17 - Is There Really a ‘Best’ Diet?

Speaker: 00:00:00

Is there really a best

Speaker: 00:00:01

diet?

Speaker: 00:00:02

In this year's edition of

Speaker: 00:00:04

U.S. News and World

Speaker: 00:00:05

Report's Best Diet Ratings, a

Speaker: 00:00:07

panel of experts, including me,

Speaker: 00:00:09

evaluated 38 eating patterns for

Speaker: 00:00:12

health, disease prevention, and well

Speaker: 00:00:14

-being.

Speaker: 00:00:15

There's no one-size-fits

Speaker: 00:00:16

-all it turns out, but

Speaker: 00:00:17

some diets do truly stand

Speaker: 00:00:19

out.

Speaker: 00:00:20

Today we're going to talk

Speaker: 00:00:21

about what makes a diet

Speaker: 00:00:23

the best.

Speaker: 00:00:24

We experience 1,000 waking

Speaker: 00:00:26

minutes on average every day.

Speaker: 00:00:28

How are you spending yours?

Speaker: 00:00:30

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and

Speaker: 00:00:32

you're listening to 1,000

Speaker: 00:00:34

Waking Minutes.

Speaker: 00:00:35

I can't wait to connect

Speaker: 00:00:36

with you here with practical

Speaker: 00:00:37

ways to eat well, move

Speaker: 00:00:39

daily, and be healthy, to

Speaker: 00:00:41

optimize every waking minute you

Speaker: 00:00:43

live for a happier, healthier

Speaker: 00:00:45

life.

Speaker: 00:00:46

Thank you for sharing some

Speaker: 00:00:47

of your minutes with me

Speaker: 00:00:48

today.

Speaker: 00:00:49

Let's get started.

Speaker: 00:01:09

Hi everyone, and welcome back

Speaker: 00:01:11

to 1,000 Waking Minutes.

Speaker: 00:01:13

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, your

Speaker: 00:01:14

host, and today we're diving

Speaker: 00:01:16

into a topic that's making

Speaker: 00:01:18

headlines - diets - but not in

Speaker: 00:01:21

the way that you might

Speaker: 00:01:22

think.

Speaker: 00:01:23

We're not talking about the

Speaker: 00:01:24

quick fixes or trendy fads,

Speaker: 00:01:26

and I'm happy to do

Speaker: 00:01:27

some of that in future

Speaker: 00:01:28

episodes.

Speaker: 00:01:29

Today we're talking about the

Speaker: 00:01:31

true meaning of diet, the

Speaker: 00:01:32

patterns of eating that are

Speaker: 00:01:34

designed to nourish our body,

Speaker: 00:01:37

support our health, and reduce

Speaker: 00:01:39

the risk of disease, and

Speaker: 00:01:42

the ones that are all

Speaker: 00:01:43

backed by science.

Speaker: 00:01:45

And this year I'm especially

Speaker: 00:01:46

excited to share that I

Speaker: 00:01:48

was part of the expert

Speaker: 00:01:50

panel for the US News

Speaker: 00:01:52

and World Report's 2025 Best

Speaker: 00:01:55

Diet Ratings.

Speaker: 00:01:57

Now you may wonder "why

Speaker: 00:02:00

should I trust these ratings?",

Speaker: 00:02:01

and that's an important thing

Speaker: 00:02:03

to question for sure.

Speaker: 00:02:04

I always say put on

Speaker: 00:02:05

your skepticism hat when you're

Speaker: 00:02:07

evaluating yourself whether to trust

Speaker: 00:02:10

the headlines.

Speaker: 00:02:11

First and foremost, I want

Speaker: 00:02:13

you to notice that I'm

Speaker: 00:02:14

going to be talking about

Speaker: 00:02:14

ratings and not rankings here.

Speaker: 00:02:17

Even though there's a very

Speaker: 00:02:18

hook-like headline of best

Speaker: 00:02:22

diets, there is a subtle

Speaker: 00:02:24

but important shift in what

Speaker: 00:02:27

these best diets - multiple - mean.

Speaker: 00:02:31

Instead of focusing just on

Speaker: 00:02:33

who's number one, these ratings

Speaker: 00:02:36

evaluate diets more holistically across

Speaker: 00:02:39

multiple dimensions, like nutritional completeness,

Speaker: 00:02:44

health benefits, long-term sustainability,

Speaker: 00:02:48

can you stay on this

Speaker: 00:02:49

eating pattern, and real-world

Speaker: 00:02:52

effectiveness.

Speaker: 00:02:53

They span across multitudes of

Speaker: 00:02:56

conditions that are very real

Speaker: 00:02:57

and relevant today for us

Speaker: 00:03:00

as a population, like heart

Speaker: 00:03:01

health and gut health, like

Speaker: 00:03:03

menopause support, and also, yes,

Speaker: 00:03:07

weight management.

Speaker: 00:03:08

So to build on this

Speaker: 00:03:09

and to share a little

Speaker: 00:03:10

bit of background, US News

Speaker: 00:03:13

and World Report gathered insights

Speaker: 00:03:15

from 69 nationally recognized experts

Speaker: 00:03:19

in the fields of nutrition

Speaker: 00:03:21

and obesity, food psychology, disease

Speaker: 00:03:24

management, weight management, and they

Speaker: 00:03:27

partnered with the Harris Poll,

Speaker: 00:03:29

known for being grounded and

Speaker: 00:03:31

methodologically sound in how they

Speaker: 00:03:34

develop survey tools, and they

Speaker: 00:03:37

put them out to those

Speaker: 00:03:38

experts that they vetted and

Speaker: 00:03:40

invited, who are current and

Speaker: 00:03:42

active in the field, to

Speaker: 00:03:44

analyze 38 different diets across

Speaker: 00:03:47

21 categories.

Speaker: 00:03:50

So today I'm going to

Speaker: 00:03:51

be a bit of a

Speaker: 00:03:53

Dorothy of sorts in the

Speaker: 00:03:55

Wizard of Oz by pulling

Speaker: 00:03:57

back the curtain a bit

Speaker: 00:03:58

to show you what's sort

Speaker: 00:04:00

of really behind and what

Speaker: 00:04:02

goes into these best diet

Speaker: 00:04:05

ratings.

Speaker: 00:04:06

And I'm also going to

Speaker: 00:04:07

use a diet you've probably

Speaker: 00:04:09

heard of, the Mediterranean diet

Speaker: 00:04:10

in particular, as an example,

Speaker: 00:04:13

not just because it's a

Speaker: 00:04:15

top performer this year in

Speaker: 00:04:16

the 2025 best diet, but

Speaker: 00:04:19

because it's so versatile and

Speaker: 00:04:21

sustainable and something I've been

Speaker: 00:04:22

talking about and teaching about

Speaker: 00:04:24

for decades.

Speaker: 00:04:25

So that's the level of

Speaker: 00:04:27

detail and scientific rigor behind

Speaker: 00:04:29

the process.

Speaker: 00:04:30

There's much more we could

Speaker: 00:04:31

go into, but I'll keep

Speaker: 00:04:32

it sort of light.

Speaker: 00:04:33

But it's also why it's

Speaker: 00:04:34

trusted by millions of people

Speaker: 00:04:36

who are looking to make

Speaker: 00:04:38

informed choices.

Speaker: 00:04:39

It's YOUR choice, remember, and

Speaker: 00:04:40

there's no one-size-fits

Speaker: 00:04:42

-all.

Speaker: 00:04:42

I guess I just bottom

Speaker: 00:04:43

-lined it for us.

Speaker: 00:04:45

No one-size-fits-all,

Speaker: 00:04:46

but looking for informed choices,

Speaker: 00:04:48

you can find them within

Speaker: 00:04:50

this report.

Speaker: 00:04:52

The press release sort of

Speaker: 00:04:53

details it.

Speaker: 00:04:53

It's been all over the

Speaker: 00:04:55

newswire for the last week

Speaker: 00:04:56

or so, and I'm excited

Speaker: 00:04:58

to share a little bit

Speaker: 00:04:59

more with you on it

Speaker: 00:05:01

today from my perspective and

Speaker: 00:05:03

how it fits into our

Speaker: 00:05:04

1,000 waking minutes and the

Speaker: 00:05:06

choices we make each day

Speaker: 00:05:08

and who to trust and

Speaker: 00:05:09

how to figure out what

Speaker: 00:05:11

fits our lifestyles.

Speaker: 00:05:14

So let me set the

Speaker: 00:05:15

stage a little bit more

Speaker: 00:05:17

here.

Speaker: 00:05:17

As I mentioned, there were

panelists: 00:05:18

medical doctors, registered

panelists: 00:05:22

dietitian colleagues of mine, nutritional

panelists: 00:05:25

epidemiologists, some chefs that work

panelists: 00:05:27

in the field, and weight

panelists: 00:05:29

loss researchers as well.

panelists: 00:05:31

And what we did is

panelists: 00:05:32

we analyzed these 38 diets

panelists: 00:05:35

across 21 categories with a

panelists: 00:05:37

number of ratings and scales,

panelists: 00:05:41

as well as some subjective

panelists: 00:05:43

professional input, so room to

panelists: 00:05:45

write our thoughts about them.

panelists: 00:05:48

And we looked at things

panelists: 00:05:50

from gut health to mental

panelists: 00:05:52

health, diabetes prevention, hypertension, high

panelists: 00:05:56

blood pressure, that is, because

panelists: 00:05:58

diets aren't just about weight

panelists: 00:06:00

loss anymore.

panelists: 00:06:01

And in fact, I would

panelists: 00:06:02

argue, first, they weren't about

panelists: 00:06:04

[weight loss] diets, and then they became

panelists: 00:06:06

the diet with a capital

panelists: 00:06:07

D and implied that we

panelists: 00:06:10

meant weight loss.

panelists: 00:06:11

And really, it's always been

panelists: 00:06:12

diets - that are eating patterns

panelists: 00:06:15

that people follow - is your

panelists: 00:06:17

diet.

panelists: 00:06:18

And we were looking at

panelists: 00:06:19

ones for chronic disease prevention,

panelists: 00:06:21

health promotion, better well being,

panelists: 00:06:24

both physical and mental.

