I explain why the Mediterranean diet hasn’t worked for you.
Timestamps:
0:00 Why the Mediterranean diet hasn’t worked for you
0:29 I explain about one large study of over 7,400 people
2:15 If I compare an unhealthy diet to a slightly more unhealthy diet, I’ll see changes to stroke risk
I was asked for my opinion about the Mediterranean diet, which is billed as “heart-healthy”. It uses lots of fruits and vegetables, and tons of olive oil, along with whole grains, red wine, and moderate amounts of red meat, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy.
Sounds healthy, right? People are eating this in Italy and Greece, and they’re healthy, aren’t they?
Here’s what one large study of over 7,400 people showed. One group at the Mediterranean diet with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. The second ate the same diet with a small number of mixed nuts. These two groups were compared to a third group who were fed a traditional low-fat diet.
The study had flaws. It wasn’t properly supervised. It was retracted and reanalyzed. And it wasn’t entirely random. There’s a link below if you want to know more. But here’s my point: there’s no such thing as a standard Mediterranean diet. Different countries in this region consume different diets.
In the US we have our own version of this diet, which is pizza, wine, and pasta.
The study was also flawed in that it was only statistically significant in men, not women. And it was only statistically significant for reducing stokes. Not heart attacks or heart disease. And no decrease in mortality. And even the cited 30 percent decrease in risk of stroke is misleading. Basically, they compared an unhealthy diet to a slightly more unhealthy diet, and saw changes.
Many of the participants were on medications such as for high blood pressure, or statins for high cholesterol, or diabetes medication. This was another variable that complicated the results.
And finally, the entire study was sponsored by olive oil and nut-producing companies in Spain, which means there could have been biases.
If you’ve tried the Mediterranean diet, and it hasn’t worked for you, now you know why.
Dr Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 56, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.
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Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The Health & Wellness, Dr. Berg Nutritionals, and Dr. Eric Berg, D.C. are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this video or site.
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If you’ve tried the Mediterranean diet and it hasn’t worked for you, I explain why.