Stop counting calories

Green Bell Pepper with 30 Calories Handwritten NoteI know I share a lot of headlines and news stories coming from Europe. But there’s a good reason. I think they are light years ahead of us here in the U.S. when it comes to how much nonsense they will put up with from big business.

Since most European countries have a public health approach to health care, it is in the government’s best interest to keep the people healthy and costs down. Which is quite the opposite of our style of health care.

Here in the U.S., big pharma and other corporate interests make way more money if people stay unhealthy. And if these “major players” are happy, our government doesn’t suffer too much. It’s a model based on greed that has royally failed the American people.

But I digress.

Let’s get back to the forward-thinking Europeans. Here’s the latest headline I came across from that part of the globe: “Forget calorie counting and start eating healthily.”

Wow. What a simple, genius concept. (One I dare say you’ve heard somewhere before…)

This conclusion came after yet another new study showed that following a Mediterranean style-diet may be better at cutting obesity rates than following diets that involve continually counting calories.

Once again, it’s nice to see this fact re-affirmed by research. But, honestly, there’s a plethora of very good scientific evidence to show that cutting refined carbohydrates and sugar from the diet and increasing intake of lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables is better for sustained weight loss—not to mention other health markers.

In fact, the UK-based team behind this latest study also made the case that the Mediterranean diet may be more effective than cholesterol-lowering statin medications. The researchers cited other studies that suggest the Mediterranean diet is almost three times as effective at reducing deaths as taking statins.

This is on top of the benefits we’ve already seen in fighting stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s, and more  Not to mention overall cognitive function.  And even sexual function. .

Clearly, following the Mediterranean approach is one of the keys to whole-body health. Which is why I’ve been recommending it to my patients—and to you—for years. I’ve just added my own spin that actually gives an added boost to the Mediterranean diet’s already impressive health benefits.

The most notable difference in my version of this lifestyle is the focus on monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs. These healthy fats help stem inflammation, rev metabolism, control appetite—and much more. And one of the best ways to get more MUFAs into your daily diet is to swap out one of the staples of the Mediterranean diet—olive oil.

While olive oil can be healthy, there are just too many factors to consider to ensure you’re getting a quality version. (You can read more about the pitfalls of olive oil in my article “The great olive oil scam” from the March 2012 issue of my Logical Health Alternatives newsletter.) In fact, many of the bottles you see lined up on supermarket shelves are anything but pure—and, as such, won’t offer the health benefits you’ve come to expect from olive oil.

Instead, I recommend macadamia nut oil. It’s richer in MUFAs than olive oil, and has a higher smoke point, which makes it more versatile for cooking.

Of course, there are a few other details that separate my New Hamptons Health Miracle from the standard Mediterranean Diet. (You can get the full rundown on my plan in the report Diabetes Free in Just 6 Weeks: Your Complete and Exclusive Step-by-Step Guide to Dr. Fred’s New Hamptons Health Revolution, which is available to subscribers of my Logical Health Alternatives newsletter for free on my website). But the health benefits are the same—better, even. And there’s no need to count a single calorie in order to achieve them.

Source:

“Healthy eating: an NHS priority a sure way to improve health outcomes for NHS staff and the public.” Postgraduate Medical Journal, epub ahead of print 11/16/14

 


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