panelists: 00:06:26

So I have to tell

panelists: 00:06:26

you this quick story.

panelists: 00:06:28

I love to tell little

panelists: 00:06:29

stories, because it really got

panelists: 00:06:31

me thinking about what it

panelists: 00:06:32

means to evaluate something and

panelists: 00:06:34

why I wanted to sort

panelists: 00:06:35

of take this tack today

panelists: 00:06:38

on an episode with you.

panelists: 00:06:40

The other day, my five

panelists: 00:06:41

-year-old overheard me talking

panelists: 00:06:43

about being part of this

panelists: 00:06:44

panel.

panelists: 00:06:45

And I was trying to

panelists: 00:06:46

explain it a little bit

panelists: 00:06:47

to her.

panelists: 00:06:48

And mid-sentence, she asked

panelists: 00:06:51

me, "Mom, what does 'evaluating'

panelists: 00:06:54

mean?"

panelists: 00:06:55

And she was looking for

panelists: 00:06:57

a definition on the word.

panelists: 00:06:59

And I smiled, because it's

panelists: 00:07:01

such a simple question, but

panelists: 00:07:03

it really is sort of

panelists: 00:07:04

a big concept.

panelists: 00:07:06

And I told her, and

panelists: 00:07:08

this was right at the

panelists: 00:07:09

forefront, and super important - I

panelists: 00:07:11

hope that you recognize this

panelists: 00:07:12

as well - that evaluating something

panelists: 00:07:15

when I'm asked to be

panelists: 00:07:16

an expert on a panel,

panelists: 00:07:18

among others, it's not about

panelists: 00:07:20

my personal opinion.

panelists: 00:07:22

It's not about what I

panelists: 00:07:23

like, personally, even if on

panelists: 00:07:26

the sidelines, I may like

panelists: 00:07:28

or follow something myself.

panelists: 00:07:30

But it really is more

panelists: 00:07:32

about what I've done and

panelists: 00:07:34

completed years of education on,

panelists: 00:07:36

certification on, you know, my

panelists: 00:07:38

master's degree, my doctoral education,

panelists: 00:07:40

my continuing education, as well

panelists: 00:07:43

as professional experience, based on

panelists: 00:07:46

this and what I know.

panelists: 00:07:48

So it's really about using

panelists: 00:07:49

knowledge and tools to look

panelists: 00:07:51

critically at what's evidence-based,

panelists: 00:07:55

what's realistic within real-life

panelists: 00:07:57

eating scenarios, and what's versatile

panelists: 00:07:59

enough to be applied to

panelists: 00:08:01

different people, and even individualized

panelists: 00:08:04

as needed.

panelists: 00:08:05

So I boiled that down.

panelists: 00:08:07

It was a great question

panelists: 00:08:08

for my daughter.

panelists: 00:08:09

And I determined it's sort

panelists: 00:08:10

of part detective-scientist, part

panelists: 00:08:13

real-life-practitioner-and-educator.

panelists: 00:08:16

And then after all that,

panelists: 00:08:18

you know, I do have

panelists: 00:08:19

personal opinions, I do have

panelists: 00:08:21

things I like myself.

panelists: 00:08:22

But really, when I'm working

panelists: 00:08:24

professionally, I'm working for and

panelists: 00:08:26

with the people I'm working

panelists: 00:08:27

for and with, ...that would

panelists: 00:08:29

be you or my client

panelists: 00:08:30

or the community.

panelists: 00:08:32

And what science says, that

panelists: 00:08:35

allows us then to register

panelists: 00:08:37

where these diets sift out.

panelists: 00:08:40

Really, again: it's about nutrition.

panelists: 00:08:42

Does it fuel the body

panelists: 00:08:43

well?

panelists: 00:08:44

And what do we know

panelists: 00:08:45

about that?

panelists: 00:08:46

Is it accessible?

panelists: 00:08:47

Can people actually follow this

panelists: 00:08:49

dietary eating style in their

panelists: 00:08:51

everyday lives?

panelists: 00:08:52

Is it sustainable?

panelists: 00:08:54

And while I will talk

panelists: 00:08:55

a lot about sustainability, in

panelists: 00:08:58

terms of our environment, our

panelists: 00:09:00

planet, our people, our health,

panelists: 00:09:02

this is really about, is

panelists: 00:09:03

this sustainable?

panelists: 00:09:03

Is it something you can

panelists: 00:09:04

follow for months or even

panelists: 00:09:07

years?

panelists: 00:09:08

And for me, this is

panelists: 00:09:09

an important one.

panelists: 00:09:10

And this is a professional

panelists: 00:09:11

bias, I will share.

panelists: 00:09:14

Is it pleasurable?

panelists: 00:09:15

So there wasn't a lot

panelists: 00:09:17

of opportunity for me to

panelists: 00:09:18

evaluate within the rating system

panelists: 00:09:21

and the scores, whether it's

panelists: 00:09:23

pleasurable.

panelists: 00:09:23

But I do keep that

panelists: 00:09:24

in the back of my

panelists: 00:09:25

mind.

panelists: 00:09:26

And I did share a

panelists: 00:09:27

few comments about that, because,

panelists: 00:09:29

you know, can these diets

panelists: 00:09:31

allow you to enjoy the

panelists: 00:09:33

food, dine with others, because

panelists: 00:09:35

research actually does support that

panelists: 00:09:39

enjoying meals with others is

panelists: 00:09:41

part of long term success

panelists: 00:09:43

too.

panelists: 00:09:44

So among the 38 diets,

panelists: 00:09:46

each of us evaluated, and

panelists: 00:09:48

it was a very long

panelists: 00:09:49

survey, you really had to

panelists: 00:09:50

sit down, commit quiet time

panelists: 00:09:53

to it.

panelists: 00:09:53

It was part of my

panelists: 00:09:54

professional day.

panelists: 00:09:55

In this well-designed survey

panelists: 00:09:57

instrument, you might be wondering:

panelists: 00:09:59

did one diet stand out?

panelists: 00:10:02

And the answer is, well,

panelists: 00:10:04

it depends.

panelists: 00:10:05

Rather...

panelists: 00:10:05

While there's a number of

panelists: 00:10:07

diets that shined and that

panelists: 00:10:08

had high ratings for various

panelists: 00:10:11

reasons, conditions and dietary goals,

panelists: 00:10:14

the Mediterranean diet did rate

panelists: 00:10:16

highest for overall wellness, for

panelists: 00:10:19

high blood pressure, diabetes, for

panelists: 00:10:21

inflammation, it ranked up very

panelists: 00:10:24

high for many of them.

panelists: 00:10:26

And honestly, it's really no

panelists: 00:10:27

surprise.

panelists: 00:10:28

It's a diet, as I

panelists: 00:10:29

mentioned, I've written about extensively.

panelists: 00:10:32

I even adapted this into

panelists: 00:10:35

what I call the Cal-

panelists: 00:10:36

Med for California-Mediterranean diet approach,

panelists: 00:10:40

a California-inspired spin that

panelists: 00:10:43

celebrates our incredible produce and

panelists: 00:10:45

flavors that we have right

panelists: 00:10:46

here at home.

panelists: 00:10:48

So when we think about

panelists: 00:10:49

it, the Mediterranean diet, on

panelists: 00:10:52

the one hand, you've heard

panelists: 00:10:53

about it.

panelists: 00:10:54

On the other, and hopefully

panelists: 00:10:56

it does conjure this up

panelists: 00:10:57

a little bit, it conjures

panelists: 00:10:58

up this image of the

panelists: 00:11:01

crystal blue sapphire seas, the

panelists: 00:11:04

vineyards on the rolling hills,

panelists: 00:11:06

maybe the coastal cafes, maybe

panelists: 00:11:09

the scenery.

panelists: 00:11:10

And that's amazing for a

panelists: 00:11:13

tourist or as a foreigner.

panelists: 00:11:16

But for some people, it

panelists: 00:11:17

feels a little 'too romantic'

panelists: 00:11:20

to fit into everyday life.

panelists: 00:11:22

Like, that's nice, but how

panelists: 00:11:23

does it fit into my

panelists: 00:11:24

life?

panelists: 00:11:25

The truth is, though, it's

panelists: 00:11:27

not about where you live

panelists: 00:11:28

or having sometimes the exact

panelists: 00:11:30

ingredients, even though some ingredients,

panelists: 00:11:33

some foods really have shined

panelists: 00:11:35

in the research, but it

panelists: 00:11:37

really is about how you

panelists: 00:11:38

eat and it is about

panelists: 00:11:39

a lifestyle.

panelists: 00:11:41

So here's a fun fact

panelists: 00:11:42

for you that may bring

panelists: 00:11:44

the Mediterranean diet home.

panelists: 00:11:46

California, where I've now lived

panelists: 00:11:48

for the past 30 years,

panelists: 00:11:50

which surprises me because, well,

panelists: 00:11:53

it just surprises me that

panelists: 00:11:54

time flies and time goes

panelists: 00:11:56

by in such a marching

panelists: 00:11:57

fashion at times.

panelists: 00:11:59

But California is considered one

panelists: 00:12:02

of the five Mediterranean ecosystems

panelists: 00:12:05

in the world.

panelists: 00:12:07

It is one of the

panelists: 00:12:09

Mediterranean ecosystems.

panelists: 00:12:10

That is alongside Chile, Southwestern

panelists: 00:12:13

and Southern Australia, the Cape

panelists: 00:12:16

region of South Africa, and

panelists: 00:12:18

of course, the Mediterranean Basin,

panelists: 00:12:21

which is enormous.

panelists: 00:12:22

In fact, there's a slide

panelists: 00:12:24

in a PowerPoint presentation I

panelists: 00:12:26

used to give at Golden

panelists: 00:12:27

Door.

panelists: 00:12:28

It was 2010, I can

panelists: 00:12:29

remember, maybe even earlier than

panelists: 00:12:31

that, where I showed sort

panelists: 00:12:32

of one of those old

panelists: 00:12:33

school maps and I sort

panelists: 00:12:35

of painted the region across

panelists: 00:12:37

from certain areas of California

panelists: 00:12:40

from Napa Valley down to

panelists: 00:12:42

the Central Valley right across.

