Woman’s Passions

Famous Cretan diet is not just a model of balanced and healthy nutrition, but also a synonym of tasty pleasure and skill to live happily. This is a real philosophy. What’s the secret? The secret is that food is not a banal source of calorie compensation, but first of all, a source (very pleasant one) of strong health for a long life. In the end of 50ies scientific researches confirmed that inhabitants of Mediterranean coat, and especially those who lived on Crete, are  subjected to cardio-vascular and oncological diseases less, than other people, due to their way of living and nutrition. Let’s try to examine some principles of this famous diet. May be, after learning and adapting them to our conditions, we will also become healthier, more beautiful and happier.

 

1.    Eat regularly and wisely.

 

Cretans eat 3 times a day in certain hours, in calm atmosphere, without any haste. They eat, trying to avoid inflow of excess calories, which make organism working in vain, processing them. They choose foods the following way: foods should be varied, fresh and only natural. There’re only foods, given by earth and sea, avoid industrially processed foods. After-dinner rest is a firm tradition, allowing digesting food better and affecting nervous system beneficially, reducing stress.

 

2.    Consume vegetable oils

 

Cretans use only olive and colza oils to season dishes. This guarantees enough receipt of polyunsaturated fatty acids our organism cannot produce by itself, but they are absolutely necessary for protection of cardio-vascular system. (polyunsaturated fatty acids are included in structure of nervous cells and their membranes. These membranes becomes fragile and non-elastic, if we eat many saturated fats - butter, sour cream, cream, animal fats. But, when we eat enough quantity of polyunsaturated fats - vegetable oils and cod-liver oil, membranes become elastic. This provides strength of arteries and vessels, and, as a result, good mental health). Besides, using enormous quantity of scented herbs. They not only improve taste, allowing using less salt and fats, but also serve as a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins and microelements.

 

3.    Restrict meat consumption.

 

If you eat too much meat - you get too many saturated, i.e. “bad” fats, which pollute organism and cork up vessels. Do not eat meat every day and especially 3 times a day.

 

4.    Prefer fruits, vegetables, cereals and legumes.

 

These foods will provide you with optimal quantity of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, vegetable proteins and cellulose. Cellulose prevents assimilation of cholesterol, gives feeling of fill and improves peristalsis. Legumes and cereals provide organism with high-quality proteins. Those who wish to lose weight should not refuse from such valuable food like bread. As for vegetables and fruits, you should eat at least 400 g per day, half of them being raw.

 

Our practical advises: 

 

-    Try not to stock up vegetables and fruits for a long. While long storing they lose vitamins. 

-    Prefer steaming, use high-quality antioxidant knives.

 

5.    Drink 1-2 glasses of good red wine a day.

 

Red wine increases effect of vessel and heart protection, prolongs youth of cells due to tannins and polyphenols, which play a role of antioxidants.