, but it is the healthy kind of fat. When you replace saturated fat in your diet with healthy fats, your cholesterol levels go down. Those fats may also help to regulate your heart rhythm. Plus, nuts are full of fiber which helps to lower your cholesterol and is great for your digestive health. Dr Oz said another interesting bit of information about nuts is that when you eat nuts, you do not digest them all the way – so they are not as fattening as everyone thinks!
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