panelists: 00:12:44

And it really, really overlaps

panelists: 00:12:45

and intersects [the latitude] the Mediterranean Basin.

panelists: 00:12:48

And then you go to

panelists: 00:12:48

the Southern Hemisphere and you

panelists: 00:12:50

see the same.

panelists: 00:12:51

These share in common climate

panelists: 00:12:53

patterns, warm, dry summers, mild,

panelists: 00:12:57

wet winters, and it creates

panelists: 00:12:58

perfect conditions for diverse agriculture,

panelists: 00:13:02

for herbs to grow, for

panelists: 00:13:04

grains to grow, and for

panelists: 00:13:06

healthy oil sources.

panelists: 00:13:08

These are all foundational to

panelists: 00:13:09

that Mediterranean style of eating.

panelists: 00:13:12

So why am I bringing

panelists: 00:13:13

this up?

panelists: 00:13:14

Well, it plays a huge

panelists: 00:13:16

role - California - in making this

panelists: 00:13:18

kind of eating possible here

panelists: 00:13:20

in the United States.

panelists: 00:13:22

In fact, California produces over

panelists: 00:13:24

two-thirds of the nation's

panelists: 00:13:26

fruit and more than one

panelists: 00:13:28

-third of our vegetables.

panelists: 00:13:30

So you'll hear some statistics

panelists: 00:13:32

that says about 50 percent

panelists: 00:13:34

of our fruits and vegetables

panelists: 00:13:36

hail from California year-round.

panelists: 00:13:40

Now, that's not to say

panelists: 00:13:41

that your local tomatoes in

panelists: 00:13:42

the summertime aren't best.

panelists: 00:13:44

I would agree with you

panelists: 00:13:45

that if you're from the

panelists: 00:13:46

Northeast, for example, and maybe

panelists: 00:13:48

you'll write in and say,

panelists: 00:13:49

well, mine are better... Or

panelists: 00:13:50

that the sweet corn in

panelists: 00:13:51

season or that sweet potatoes

panelists: 00:13:53

really are 'always best' from

panelists: 00:13:56

North Carolina and those regions.

panelists: 00:13:59

I would agree with you

panelists: 00:14:00

wholeheartedly.

panelists: 00:14:01

But the fact of the

panelists: 00:14:02

matter is, a lot of

panelists: 00:14:03

our produce comes from California

panelists: 00:14:05

because we can grow it

panelists: 00:14:06

and grow it well.

panelists: 00:14:08

And it does provide a

panelists: 00:14:09

basis that allows the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:14:11

diet at home to be

panelists: 00:14:14

something relatable and accessible, as

panelists: 00:14:17

you'll find out.

panelists: 00:14:19

So that's why I call

panelists: 00:14:19

it Cal-Med.

panelists: 00:14:20

That's just the short notes

panelists: 00:14:22

on that.

panelists: 00:14:23

And embracing sort of what's

panelists: 00:14:25

local or local by extension.

panelists: 00:14:27

Maybe it's not your next

panelists: 00:14:30

door if you live in

panelists: 00:14:31

another state, but you probably

panelists: 00:14:32

are getting some fruits and

panelists: 00:14:34

vegetables from California if you

panelists: 00:14:36

have a wide varied diet.

panelists: 00:14:38

So what does this mean?

panelists: 00:14:39

Again, these are things like

panelists: 00:14:41

the Mediterranean diet is rich

panelists: 00:14:43

in fruits and vegetables and

panelists: 00:14:45

whole grains, beans, nuts and

panelists: 00:14:49

seeds, herbs and spices, and

panelists: 00:14:52

yes, healthy fats, especially olive

panelists: 00:14:55

oil.

panelists: 00:14:56

And it's been one of

panelists: 00:14:57

the top rated diets because

panelists: 00:14:58

there's so much evidence for

panelists: 00:15:00

heart health, diabetes, mental health,

panelists: 00:15:04

and also longevity.

panelists: 00:15:05

So we'll get into some

panelists: 00:15:07

of the science-backed benefits

panelists: 00:15:08

in this episode.

panelists: 00:15:09

I'll queue up some of

panelists: 00:15:11

that, but I'll also be

panelists: 00:15:12

doing a deeper dive on

panelists: 00:15:13

Mediterranean diet soon.

panelists: 00:15:16

I have some handouts that

panelists: 00:15:17

I'd love to share with

panelists: 00:15:18

you, some scoring tools that

panelists: 00:15:19

are actually used in science

panelists: 00:15:21

that I've crafted to use

panelists: 00:15:23

in our everyday life, and

panelists: 00:15:26

how to incorporate meals as

panelists: 00:15:28

well.

panelists: 00:15:29

If the Mediterranean diet flavors

panelists: 00:15:31

still seem foreign, don't worry.

panelists: 00:15:34

This way of eating is

panelists: 00:15:35

highly adaptable, and it's less

panelists: 00:15:38

about the very specific ingredients,

panelists: 00:15:41

and it's more about the

panelists: 00:15:42

'real food' focus.

panelists: 00:15:44

Again, the grains, the beans,

panelists: 00:15:46

nut seeds, and so forth.

panelists: 00:15:48

And you can make it

panelists: 00:15:50

your own.

panelists: 00:15:50

So that's a preview to

panelists: 00:15:52

why I'm using the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:15:53

diet sort of as the

panelists: 00:15:56

example to talk about how

panelists: 00:15:58

we evaluated these diets.

panelists: 00:16:01

To me, food isn't simply

panelists: 00:16:03

fuel or even nutrition.

panelists: 00:16:06

It is so much more.

panelists: 00:16:08

It's about connection, it's about

panelists: 00:16:09

culture, and it's about care

panelists: 00:16:11

for our bodies..., so self

panelists: 00:16:13

-care.

panelists: 00:16:14

So today, as we look

panelists: 00:16:16

at that, I want to

panelists: 00:16:16

keep that also in our

panelists: 00:16:18

mind, because as we spend

panelists: 00:16:20

our 1,000 waking minutes

panelists: 00:16:21

every day, we're making choices

panelists: 00:16:23

about, for most of us,

panelists: 00:16:24

usually three meals and maybe

panelists: 00:16:26

two-plus snacks a day.

panelists: 00:16:28

So typically in each episode,

panelists: 00:16:30

I talk about the ROIs

panelists: 00:16:32

or the returns on investment

panelists: 00:16:33

on whatever theme we're talking

panelists: 00:16:35

about that day, the benefits

panelists: 00:16:37

to our health.

panelists: 00:16:38

And today, I'm going to

panelists: 00:16:39

sort of embed that in

panelists: 00:16:41

what I'm talking about as

panelists: 00:16:43

I look at what was

panelists: 00:16:45

the evaluation process for the

panelists: 00:16:47

2025 best diets, and how

panelists: 00:16:49

did I approach it in

panelists: 00:16:51

more detail.

panelists: 00:16:52

So this is very personal

panelists: 00:16:54

to me, but it's not

panelists: 00:16:56

about my personal diet or

panelists: 00:16:58

my personal opinion.

panelists: 00:16:59

This is about my professional

panelists: 00:17:01

evaluation on diets I feel

panelists: 00:17:04

comfortable recommending, ultimately, and supporting

panelists: 00:17:07

for my clients, or talking

panelists: 00:17:10

about and sharing the research

panelists: 00:17:12

on for the public and

panelists: 00:17:14

for you.

panelists: 00:17:16

So I get very personally

panelists: 00:17:17

invested in my professional role

panelists: 00:17:20

in doing this.

panelists: 00:17:22

So I'm going to share

panelists: 00:17:23

five main considerations I brought

panelists: 00:17:25

to this process while answering

panelists: 00:17:27

the extensive questions that involve

panelists: 00:17:31

rating scales on a variety

panelists: 00:17:33

of factors, and then room

panelists: 00:17:36

for commentary at the end

panelists: 00:17:38

of each of the named

panelists: 00:17:39

diets - the 38 diets - so

panelists: 00:17:42

I could provide some additional

panelists: 00:17:44

information.

panelists: 00:17:45

So first and always primary,

panelists: 00:17:48

is the diet evidence-based?

panelists: 00:17:52

When we evaluate diets, the

panelists: 00:17:54

first question I always ask,

panelists: 00:17:56

and I know the majority,

panelists: 00:17:57

if not all of my

panelists: 00:17:58

fellow credentialed panelists among the

panelists: 00:18:00

69 reviewers, and certainly my

panelists: 00:18:04

dietitian colleagues, the question is

panelists: 00:18:07

whether the claims, whether the

panelists: 00:18:09

diet that says what it's

panelists: 00:18:11

doing, are backed by science,

panelists: 00:18:14

not trends, but real evidence

panelists: 00:18:16

-based results.

panelists: 00:18:18

So we start with the

panelists: 00:18:19

evidence, and for the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:18:21

diet, as our example, it's

panelists: 00:18:23

compelling.

panelists: 00:18:24

The Mediterranean diet is such

panelists: 00:18:25

a great example because it's

panelists: 00:18:27

one of the most studied

panelists: 00:18:28

diets worldwide, and the research

panelists: 00:18:31

has shown its ability to

panelists: 00:18:32

reduce heart disease risk, diabetes

panelists: 00:18:36

risk, support brain health, reduce

panelists: 00:18:39

the risk of mortality, improve

panelists: 00:18:42

longevity, and reduce many risk

panelists: 00:18:45

factors associated with diseases of

panelists: 00:18:48

aging.

panelists: 00:18:49

Again, we're not talking about

panelists: 00:18:50

trends here.

panelists: 00:18:51

We're talking about research, peer

panelists: 00:18:55

-reviewed papers.

panelists: 00:18:57

We're talking about clinical trials,

panelists: 00:18:59

cohort studies, meta-analyses, long

panelists: 00:19:01

-term studies, and they've shown

panelists: 00:19:03

that people on a Mediterranean

panelists: 00:19:06

diet, following a Mediterranean diet,

panelists: 00:19:07

can experience up to a

panelists: 00:19:09

30% reduced risk of

panelists: 00:19:11

heart disease.

panelists: 00:19:12

Several studies have shown protection

panelists: 00:19:14

for brain health, like improving

panelists: 00:19:16

memory and cognition, and reducing

panelists: 00:19:19

the risk of dementia.

