The Mediterranean Diet Rules

There is a lot to love about the Mediterranean Diet. Just this past year, U.S. News and World Report crowned it the “best diet” for overall health, slapping away popular, trendier diets such as Paleo and Keto. Take that, trendy diets! The Mediterranean Diet spits in the milk of your, er, milk. 

The Mediterranean Diet is linked to heart health and longevity, and probably provides meaningful protection against diabetes, obesity, and possible dementia and some cancers. If you follow the diet, you are likely reaping health benefits, including a slimmer waistline.  

If you’re not, you may be missing out. The Mediterranean Diet, more complex than meets the eye, is a lifestyle of eating patterns and daily habits of people living in the Mediterranean countries, particularly the olive growing regions of Greece and Italy. 

Continue reading my article for Wonderlust Travel here…

Lessons from the Blue Zones

If you haven’t heard the term Blue Zone before, Blue Zones refer to areas around the globe where people live longer, healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet. It’s no surprise that these regions are also home to the the lowest levels of chronic disease.

I was curious…

What could Blue Zones teach us about longevity and healthy aging? More importantly, was it possible to take the lessons of Blue Zone longevity and apply them to my own life, here in New York. Below is an excerpt from an article I wrote on Blue Zones for Wonderlust Travel where I explore that very question…

Sardinia, Italy

“ I first heard about Blue Zones, distinct geographic regions where people live much longer and healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet, I was more than intrigued. 

The first Blue Zone was discovered in 2000 by demographer Dr. Michel Poulain and Dr. Gianni Pes. While recording the number of centenarians living in Sardinia, Italy, they noticed that Sardinia’s oldest residents were all clustered together in the remote, mountainous area of Barbagia, rather than scattered across the Island. The story goes that Poulain, excited by this finding and what it may tell us about longevity, circled the area on the map in bright blue ink, and called it a Blue Zone.

Shortly after, National Geographic writer Dan Buettner and his team of researchers added four more regions of exceptional longevity to the list, including Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and the Seventh Day Adventist Community of Loma Linda, California, bringing the total number to five.  Although not a geographic region, the Seven Day Adventists of Lomo Linda, California follow a strict faith-based lifestyle, and outlive the rest of Americans by nearly a decade. Clearly, they know something we don’t.”

Read More….

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Lentils Cacciatore for a Quick, Delcious Plant-based Meal

Looking to add more plant-based meals to your routine, but not sure where to start? This delicious, nourishing recipe from the New York Times has it all and only takes a few minutes to prep + under 25 minutes to cook. Plus, you can personalize it by subbing in different herbs, lentils or even canned white beans for a tuscan inspired stew. Serve it over whole grain pasta, quinoa or farro with sautéed greens and roasted veggies for a filling, satisfying dinner. I love to finish off the dish with drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a dash of crushed red pepper for a little heat.

*I sub in Rao’s Marinara Sauce for tomato paste, but if you love a rich, tomato flavor, stick with the tomato paste.

Dinner is Served:

Lentils Cacciatore served over quinoa with roasted broccoli and sautéed baby rainbow chard.