tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post4716717090880498722..comments2023-09-24T15:08:49.680+02:00Comments on olives and artichokes - a Mediterranean garden: Mediterranean dietchaiselonguehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11372135992072231446noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-3223586461229739142010-09-02T14:03:44.338+02:002010-09-02T14:03:44.338+02:00Thanks for all your comments - this is a subject t...Thanks for all your comments - this is a subject that seems to inspire more comments, and longer ones, than any other!<br /><br />Michelle: I quite agree that eating a healthy diet can't guarantee a long life. I don't think anything can - I know this from the early deaths of members of my own family. I wouldn't make any health claims for any diet, I just eat what I enjoy and can find locally, most of which happens to be Mediterranean.chaiselonguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11372135992072231446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-41584235919632202852010-09-02T12:55:33.524+02:002010-09-02T12:55:33.524+02:00The "Mediterranean" diet is my diet of c...The "Mediterranean" diet is my diet of choice since I like to eat locally and with the seasons and I live in a Mediterranean type climate where it's easy to grow all those wonderful veggies and fruits. What's interesting to me is how much of the "heritage" Mediterranean diet comes from elsewhere - tomatoes, peppers, green beans, many dried beans, zucchini, winter squash, corn, and sunflowers from the Americas. Rice and eggplant came from Asia. And even garlic probably originated in Asia although it has been grown in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. I think that citrus plants also originated in Asia. So, is it what is eaten in the Mediterranean that is so healthful or is it the lifestyle that we get to enjoy in that type of climate, or a combination? Was the diet as healthful before the influx of foods from around the world? I tend to think that the Mediterranean diet isn't a kind of magic bullet, that it's possible to enjoy a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle almost anywhere. Simply eating a healthy diet won't guarantee a long and healthy life, a healthy balanced outlook and approach to living is also important. What a can of worms that application is opening up!michellehttp://fromseedtotable.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-14888455548010322602010-08-30T14:34:26.132+02:002010-08-30T14:34:26.132+02:00Like you, I love and thrive on a Mediterranean die...Like you, I love and thrive on a Mediterranean diet. Eating locally here (the Willamette Valley in Oregon, USA) results in an abundance of local fruit and produce year round. But many of the winter vegetables we eat are those that keep well and were harvested in fall or preserved in other ways, like drying or canning. Eating with the seasons appeals to me and also seems like a healthy and appropriate approach. That said, I'm still rather desperately looking forward to that first fat red tomato from the garden this year - it's been so cool this summer!Jane / Mulchmaidhttp://mulchmaid.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-47423372800739337652010-08-30T13:38:37.339+02:002010-08-30T13:38:37.339+02:00I love figs! We have a local farmers' market i...I love figs! We have a local farmers' market in Edinburgh which is excellent, plus we get an organic fruit & veg box delivered every week - still not as nice as your Mediterranean diet though ;-(PennyJGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-20899962677016526242010-08-30T09:13:39.439+02:002010-08-30T09:13:39.439+02:00I have lived on an organic farm on the north coast...I have lived on an organic farm on the north coast of Ireland for a while, where the winds sweeping in from the North Atlantic lifted carpets up INSIDE the house. But we managed to live very healthily eating mostly local food. It is possible. It's clearly more challenging for people in extreme climates, but people have managed to live in those parts for centuries, from times well before globalisation and have survived. In arctic regions that would involve a diet based on seafood and meats, whilst in hot dessert regions people would have to eat insects, which incidentally are an excellent source of protein and are widely eaten in many regions of the world. <br /><br />Given all that, I'm rather glad that like you I can have a local mediterranean diet.Heikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17999245793961798308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-26815546818053262522010-08-29T12:52:43.100+02:002010-08-29T12:52:43.100+02:00I love to eat and drink local, and living in the H...I love to eat and drink local, and living in the Hunter Valley Australia I am blessed to have many organic wineries in the local area. I eat alot of fresh food from my own garden, but seeing your photo's of figs, there are still lot's of our fresh food that is grown many 1000's of miles away. Sadly, I recently learnt that Australia's Orange growing region is draught stricken and the government is paying farmers to pull up the orchards, and our oranges are imported from other countries!!! I'm never buying another orange.I'll have to grow them.Tamarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14635416571278107397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-6216296181097717192010-08-28T17:48:48.896+02:002010-08-28T17:48:48.896+02:00Sadly, eating local is much more appealing in the ...Sadly, eating local is much more appealing in the Med than in Scotland :-(sleepyduckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05412143945979259599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-64154792652614850402010-08-28T08:12:46.623+02:002010-08-28T08:12:46.623+02:00The long term answer has to be to eat local, whate...The long term answer has to be to eat local, whatever those products are. If it's fresh then it'll be good for you, whether it's tomatoes and peppers or cabbage and swede!Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11430236104525571846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441141568118034925.post-40886013185917231212010-08-28T06:09:00.897+02:002010-08-28T06:09:00.897+02:00Yes, it's easy to espouse a local diet, but ac...Yes, it's easy to espouse a local diet, but according to Anthony Bourdain, that would mean eating a lot of horrible food in Iceland.<br />I realized today that I'm going to want to bring home olive oil from Italy, but I can instead buy lots of local oil here and enjoy the Italian when I'm there. . . probably more cost-effective.<br /><br />Lunch looks pretty good.Stefaneenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08422241601075022500noreply@blogger.com