panelists: 00:19:21

Studies have shown that there's

panelists: 00:19:23

support for blood sugar regulation

panelists: 00:19:25

with the Mediterranean diet, and

panelists: 00:19:27

diabetes risk reduction, and reduction

panelists: 00:19:30

of inflammation, and many more.

panelists: 00:19:33

There's global adaptability of the

panelists: 00:19:36

Mediterranean diet, so it can

panelists: 00:19:38

become sustainable, whether you're in

panelists: 00:19:41

Greece or Spain or the

panelists: 00:19:43

other cities that surround the

panelists: 00:19:45

Mediterranean basin, or California or

panelists: 00:19:48

anywhere else.

panelists: 00:19:49

But it's not just about

panelists: 00:19:51

the numbers, it's about the

panelists: 00:19:52

'how' of the Mediterranean diet:.

panelists: 00:19:55

olive oil, nuts and seeds,

panelists: 00:19:58

vegetables, and yes, sharing meals

panelists: 00:20:01

with others, savoring flavors, enjoying

panelists: 00:20:05

moderate wine if you choose

panelists: 00:20:07

to consume it. They're all

panelists: 00:20:09

part of the bigger picture

panelists: 00:20:10

that makes this diet real

panelists: 00:20:12

and sustainable.

panelists: 00:20:13

But that's what we mean

panelists: 00:20:15

by evidence-based, is it's

panelists: 00:20:16

really go to the peer

panelists: 00:20:17

review.

panelists: 00:20:18

What do the papers say?

panelists: 00:20:19

What do the scientists say?

panelists: 00:20:21

Taking the science and then

panelists: 00:20:22

applying it to real life,

panelists: 00:20:24

sustainable ways of eating.

panelists: 00:20:26

The next consideration, and next

panelists: 00:20:29

I ask, is it adaptable?

panelists: 00:20:31

And I've already sort of

panelists: 00:20:32

alluded to that in a

panelists: 00:20:33

few ways, but when I

panelists: 00:20:35

or other people trained to

panelists: 00:20:36

evaluate science and these diets,

panelists: 00:20:39

and my fellow dietitians I

panelists: 00:20:41

know, adaptability is a big

panelists: 00:20:43

one.

panelists: 00:20:44

And why is that?

panelists: 00:20:46

Because even the healthiest diet

panelists: 00:20:48

won't work if it doesn't

panelists: 00:20:49

fit a real life scenario,

panelists: 00:20:52

your needs, your preferences.

panelists: 00:20:54

So I ask, and again,

panelists: 00:20:56

I look to the research

panelists: 00:20:57

for this, as well as

panelists: 00:20:59

practical behavioral and nutrition knowledge

panelists: 00:21:02

as well, can this diet

panelists: 00:21:04

be customized for specific goals?

panelists: 00:21:06

So for helping manage things

panelists: 00:21:09

like high blood pressure, or

panelists: 00:21:10

IBS, or menopause symptoms, or

panelists: 00:21:13

even just busy schedules.

panelists: 00:21:15

So if we use the

panelists: 00:21:16

Mediterranean diet again, as that

panelists: 00:21:18

example, it's versatile by design.

panelists: 00:21:21

It's more of a pattern

panelists: 00:21:22

of eating than a rigid

panelists: 00:21:24

plan.

panelists: 00:21:25

So I look for specific

panelists: 00:21:27

goals.

panelists: 00:21:28

Can it be adjusted for

panelists: 00:21:30

conditions like high blood pressure,

panelists: 00:21:32

hypertension?

panelists: 00:21:33

Well, yes, you could increase

panelists: 00:21:35

the foods rich in potassium.

panelists: 00:21:37

You can reduce sodium intake.

panelists: 00:21:39

Can it be adjusted for

panelists: 00:21:40

IBS?

panelists: 00:21:41

Why yes, you can focus

panelists: 00:21:42

on low-FODMAP versions of

panelists: 00:21:45

Mediterranean staples.

panelists: 00:21:47

You can look at adjustments

panelists: 00:21:49

that are made.

panelists: 00:21:51

For menopause, can it work?

panelists: 00:21:53

Is it adaptable?

panelists: 00:21:55

Is it adaptable to different

panelists: 00:21:56

lifestyles and preferences?

panelists: 00:21:58

Can you follow a vegetarian

panelists: 00:22:00

diet, or flexitarian diet, a

panelists: 00:22:02

vegan diet, and have Mediterranean

panelists: 00:22:04

diet principles embedded?

panelists: 00:22:07

Yes, you can.

panelists: 00:22:08

You can swap in lentils

panelists: 00:22:09

and chickpeas for the protein

panelists: 00:22:11

instead of animal proteins.

panelists: 00:22:13

Can you adapt it also

panelists: 00:22:15

to cultural tastes?

panelists: 00:22:17

And does it work for

panelists: 00:22:18

busy schedules?

panelists: 00:22:19

That's a big part for

panelists: 00:22:20

adaptability.

panelists: 00:22:21

Can we do these foods?

panelists: 00:22:24

Can we create these foods?

panelists: 00:22:25

And yes, you can do

panelists: 00:22:26

meal prepping.

panelists: 00:22:27

You can prep grains in

panelists: 00:22:28

advance.

panelists: 00:22:29

You can roast sheet pans

panelists: 00:22:30

of vegetables.

panelists: 00:22:31

You can have beans like

panelists: 00:22:33

hummus ready and some vegetables

panelists: 00:22:37

cut up and ready to

panelists: 00:22:38

dip.

panelists: 00:22:39

So that's what I mean

panelists: 00:22:40

when we talk about adaptability.

panelists: 00:22:42

It's not about one-size-

panelists: 00:22:44

fits-all.

panelists: 00:22:45

It really is about flexibility,

panelists: 00:22:46

and the Mediterranean diet really

panelists: 00:22:48

has that.

panelists: 00:22:49

So it's a good example.

panelists: 00:22:50

It's about eating the food

panelists: 00:22:52

you love in a balanced

panelists: 00:22:53

way.

panelists: 00:22:54

Next consideration, is it sustainable?

panelists: 00:22:57

And while I want to

panelists: 00:22:58

talk about sustainability - again, for

panelists: 00:23:00

people and planet and our

panelists: 00:23:02

agricultural system and our foodstuffs -

panelists: 00:23:05

what I really mean here, is

panelists: 00:23:06

it something that you can

panelists: 00:23:07

follow and continue to follow?

panelists: 00:23:09

Is it something you can

panelists: 00:23:11

adhere to and enjoy?

panelists: 00:23:13

When we evaluate diets, sustainability

panelists: 00:23:15

was a critical question.

panelists: 00:23:18

Why?

panelists: 00:23:18

Because a diet can have

panelists: 00:23:19

all the health benefits in

panelists: 00:23:21

the world, but if you

panelists: 00:23:23

can't stick with it over

panelists: 00:23:24

time, it's not going to

panelists: 00:23:25

work in the long run.

panelists: 00:23:27

And the Mediterranean diet actually

panelists: 00:23:29

is one of the few

panelists: 00:23:30

diets that's been so praised

panelists: 00:23:32

for being realistic and sustainable,

panelists: 00:23:34

not just because of the

panelists: 00:23:36

food it includes, but because

panelists: 00:23:38

of how people live with

panelists: 00:23:39

it.

panelists: 00:23:39

It's really the Mediterranean lifestyle

panelists: 00:23:42

as much as the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:23:44

diet.

panelists: 00:23:46

So what makes it sustainable?

panelists: 00:23:48

I think about things like,

panelists: 00:23:49

is it practical and flexible?

panelists: 00:23:51

And I mentioned a few

panelists: 00:23:52

of those before, but you

panelists: 00:23:54

can make many meals from

panelists: 00:23:55

the foods that form the

panelists: 00:23:58

base of the Mediterranean diet,

panelists: 00:24:00

grains and vegetables and beans

panelists: 00:24:03

and olive oil.

panelists: 00:24:04

You don't have to cut

panelists: 00:24:05

out entire food groups, for

panelists: 00:24:06

example, and you can be

panelists: 00:24:08

flexible.

panelists: 00:24:09

What makes it sustainable?

panelists: 00:24:11

Enjoyment matters.

panelists: 00:24:12

So I consider that the

panelists: 00:24:14

Mediterranean lifestyle as much as

panelists: 00:24:16

a diet is sort of

panelists: 00:24:17

about savoring meals, eating with

panelists: 00:24:19

others, eating seasonally as possible.

panelists: 00:24:23

And it often talks about

panelists: 00:24:25

and includes wine consumption as

panelists: 00:24:27

part of the social and

panelists: 00:24:28

cultural tradition, again, if it

panelists: 00:24:31

fits into your eating preference.

panelists: 00:24:33

So I am not making

panelists: 00:24:34

about 'you' specifically today [per se].

panelists: 00:24:35

It is not something to

panelists: 00:24:36

start wine or alcohol because

panelists: 00:24:39

the diet often includes it.

panelists: 00:24:41

It is something that has

panelists: 00:24:43

been shown to be part

panelists: 00:24:45

of a traditional Mediterranean diet

panelists: 00:24:47

approach.

panelists: 00:24:49

And for those who imbibe

panelists: 00:24:50

in moderation in the company

panelists: 00:24:52

of others, it's shown to

panelists: 00:24:54

be part of that.

panelists: 00:24:55

So studies have shown that

panelists: 00:24:56

enjoyment makes a difference, that

panelists: 00:24:58

it makes healthy habits easier

panelists: 00:24:59

to hold on to.

panelists: 00:25:02

And what also makes it

panelists: 00:25:03

sustainable is it really focuses

panelists: 00:25:04

on whole foods and not

panelists: 00:25:06

fads.

panelists: 00:25:07

So unlike restrictive diets that

panelists: 00:25:09

cut out things or have

panelists: 00:25:11

very specific prescriptive rules, this

panelists: 00:25:14

dietary approach prioritizes real foods.

panelists: 00:25:18

And it feels like I'm

panelists: 00:25:19

selling you onto the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:25:21

diet, but really this is

panelists: 00:25:23

part of the evaluation process,

panelists: 00:25:24

what goes into thinking about

panelists: 00:25:26

the questions as you go

panelists: 00:25:28

on the ratings and as

panelists: 00:25:29

you look at the science.

