Another year, another May: another International Mediterranean Diet Month! While we always love Med Month, this year is particularly special for us here at Oldways because its part of the 25th anniversary of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.
In a partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, Oldways created the first Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in 1993 using the most current nutrition research to represent a healthy, traditional Med Diet. It was based on the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece, and southern Italy circa 1960, a time when the rates of chronic disease among these populations were among the lowest in the world, and adult life expectancy was among the highest even though medical services were limited.
25 years later, studies have shown over and over that the Mediterranean Diet is good for you. Among many other things, the Mediterranean Diet is linked with:
- Significantly less plaque buildup in arteries
- 38% lower risk of frailty in older adults (60+)
- 30% lower risk of heart disease, and significantly lower risk of stroke in high-risk patients
Although the Med Diet is now well-known (its currently tied for #1 in US News and World Report’s diet rankings!), this wasn’t the case in 1993. Oldways played a huge part in bringing this lifestyle to America, and was also a pioneer of including wine (in moderation, of course) and daily exercise as part of dietary guidance.
Oldways is so proud to have played a significant part in this movementand we’re so glad that you’re joining us on the journey! This May, help us celebrate Med Month by exploring our Med resources (and make sure you check back at the beginning of May for some new ones!), cooking some Med recipes, and following along with #MedMonth on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Well be tweeting a new recipe every day, so youll have plenty of fodder for your own Med Month celebration!
Happy Med Month, and happy 25 years to the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid!
Join the Make Every Day Mediterranean Club Facebook group for additional information and support.
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