Do you have trouble sticking to a strict, calorie-counting weight loss diet? And does the word “diet” alone make you cringe? Perhaps it’s time to check out eating the Mediterranean way.

The Mediterranean diet, which allows for olive oil, cheese, breads, and even wine among other treats, is a healthy alternative to the American way of consuming food. It focuses on a balance of food that can lead to weight loss and other nutritious perks, including less chance of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes control, and other problems. But unlike most diets, the focus seems to be less on cutting and restriction and more on a shift in the overall food pyramid.

The Mediterranean diet is not just the latest diet craze, either. In the 1950s, researchers discovered that people in the Mediterranean area had longer life expectancies and were the healthiest people in the world. Looking closer, they could attribute it to what they ate. While the many countries don’t share the exact diet, the basic foundation is the same.

So just what is a Mediterranean diet? The focus is on the following:

• An abundance of plant foods, including fruits and vegetables, but also breads, cereals, potatoes, beans and nuts.
• Non-processed foods, when possible eating seasonally and locally grown foods
• Olive oil, which is rich in healthful fats, to replace butter and margarine as the main fat source
• Low and non-fat cheese and yogurts
• Fish and poultry in moderate amounts
• Up to four eggs a week
• Red meat a few times a month
• Fresh fruit for dessert, limiting desserts with high sugar and saturated fat.
• 1-2 glasses of wine per day if you drink alcohol

If you’d like to learn more about exploring a Mediterranean diet, read “The Mediterranean Diet and Good Health” and check out our free “Eating the Mediterranean Way” class Tuesday night from 6-7PM at the new hospital. If you can’t make it Tuesday, the class will be offered again. Just let us know in the comments, and we’ll notify you.