panelists: 00:25:32

So the next ROI I'm

panelists: 00:25:34

going to say, the return

panelists: 00:25:35

on investment, or the thing

panelists: 00:25:36

that I look at when

panelists: 00:25:38

evaluating these diets and consider

panelists: 00:25:40

is does it promote real

panelists: 00:25:42

food?

panelists: 00:25:42

This is big for me.

panelists: 00:25:45

And more and more research

panelists: 00:25:46

is coming out about the

panelists: 00:25:49

super ultra processed food.

panelists: 00:25:51

I mean, let's face it,

panelists: 00:25:52

packaged food or processed food

panelists: 00:25:54

in general is not the

panelists: 00:25:55

problem.

panelists: 00:25:56

But the further we get

panelists: 00:25:57

away from the whole food

panelists: 00:25:59

ingredient, we're seeing more and

panelists: 00:26:00

more research start to stack

panelists: 00:26:02

up that there may be

panelists: 00:26:03

detrimental health effects.

panelists: 00:26:05

So does the diet promote

panelists: 00:26:07

real food?

panelists: 00:26:08

Well, diets that heavily rely

panelists: 00:26:11

on ultra processed products or

panelists: 00:26:12

expensive powders or supplements, they

panelists: 00:26:15

can grab attention for now.

panelists: 00:26:17

But they often not only

panelists: 00:26:18

fail in the long run,

panelists: 00:26:20

but they're starting to show

panelists: 00:26:21

up in the research that

panelists: 00:26:22

detrimental effects.

panelists: 00:26:23

When we focus on diets

panelists: 00:26:25

that emphasize the real foods,

panelists: 00:26:27

the nutrient dense foods, we

panelists: 00:26:28

start to see how the

panelists: 00:26:30

science aligns.

panelists: 00:26:31

And the Mediterranean diet is

panelists: 00:26:33

quite obvious.

panelists: 00:26:34

It's a real food champion

panelists: 00:26:35

of sorts.

panelists: 00:26:36

One of the reasons that

panelists: 00:26:38

it continues to have such

panelists: 00:26:40

high ratings and therefore sort

panelists: 00:26:41

of stack up in the

panelists: 00:26:42

rankings and top best diet

panelists: 00:26:45

for overall wellness is because

panelists: 00:26:47

of that focus on real

panelists: 00:26:48

food.

panelists: 00:26:48

While fresh is sort of

panelists: 00:26:50

maybe best or fresh is

panelists: 00:26:52

the mantra or fresh is

panelists: 00:26:55

something that people aspire to,

panelists: 00:26:57

this isn't just about fresh,

panelists: 00:26:58

it's about whole foods.

panelists: 00:27:00

So it could be frozen

panelists: 00:27:01

food, which are high in

panelists: 00:27:02

nutrient density.

panelists: 00:27:03

It can be jarred and

panelists: 00:27:04

canned foods.

panelists: 00:27:05

It can be preserved foods.

panelists: 00:27:08

It can be foods as

panelists: 00:27:10

long as they're whole at

panelists: 00:27:11

the center of the plate.

panelists: 00:27:13

That's what the research has

panelists: 00:27:15

shown.

panelists: 00:27:15

And so this can be

panelists: 00:27:17

personalized.

panelists: 00:27:18

And it can also be

panelists: 00:27:19

personalized to your culture and

panelists: 00:27:20

your heritage and your preferences.

panelists: 00:27:22

So if someone, you know,

panelists: 00:27:24

you don't have to have

panelists: 00:27:25

pasta e fagioli in order to

panelists: 00:27:27

be on the Mediterranean diet,

panelists: 00:27:29

you can have corn tortillas

panelists: 00:27:31

and black beans, or you

panelists: 00:27:33

can have cilantro and lime

panelists: 00:27:34

instead of oregano and lemon.

panelists: 00:27:36

And there's a lot of

panelists: 00:27:37

overlay and overlap across cultures.

panelists: 00:27:39

So the Mediterranean diet has

panelists: 00:27:41

allowed us to study that

panelists: 00:27:43

eating style and therefore get

panelists: 00:27:46

good science, but we can

panelists: 00:27:47

apply it, by association, in

panelists: 00:27:50

other ways that make it

panelists: 00:27:52

adaptable again.

panelists: 00:27:53

So real foods, why they

panelists: 00:27:54

matter, because the nutrients in

panelists: 00:27:56

them, the matrix of nutrients,

panelists: 00:27:59

they tend to have less

panelists: 00:28:00

additives, less added sugar, less

panelists: 00:28:03

preservatives in them.

panelists: 00:28:05

And typically they have other

panelists: 00:28:06

things built into that nutrient

panelists: 00:28:08

matrix that lends itself towards

panelists: 00:28:10

satisfaction and not deprivation.

panelists: 00:28:13

It may be fiber.

panelists: 00:28:14

It may be flavor.

panelists: 00:28:15

It may be color.

panelists: 00:28:16

It may be how many

panelists: 00:28:17

chews you get when you're

panelists: 00:28:18

eating it, maybe a combination

panelists: 00:28:20

likely of all of the

panelists: 00:28:21

above.

panelists: 00:28:22

So remember, this is about

panelists: 00:28:24

real foods, but you can

panelists: 00:28:25

personalize it to suit your

panelists: 00:28:27

tastes.

panelists: 00:28:28

And finally, in my evaluation

panelists: 00:28:31

of the diet, this is

panelists: 00:28:32

where some of my more

panelists: 00:28:33

professional, subjective comments come in,

panelists: 00:28:37

in the space where I

panelists: 00:28:38

could detail a few comments.

panelists: 00:28:41

Does the diet allow for

panelists: 00:28:43

enjoyment and engagement in real

panelists: 00:28:45

life?

panelists: 00:28:45

Does it fit within a

panelists: 00:28:48

real lifestyle that promotes wellness

panelists: 00:28:50

and vitality and community?

panelists: 00:28:53

Because for me, let's be

panelists: 00:28:56

honest, if a diet feels

panelists: 00:28:57

like a chore, regardless of

panelists: 00:28:59

if there's evidence to back

panelists: 00:29:01

it, it's probably not going

panelists: 00:29:03

to last, or it might

panelists: 00:29:04

make it difficult to be

panelists: 00:29:07

social.

panelists: 00:29:08

And I'll talk about that

panelists: 00:29:09

more on a future episode,

panelists: 00:29:10

because there are some diets

panelists: 00:29:11

out there that really work

panelists: 00:29:13

for individuals on a short

panelists: 00:29:14

-term basis, but it makes

panelists: 00:29:16

them very challenged to sort

panelists: 00:29:19

of operate in the real

panelists: 00:29:21

world.

panelists: 00:29:21

And eventually, we usually have

panelists: 00:29:24

to make some adaptations on

panelists: 00:29:25

what's going to work so

panelists: 00:29:27

that they can sort of

panelists: 00:29:28

reenter the world as they

panelists: 00:29:30

enjoy it, because community and

panelists: 00:29:32

our family and dining with

panelists: 00:29:34

others is so critically important.

panelists: 00:29:36

So one of the things

panelists: 00:29:37

that I, and I would

panelists: 00:29:38

imagine we, looked at as

panelists: 00:29:40

evaluators are whether the diets

panelists: 00:29:43

leave room for enjoyment, not

panelists: 00:29:46

just the flavors and variety

panelists: 00:29:47

of food, that's super important,

panelists: 00:29:49

but also in the experience

panelists: 00:29:50

of eating.

panelists: 00:29:51

And the Mediterranean diet stands

panelists: 00:29:53

out here too, because it's

panelists: 00:29:55

not just what you eat,

panelists: 00:29:56

but it's about how you

panelists: 00:29:57

eat.

panelists: 00:29:58

And in the case of

panelists: 00:30:00

the Mediterranean diet, unlike some

panelists: 00:30:01

of the other really top

panelists: 00:30:03

tier diets that we looked

panelists: 00:30:04

at, this is one where

panelists: 00:30:06

there's some science on this,

panelists: 00:30:08

because it is that lifestyle

panelists: 00:30:10

I talked about.

panelists: 00:30:11

So the Mediterranean diet encourages

panelists: 00:30:14

savoring flavors.

panelists: 00:30:16

So it's very high in

panelists: 00:30:17

certain spices and herbs and

panelists: 00:30:19

olive oil, and they make

panelists: 00:30:21

simple ingredients really feel sort

panelists: 00:30:23

of special.

panelists: 00:30:24

Sharing meals with others is

panelists: 00:30:26

a tenet.

panelists: 00:30:27

It's like front and center.

panelists: 00:30:28

It's almost like a nutrient

panelists: 00:30:29

or a food in the

panelists: 00:30:31

ingredients on what makes a

panelists: 00:30:33

Mediterranean diet.

panelists: 00:30:34

So gathering with friends, eating

panelists: 00:30:36

with family, and then sort

panelists: 00:30:39

of a mindfulness notion, a

panelists: 00:30:41

nod to that, like enjoying

panelists: 00:30:43

the moment.

panelists: 00:30:43

So eating slowly or appreciating

panelists: 00:30:46

texture, some of the cuisine

panelists: 00:30:47

sort of begs that in

panelists: 00:30:50

the Mediterranean, ... the traditional Mediterranean diet.

panelists: 00:30:53

And of course, the sometimes

panelists: 00:30:55

wine piece of it makes

panelists: 00:30:57

for individuals who have a

panelists: 00:30:59

good relationship with wine- imbibing -

panelists: 00:31:03

that's part of the social

panelists: 00:31:04

and part of the enjoyment

panelists: 00:31:05

for some.

panelists: 00:31:06

So it's a focus on

panelists: 00:31:08

pleasure and connection, and it

panelists: 00:31:10

helps make it satisfying.

