Marissa Cloutier | Eve Adamson
1 Very good book about a healthier way of eating
I really liked reading the Mediterranean Diet book. It is very imformative and helpful in giving out good common sense nutritional information. I have not tried any of the recipes in the book yet, but I plan to in the future. I have been eating a "Mediterranean style" diet for the past year and I have lost 20 pounds and feel better. I do not cook a lot of fancy gourmet meals, but I cook very simple meals made from natural ingredients. I avoid fast food and highly processed food as much as possible. I eat more fresh fruits, veggies, whole grain cereals and good quality fish and chicken. I use extra-virgin olive oil in most of my cooking and limit my intake of sugar and processed sweets. Most of my snacks and "desserts" consists of fruit,plain yogurt,olives, nuts and other natural foods. I feel much better since I stopped eating all the processed fast food junk loaded with chemicals. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to learn how to eat healthy. If the food is natural and unprocessed and doesn't have any artificial ingredients, then it is healthy.
2 Too many words!
The information in this book deserves 5 stars, however the writing is not very good. She repeates the same thing over and over AND OVER again! The book would probably half the size with the same amount of info if all that repeating wasn't put in. It just makes for an unnecisary LONG read.
3 CONCISE, REASONABLE, HELPFUL
not enough words to describe how much i LOVE this book. it is so simple yet poignant and so many of us get caught up in the daily stress of work and unhealthy eating that we forget that we need to take time out to nurture our bodies. as a recovering eating disorder person, i have turned to the mediterranean diet to help recover my health that i almost lost. after reporting grains, legumes and an abundance of fruits nuts and veggies into my eating, i am proud to say that my body has gained back the nutrients i once lost. i am healthy, happy, and still a great weight where i look and feel wonderful :)!!! a must read for anyone looking for a better health & life!! if you're concerned about this only having a few recipes, there are tons of books on it & on the internet as well ;)
4 Accurate and motivational summary of the Mediterranean diet
I am myself a physician, and bought this book, with others, looking for ideas and recipes after the highly impressive recent scientific article showing benefits for total mortality (people live longer!) coronary mortality, and cancer mortality. This is very impressive for a diet, and many drugs don't have evidence this good. The book has a few, very good recipes, but is an accurate, readable, and motivating summary of the benefits of the diet. Very topical ideas not known by all in the medical profession are included. An example is that fish oils help prevent irregular heart beats, which if unchecked can at times progress to sudden cardiac death. It may be just a bit technical, but I thought it was wonderful, topical, and readable.
5 Tells You Everything You Need to Know
I think this book is impressive. I purchased it after being advised by my doctor to start eating a Mediterranen diet. It was easy to read and understand. It includes a Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid that explains which foods to eat daily, weekly, and mothly and how many servings to aim for. This is something I had a hard time finding on the internet. It does a very good job of explainging the benefits of eating a Mediterranean type diet by discussing each food group and the benefits acquired from each one. It also inspires you to change your life to a more Mediterranea type life by adding physical activity, relaxation, time with friends, and time with nature into your life. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be healthier and happier.
6 HOW'S THAT AGAIN?
I am only quessing at a suitable rating since I just received this book and hastily paged through it to get the gist of its content. I can't rate the book yet but I already know I have a problem. Why in the world didn't this author give us a pronunciation guide? I am trying to begin this diet hoping it will please my husband and help us both in weight loss and health enhancement. What do I say when he says, "What's for dinner?".
7 A diet you can live with that works
This book explains in easily understandable language how embracing the traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle will help you realize your potential for health and longevity. The authors provide a good deal of information about each food category as well as practical guidelines for improving your well-being and quality of life. They discuss the importance of eating vegetables-the heart and soul of the Mediterranean diet-and what makes them so valuable. They also encourage you to eat more fish and impart useful tips to help you reduce your consumption of meat and shift to a more plant-based diet. Their eating plan is bolstered by an emphasis on the necessity of exercise, and they offer suggestions for fitting it into your day. They also point out the dangers of chronic stress and provide some techniques for managing and reducing it.
You will never be bored with the Mediterranean diet, which boasts enormous diversity and is filled with satisfying, delicious dishes. To get you started, the book includes around twenty recipes and a menu plan to furnish inspiration and guidance. Beyond the dishes themselves lies a philosophy: life is to be savored, and food is a glorious expression of life. Meals are gatherings of people who genuinely want to spend time together, not inconvenient social obligations to be suffered through. As the authors remind us, the quality of the food as well as the manner and spirit in which it is prepared are reflections of the quality of our lives. Handled and consumed with reverence, Mediterranean food is a celebration of life itself, a point also made in another book I strongly recommend: "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen" by Sonia Uvezian, which features recipes for hundreds of healthful and mouthwatering dishes. Uvezian's book has become a fixture in my kitchen, and I greatly enjoy reading and cooking from it.
8 Recommended by my gastro
I was recommended this diet by my gastro after being diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) & acid reflux. I had tried the Hawaii Diet and liked it allot but it had no protein and I found that a drag.
So I got this fellow and lemme tell you, it's very complete. They discuss and make allowances for everything under the sun. No thinking just follow the servings and oila I feel better, I lost weight and I get to eat protein.
But seriously this is a very complete book with thorough discussions of every aspect and a pyramid that leaves nothing to chance.
9 Great way to live and wonderful way to eat!
I wanted to know more about how my Greek grandparents and great-grandparents ate and lived so well in a time when there was little emphasis on a good diet -- this book shows, in detail, how they survived and thrived on a healthy, simple diet that staves off illness and keeps the body fit. I'm hooked! The recipes are great and there's a simple outline that anyone looking to feel better and eat healthier can use. I highly recommend this book -- the writing is excellent and it was a pleasure to read.
10 Not Enough Recipes
I bought this book because I was looking for recipes and menu suggestions. There are "some" recipes and menu suggestions but, most of this book is giving you more nutritional information than most of us want to know. There is no recipe section. The authors devote a chapter to each of the components of the Mediterranean diet and give you a couple of recipes for each component. For instance, there are two recipes featuring olive oil. There is a 7-day eating plan that would require some extensive shopping and cooking if one was to follow it. Some of the recipes are very high in calories like the Eggplant Parmesan. You would think that a dietician would figure that you can make this dish without frying the eggplant and save a lot of fat and calories. If it's broiled instead of fried, it'll work equally as well.