panelists: 00:31:12

But as I mentioned, there's

panelists: 00:31:13

even science, and there's brand

panelists: 00:31:15

new science that I just

panelists: 00:31:16

thought was so great that

panelists: 00:31:18

just came out recently in

panelists: 00:31:20

2024, toward the end of

panelists: 00:31:22

the year, that showed that

panelists: 00:31:23

eating habits that are tied

panelists: 00:31:25

to social connection, like those

panelists: 00:31:28

seen in Mediterranean cultures, are

panelists: 00:31:30

linked to better overall health

panelists: 00:31:32

and to lower stress, measured

panelists: 00:31:35

both by 'do you feel

panelists: 00:31:36

less stress? What are your

panelists: 00:31:37

subjective ratings?' and there are

panelists: 00:31:38

ways to rate that in

panelists: 00:31:40

real science methodology, but in

panelists: 00:31:42

things like cortisol levels, for

panelists: 00:31:44

instance, things we can actually

panelists: 00:31:45

measure.

panelists: 00:31:47

And even this idea of

panelists: 00:31:49

social connection around our dining

panelists: 00:31:52

can impact longevity.

panelists: 00:31:54

So we have science.

panelists: 00:31:56

Again, this makes it less

panelists: 00:31:58

and less surprising why certain

panelists: 00:32:01

diets would start rating higher.

panelists: 00:32:03

I hope that I'm getting

panelists: 00:32:04

that point across for sure.

panelists: 00:32:06

And what does this all

panelists: 00:32:07

look like in real life?

panelists: 00:32:09

This, of course, is like

panelists: 00:32:10

sitting down with friends and

panelists: 00:32:11

passing dishes around the table.

panelists: 00:32:13

You know, THIS is the

panelists: 00:32:14

time to romanticize the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:32:16

diet, or whatever you want

panelists: 00:32:18

to call it, and actually

panelists: 00:32:19

tasting your food instead of

panelists: 00:32:21

grabbing something on the go.

panelists: 00:32:23

Picture adding, you know, nice

panelists: 00:32:25

dishware to your table, ...not

panelists: 00:32:27

overindulging, but enjoying and celebrating

panelists: 00:32:30

a day well lived, some

panelists: 00:32:32

waking minutes well spent.

panelists: 00:32:35

And it's certainly not about

panelists: 00:32:36

perfection.

panelists: 00:32:37

It's about finding ways to

panelists: 00:32:38

connect with others around the

panelists: 00:32:40

dinner table.

panelists: 00:32:41

So enjoyment matters for longevity,

panelists: 00:32:44

because it's social and pleasurable.

panelists: 00:32:46

And we know that social

panelists: 00:32:48

engagement has an impact on

panelists: 00:32:50

longevity and isolation actually has

panelists: 00:32:53

negative impact on overall well

panelists: 00:32:56

-being and increased mortality risk.

panelists: 00:32:59

And research has shown, as

panelists: 00:33:01

I've shared in other episodes,

panelists: 00:33:02

that happiness and connection and

panelists: 00:33:05

less stress are all tied

panelists: 00:33:06

back to better health markers,

panelists: 00:33:08

including lower inflammation, better digestion.

panelists: 00:33:13

So when I evaluate these

panelists: 00:33:14

diets professionally here and for

panelists: 00:33:16

my clients, I don't just

panelists: 00:33:18

ask, you know, can you

panelists: 00:33:19

follow the rules?

panelists: 00:33:20

Because there's science to support

panelists: 00:33:22

this.

panelists: 00:33:22

So here you go.

panelists: 00:33:24

But can we make this

panelists: 00:33:25

a joyful part of your

panelists: 00:33:27

life?

panelists: 00:33:27

And with the Mediterranean diet,

panelists: 00:33:29

even if we sort of

panelists: 00:33:30

customize it, very often the

panelists: 00:33:33

answer is yes, because of

panelists: 00:33:34

how it's built and what

panelists: 00:33:36

it is and what the

panelists: 00:33:36

research has shown.

panelists: 00:33:38

We'll talk more about the

panelists: 00:33:40

lifestyle side of healthy eating,

panelists: 00:33:42

especially how connection and social

panelists: 00:33:44

rituals and even rituals around

panelists: 00:33:46

food preparation play a role

panelists: 00:33:47

in health and happiness in

panelists: 00:33:50

a future episode.

panelists: 00:33:52

But if you haven't already,

panelists: 00:33:54

I do invite you to

panelists: 00:33:55

go back and re listen

panelists: 00:33:56

or listen for the first

panelists: 00:33:57

time to the very first

panelists: 00:33:59

episode of this podcast 1,000

panelists: 00:34:02

Waking Minutes.

panelists: 00:34:03

And that episode was "The

panelists: 00:34:05

Magic of Shared Meals."

panelists: 00:34:07

It's about why dining with

panelists: 00:34:09

others is so important to

panelists: 00:34:11

health and well being.

panelists: 00:34:12

I hope you'll check that

panelists: 00:34:14

out.

panelists: 00:34:15

Okay, now we're going to

panelists: 00:34:17

share some time together for

panelists: 00:34:19

a Mindful Minute.

panelists: 00:34:21

As we do in each

panelists: 00:34:23

episode, let's take 60 seconds,

panelists: 00:34:25

just one minute to pause,

panelists: 00:34:28

breathe and reset.

panelists: 00:34:30

I've just shared a lot

panelists: 00:34:31

about the evaluation of diets.

panelists: 00:34:33

And now it's time for

panelists: 00:34:34

us to just be present

panelists: 00:34:36

to check in with ourselves,

panelists: 00:34:38

slow down for a moment,

panelists: 00:34:40

and to feel grounded.

panelists: 00:34:42

Even a single minute can

panelists: 00:34:43

have an impact, not just

panelists: 00:34:45

now, but for the rest

panelists: 00:34:47

of your day.

panelists: 00:34:48

So wherever you are, settle

panelists: 00:34:50

in, just going to be

panelists: 00:34:51

a minute, put your feet

panelists: 00:34:53

flat on the ground, feel

panelists: 00:34:55

the ground the earth below

panelists: 00:34:57

you.

panelists: 00:34:58

Lower your shoulders, relax your

panelists: 00:35:00

face, wiggle your fingers.

panelists: 00:35:03

And let's take one preparatory

panelists: 00:35:07

breath together in through the

panelists: 00:35:09

nose.

panelists: 00:35:11

Out through the mouth.

panelists: 00:35:15

Close your eyes if you

panelists: 00:35:17

haven't already, or dim them

panelists: 00:35:19

to about 45 degrees.

panelists: 00:35:22

And let's begin our Mindful

panelists: 00:35:25

Minute.

panelists: 00:35:33

Inhale deeply.

panelists: 00:35:36

Exhale slowly.

panelists: 00:35:48

Let your breath settle into

panelists: 00:35:49

its natural rhythm.

panelists: 00:35:52

Simply notice the rise and

panelists: 00:35:54

fall of your breath, maybe

panelists: 00:35:56

your abdomen.

panelists: 00:35:58

No need to change it,

panelists: 00:35:59

just observe it.

panelists: 00:36:06

As you continue, maybe bring

panelists: 00:36:09

a water source like a

panelists: 00:36:11

beautiful lake or ocean to

panelists: 00:36:13

mind.

panelists: 00:36:13

And think about how it

panelists: 00:36:16

may nourish you, the waves

panelists: 00:36:18

coming in and rolling out.

panelists: 00:36:22

Hold on to the thought

panelists: 00:36:24

of a nourished body and

panelists: 00:36:27

mind.

panelists: 00:36:32

Last breath...

panelists: 00:36:36

And there you have it.

panelists: 00:36:37

That's our mindful minute.

panelists: 00:36:39

Let's take one more deep

panelists: 00:36:40

breath in together through the

panelists: 00:36:42

nose.

panelists: 00:36:45

Exhale through the mouth.

panelists: 00:36:47

Let it energize you.

panelists: 00:36:49

Notice that you can release

panelists: 00:36:51

some of the things that

panelists: 00:36:52

maybe you were carrying with

panelists: 00:36:54

you.

panelists: 00:36:55

Notice how you feel maybe

panelists: 00:36:56

more calm or centered, or

panelists: 00:36:58

maybe just refreshed.

panelists: 00:37:00

It's amazing what one minute

panelists: 00:37:02

dedicated to being here, being

panelists: 00:37:04

centered and quiet, what that

panelists: 00:37:07

can do.

panelists: 00:37:08

Thank you for sharing a

panelists: 00:37:09

Mindful Minute with me.

panelists: 00:37:11

So now that we've talked

panelists: 00:37:13

about the best diet ratings,

panelists: 00:37:15

how they're evaluated, what makes

panelists: 00:37:17

them effective, how I went

panelists: 00:37:19

into that process, and how

panelists: 00:37:21

the Mediterranean diet continues to

panelists: 00:37:23

stand out, let's get into

panelists: 00:37:25

a little bit of the

panelists: 00:37:25

'how'.

panelists: 00:37:27

What we know that most

panelists: 00:37:28

of these top rated diets

panelists: 00:37:30

have one thing in common,

panelists: 00:37:32

and that's plants, plants, and

panelists: 00:37:34

more plants.

panelists: 00:37:35

The evidence keeps stacking up

panelists: 00:37:37

for plant-focused eating, not

panelists: 00:37:40

a vegetarian diet per se,

panelists: 00:37:42

but putting plants front and

panelists: 00:37:45

center on the plate.

panelists: 00:37:46

Plant-based eating has been

panelists: 00:37:48

linked to better gut health,

panelists: 00:37:50

lower inflammation, heart health, diabetes,

panelists: 00:37:53

and longevity.

panelists: 00:37:54

Here's the thing: knowing what

panelists: 00:37:56

to do with that information

panelists: 00:37:58

is the next step.

panelists: 00:38:00

Making it doable and practical

panelists: 00:38:02

is key.

panelists: 00:38:03

So let's focus on a

panelists: 00:38:04

few practical tips.

panelists: 00:38:05

And number one: I want

panelists: 00:38:07

you to focus on fiber,

panelists: 00:38:09

the plant powerhouse that is

panelists: 00:38:12

fiber, because this is a

panelists: 00:38:14

star in many of these

panelists: 00:38:16

diets that we rated.

panelists: 00:38:18

And if you can believe

panelists: 00:38:19

this, and I've said this

panelists: 00:38:20

before, and I'll say it

panelists: 00:38:21

again, more than 93%

panelists: 00:38:24

of Americans aren't getting enough

panelists: 00:38:26

fiber.

panelists: 00:38:27

I didn't say that upside

panelists: 00:38:28

down.

panelists: 00:38:29

More than 93% AREN'T

panelists: 00:38:31

getting it.

panelists: 00:38:32

Sometimes I want to say

panelists: 00:38:33

are getting it because I

panelists: 00:38:34

like to celebrate what we're

panelists: 00:38:35

good at.

panelists: 00:38:36

Almost 5% of us

panelists: 00:38:38

are succeeding.

panelists: 00:38:39

So yay you if you're

panelists: 00:38:40

getting your fiber needs met.

panelists: 00:38:43

Most of us aren't.

panelists: 00:38:44

So how do we make

panelists: 00:38:45

this happen?

panelists: 00:38:46

I like simple steps.

panelists: 00:38:48

One thing I'll always say

panelists: 00:38:49

is have a fruit and /

panelists: 00:38:50

or a vegetable at every

panelists: 00:38:51

meal.

panelists: 00:38:52

Start focusing on that.

panelists: 00:38:53

It can be fresh.

panelists: 00:38:54

It can be frozen.

panelists: 00:38:55

It can be in tins

panelists: 00:38:56

and cans and jars or

panelists: 00:38:57

preserved and dry.

panelists: 00:38:59

You name it.

panelists: 00:39:00

There's lots of ways to

panelists: 00:39:01

get there.

panelists: 00:39:02

Have a soup or salad

panelists: 00:39:03

every day or a soup

panelists: 00:39:05

and salad meal.

panelists: 00:39:07

Think about swapping in whole

panelists: 00:39:08

grains, which are plant-based.

panelists: 00:39:11

Eat more herbs and spices.

panelists: 00:39:13

Have more beans, seeds, and

panelists: 00:39:15

nuts.

panelists: 00:39:16

Why does this work?

panelists: 00:39:17

Because these are ways to

panelists: 00:39:18

get more fiber that support

panelists: 00:39:20

our digestion, our heart health,

panelists: 00:39:22

our gut microbiome, and they

panelists: 00:39:24

also help us feel more

panelists: 00:39:26

full and satisfied as well.

panelists: 00:39:29

Number two practical tip is

panelists: 00:39:31

build healthy fats into your

panelists: 00:39:32

day.

panelists: 00:39:33

The top ranked and rated

panelists: 00:39:35

diets, including the Mediterranean diet,

panelists: 00:39:39

emphasize fat, the healthy fats,

panelists: 00:39:42

and for a good reason.

panelists: 00:39:43

They're not just for fuel.

panelists: 00:39:45

They help us absorb nutrients,

panelists: 00:39:48

certain key vitamins, and also

panelists: 00:39:49

phytochemicals.

panelists: 00:39:51

They help keep us fuller

panelists: 00:39:52

longer.

panelists: 00:39:53

It helps support our brain

panelists: 00:39:54

and our heart and many

panelists: 00:39:56

other aspects of the body.

panelists: 00:39:58

So how do we do

panelists: 00:39:59

that?

panelists: 00:39:59

Well, we drizzle our olive

panelists: 00:40:01

oil over our roasted vegetables.

panelists: 00:40:04

We use our seed oils,

panelists: 00:40:07

the good kind like chia

panelists: 00:40:08

oil, on different drizzles and

panelists: 00:40:12

applications.

panelists: 00:40:13

We snack on nuts and

panelists: 00:40:14

seeds like walnuts and pistachios

panelists: 00:40:17

and almonds and pumpkin seeds

panelists: 00:40:19

and chia seeds.

panelists: 00:40:20

We add avocado to salads

panelists: 00:40:22

and sandwiches.

panelists: 00:40:24

We add it instead of

panelists: 00:40:25

mayonnaise sometimes to add creaminess

panelists: 00:40:28

and flavor.

panelists: 00:40:29

Fats are calorie dense, of

panelists: 00:40:31

course -

panelists: 00:40:31

a little goes a long

panelists: 00:40:32

way - but they give you

panelists: 00:40:34

tons of mouthfeel, quality, good

panelists: 00:40:37

flavor, all the good stuff.

panelists: 00:40:39

So focusing on healthy fats.

panelists: 00:40:41

Tip number three to bring

panelists: 00:40:42

these best diets, the best

panelists: 00:40:44

diets concept to the front

panelists: 00:40:46

for making it individualized and

panelists: 00:40:48

customized, is plan ahead for

panelists: 00:40:50

success.

panelists: 00:40:51

Let's face it, in our

panelists: 00:40:52

reality today, convenience matters.

panelists: 00:40:55

So many of the top

panelists: 00:40:56

diets work not just because

panelists: 00:40:58

they're healthy or they're flashy

panelists: 00:41:01

or they've got cool rules

panelists: 00:41:03

going with them, but really

panelists: 00:41:04

because they're flexible and realistic.

panelists: 00:41:06

You can prep and plan

panelists: 00:41:08

a lot without having to

panelists: 00:41:10

overhaul your whole life.

panelists: 00:41:12

So spending 10 extra minutes

panelists: 00:41:15

mapping out your meals for

panelists: 00:41:17

the week with soups and

panelists: 00:41:18

salads and sheet pan dinners

panelists: 00:41:21

and a pasta dish can

panelists: 00:41:23

work.

panelists: 00:41:24

You can prep some ingredients

panelists: 00:41:25

in advance like washing greens

panelists: 00:41:28

or chopping vegetables or cooking

panelists: 00:41:30

a big pot of grains

panelists: 00:41:31

using your slow cooker or

panelists: 00:41:34

your instant pot.

panelists: 00:41:35

And you can keep really

panelists: 00:41:36

good staples in your pantry.

panelists: 00:41:38

You can use dried beans

panelists: 00:41:39

and soak them, but you

panelists: 00:41:40

can use canned beans perfectly

panelists: 00:41:42

well, as well.

panelists: 00:41:44

You can use frozen vegetables.

panelists: 00:41:45

You can use nuts.

panelists: 00:41:47

They're all convenient and they're

panelists: 00:41:48

pantry staples.

panelists: 00:41:50

So it works because planning

panelists: 00:41:51

can help you stick with

panelists: 00:41:53

your diet when life gets

panelists: 00:41:54

busy and the diets that

panelists: 00:41:57

rated the highest, many of

panelists: 00:41:59

them you can do that

panelists: 00:42:00

with, which is key.

panelists: 00:42:02

Tip number four out of

panelists: 00:42:04

five tips today is: eating

panelists: 00:42:05

together.

panelists: 00:42:06

I already mentioned this before,

panelists: 00:42:08

but connection really counts.

panelists: 00:42:10

So one thing the Mediterranean

panelists: 00:42:11

diet really has going for

panelists: 00:42:13

it, it's not just about

panelists: 00:42:14

the food, it's about how

panelists: 00:42:15

we eat and the lifestyle.

panelists: 00:42:17

So dining with others, regardless

panelists: 00:42:18

of which of the diets

panelists: 00:42:20

you may find within the

panelists: 00:42:22

U.S. News and World

panelists: 00:42:23

Report diets, Best Diets report,

panelists: 00:42:25

think about that, making the

panelists: 00:42:27

connection with others.

panelists: 00:42:28

You can build that aspect

panelists: 00:42:30

into any of the dietary

panelists: 00:42:31

patterns, the DASH diet, the

panelists: 00:42:34

MIND diet, even if they

panelists: 00:42:36

aren't inherently there, because dining

panelists: 00:42:38

with others makes life more

panelists: 00:42:40

enjoyable, make dining more enjoyable,

panelists: 00:42:43

and they've shown to have

panelists: 00:42:44

real proven health benefits.

panelists: 00:42:47

This can also help with

panelists: 00:42:48

portion control.

panelists: 00:42:49

It can help with mindful

panelists: 00:42:49

eating.

panelists: 00:42:50

It can help with how

panelists: 00:42:52

we engage with food.

panelists: 00:42:54

So family style meals, planning

panelists: 00:42:56

potlucks or NBD dinners, I

panelists: 00:43:00

call them 'no big deal'

panelists: 00:43:01

dinners, where you can invite

panelists: 00:43:02

someone in to join you,

panelists: 00:43:04

and trying to sit down

panelists: 00:43:06

at the table for at

panelists: 00:43:07

least a few meals with

panelists: 00:43:08

your family, even when the

panelists: 00:43:10

schedule gets packed.

panelists: 00:43:12

And last but not least

panelists: 00:43:13

for today, tip five is:

panelists: 00:43:15

evaluating diets with common sense.

panelists: 00:43:18

So it's not just what

panelists: 00:43:19

I say goes if you're

panelists: 00:43:21

working with me.

panelists: 00:43:22

I always encourage individuals who

panelists: 00:43:25

work with me or are

panelists: 00:43:27

in audiences, and hopefully YOU

panelists: 00:43:29

to always have a few

panelists: 00:43:30

hats on.

panelists: 00:43:31

One is your 'common sense'

panelists: 00:43:33

hat.

panelists: 00:43:34

One is your 'skeptics' hat.

panelists: 00:43:36

One is your 'personal' hat.

panelists: 00:43:38

You have to be your

panelists: 00:43:39

own evaluator.

panelists: 00:43:40

Hopefully I gave you some

panelists: 00:43:41

tips and clues on how

panelists: 00:43:43

we looked at these so

panelists: 00:43:44

you can feel, "oh, well,

panelists: 00:43:45

I can start there.

panelists: 00:43:46

I trust the process," I

panelists: 00:43:48

hope, going into these and

panelists: 00:43:50

taking a look at the

panelists: 00:43:51

best diets.

panelists: 00:43:52

And then you need to

panelists: 00:43:54

evaluate.

panelists: 00:43:55

So look for diets that

panelists: 00:43:56

are evidence-based or that

panelists: 00:43:58

map out across different news

panelists: 00:44:00

stories.

panelists: 00:44:01

And when you hear things

panelists: 00:44:02

again and again, coming out

panelists: 00:44:04

in the science, they become

panelists: 00:44:06

more believable, hopefully.

panelists: 00:44:08

Ask yourself also, "can I

panelists: 00:44:10

see myself doing this long

panelists: 00:44:11

term?"

panelists: 00:44:12

Start at the very beginning

panelists: 00:44:13

thinking about that.

panelists: 00:44:15

Don't think of all the

panelists: 00:44:16

things you have to do

panelists: 00:44:16

to get there, but think

panelists: 00:44:18

like, "does this pass my

panelists: 00:44:20

own gut check?" literally on,

panelists: 00:44:24

does it sound appealing?

panelists: 00:44:25

Do I already see foods

panelists: 00:44:27

that I could include?

panelists: 00:44:28

Don't ignore your cultural preferences

panelists: 00:44:31

to say, I'm going to

panelists: 00:44:32

try that diet.

panelists: 00:44:33

In fact, embrace them and

panelists: 00:44:35

ask, do these diets have

panelists: 00:44:37

room for that?

panelists: 00:44:38

These flavors, these ingredients, this

panelists: 00:44:40

way that fits my life.

panelists: 00:44:43

And it should say, yes,

panelists: 00:44:44

yes, yes.

panelists: 00:44:45

It should tick most of

panelists: 00:44:46

the boxes there.

panelists: 00:44:48

You might have to make

panelists: 00:44:48

a few tweaks if you

panelists: 00:44:49

really want to go toward

panelists: 00:44:51

a particular goal for a

panelists: 00:44:52

health condition or a symptom

panelists: 00:44:54

you're managing, but it should

panelists: 00:44:55

really fit YOU.

panelists: 00:44:57

And why this is the

panelists: 00:44:58

case and why I really

panelists: 00:45:00

encourage you to be a

panelists: 00:45:01

strong advocate - and I'm here

panelists: 00:45:03

to support you - and to

panelists: 00:45:04

evaluate on your own is

panelists: 00:45:06

because nutrition isn't one-size-

panelists: 00:45:07

fits-all.

panelists: 00:45:08

And that's the great news.

panelists: 00:45:09

And I think that that's

panelists: 00:45:10

something that these reports, this

panelists: 00:45:12

report this year in particular,

panelists: 00:45:14

really showcases.

panelists: 00:45:16

It's really about the best

panelists: 00:45:17

diets for different conditions.

panelists: 00:45:20

And I think that that's

panelists: 00:45:20

really exciting.

panelists: 00:45:22

So what works for someone

panelists: 00:45:23

else may not work for

panelists: 00:45:25

you...

panelists: 00:45:25

And that's totally okay.

panelists: 00:45:27

The goal is to find

panelists: 00:45:28

what's sustainable, enjoyable, and effective

panelists: 00:45:31

for your goals.

panelists: 00:45:33

So there you have it.

panelists: 00:45:34

Those are my five ways

panelists: 00:45:36

to make this healthy eating

panelists: 00:45:38

work for you based in

panelists: 00:45:40

the evaluation that came from

panelists: 00:45:42

the 2025 Best Diets Report,

panelists: 00:45:46

hopefully keeping it practical, flexible,

panelists: 00:45:48

and enjoyable.

panelists: 00:45:49

So as a wrap up

panelists: 00:45:51

for today and to recap,

panelists: 00:45:53

we explored the [U.S. News] 2025 Best

panelists: 00:45:55

Diets ratings, what goes into

panelists: 00:45:58

evaluating diets, particularly sort of

panelists: 00:46:01

my focus.

panelists: 00:46:02

And hopefully you saw how

panelists: 00:46:02

the Harris Poll put that

panelists: 00:46:04

together.

panelists: 00:46:04

U.S. News brought the 69 different

panelists: 00:46:06

experts across various fields, and

panelists: 00:46:09

then what makes them sustainable,

panelists: 00:46:11

adaptable, and effective.

panelists: 00:46:12

Once the evidence is established,

panelists: 00:46:15

we spotlighted the Mediterranean diet

panelists: 00:46:18

that really emphasizes plants,

panelists: 00:46:21

it emphasizes good cardiovascular health,

panelists: 00:46:24

and enjoyment.

panelists: 00:46:25

And we talked about how

panelists: 00:46:26

diets are way more than

panelists: 00:46:28

just weight loss.

panelists: 00:46:29

I hope that that's a

panelists: 00:46:30

real take home that you

panelists: 00:46:31

understood.

panelists: 00:46:32

Diet is not a bad

panelists: 00:46:34

word.

panelists: 00:46:34

It's never been a bad

panelists: 00:46:35

word to me.

panelists: 00:46:36

It's really just how you

panelists: 00:46:37

eat.

panelists: 00:46:37

I always want to know

panelists: 00:46:38

"what's your diet?"

panelists: 00:46:39

You might give me a

panelists: 00:46:40

name, but really it is

panelists: 00:46:42

'insert your name' diet, and

panelists: 00:46:44

that's just the way you

panelists: 00:46:45

eat.

panelists: 00:46:46

And the really best diets

panelists: 00:46:48

are about prevention, disease management,

panelists: 00:46:52

and living well.

panelists: 00:46:53

New additions were added to

panelists: 00:46:55

this year's report, like diets

panelists: 00:46:58

for menopause.

panelists: 00:46:59

So I encourage you if

panelists: 00:47:00

you're in that perimenopausal period

panelists: 00:47:02

to check that out. ...For

panelists: 00:47:03

IBS, because there's some very

panelists: 00:47:06

specific and very evolving research

panelists: 00:47:09

and newer research that's come

panelists: 00:47:11

down the path that made

panelists: 00:47:12

it the subject for good

panelists: 00:47:13

evaluation.

panelists: 00:47:15

And it helps address real

panelists: 00:47:16

life needs for many of

panelists: 00:47:17

us.

panelists: 00:47:18

I also shared some practical

panelists: 00:47:20

ways to bring these principles

panelists: 00:47:21

home, like focusing on plants,

panelists: 00:47:24

plants, plants, making it convenient,

panelists: 00:47:27

so in how you plan

panelists: 00:47:28

for your lifestyle, and hopefully

panelists: 00:47:31

making mealtime feel more enjoyable

panelists: 00:47:33

and sustainable, fitting your needs.

panelists: 00:47:37

As we wrap up here

panelists: 00:47:38

today, I want to leave

panelists: 00:47:39

you with the question: "What

panelists: 00:47:40

does healthy eating mean to

panelists: 00:47:42

you right now?"

panelists: 00:47:44

How might you adapt what

panelists: 00:47:46

we talked about today to

panelists: 00:47:47

fit your lifestyle and goals?

panelists: 00:47:49

And I certainly encourage you

panelists: 00:47:50

to go check out the

panelists: 00:47:52

report.

panelists: 00:47:52

I'll leave that information in

panelists: 00:47:54

the show notes so that

panelists: 00:47:55

you can do just that.

panelists: 00:47:56

"What does healthy eating mean

panelists: 00:47:58

to you right now?"

panelists: 00:48:00

I encourage you to check

panelists: 00:48:02

out the full report from

panelists: 00:48:03

US News and World Report

panelists: 00:48:04

to explore all 38 diets

panelists: 00:48:07

ranked this year and see

panelists: 00:48:08

what might be the right

panelists: 00:48:09

fit for you - at your

panelists: 00:48:10

life stage, given your own

panelists: 00:48:12

goals, your health risk factors,

panelists: 00:48:14

and importantly, your preferences.

panelists: 00:48:17

Ultimately, the BEST DIET for

panelists: 00:48:19

you is the one that

panelists: 00:48:20

FITS YOU.

panelists: 00:48:21

It's the one that you

panelists: 00:48:22

like and can stay on

panelists: 00:48:24

while feeling well.

panelists: 00:48:26

So thank you for sharing

panelists: 00:48:27

a few of your waking

panelists: 00:48:28

minutes with me today.

panelists: 00:48:30

I hope you found this

panelists: 00:48:31

helpful and inspiring.

panelists: 00:48:33

If you did, I'd love

panelists: 00:48:34

to hear your thoughts.

panelists: 00:48:36

And please share a comment

panelists: 00:48:37

on my Instagram, it's

panelists: 00:48:40

@1000WakingMinutes, or email me at

panelists: 00:48:44

1KWM@wendybazilian.com.

panelists: 00:48:48

And I always invite ideas

panelists: 00:48:50

on what you'd like me

panelists: 00:48:51

to explore in future episodes

panelists: 00:48:53

as well.

panelists: 00:48:54

I'm Wendy Bazilian, and this

panelists: 00:48:56

is 1,000 Waking Minutes.

panelists: 00:48:58

Until next time, be well.

panelists: 00:49:05

Thank you for tuning into

panelists: 00:49:06

1,000 Waking Minutes.

panelists: 00:49:08

A huge thank you to

panelists: 00:49:09

our amazing collaborators, including our

panelists: 00:49:11

production and marketing teams, and

panelists: 00:49:13

Gabriela Escalante in particular.

panelists: 00:49:16

To the ultra talented Beza

panelists: 00:49:17

for my theme music, my

panelists: 00:49:19

lifelong friend and artist, Pearl

panelists: 00:49:21

Preis Photography and Design.

panelists: 00:49:22

To Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen,

panelists: 00:49:25

Joanna Powell, and of course

panelists: 00:49:27

my family, and everyone working

panelists: 00:49:29

tirelessly behind the scenes.

panelists: 00:49:31

And to you, our valued

panelists: 00:49:32

listeners, I so appreciate your

panelists: 00:49:34

support.

panelists: 00:49:35

If you enjoyed today's episode,

panelists: 00:49:37

please consider leaving a comment,

panelists: 00:49:39

writing a review, and giving

panelists: 00:49:40

1,000 Waking Minutes, that's us,

panelists: 00:49:43

a five-star rating.

panelists: 00:49:45

And please hit subscribe on

panelists: 00:49:47

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever

panelists: 00:49:49

you enjoy your podcasts.

panelists: 00:49:51

Please follow and stay connected

panelists: 00:49:53

at wendybazilian.com.

panelists: 00:49:55

And don't forget to share

panelists: 00:49:56

with your friends.

panelists: 00:49:57

Your support helps us grow

panelists: 00:49:58

and bring you more great

panelists: 00:50:00

content.

panelists: 00:50:01

Until next time, find some

panelists: 00:50:02

simple opportunities to optimize those

panelists: 00:50:05

1,000 Waking Minutes each day. [Music: I'm sayin' Yes, to better days...]