A short list of reasons for eating Italian style

The last trip I took to Italy opened my eyes to food as a celebration of the senses. Instead of focusing on fast, people stopped what they were doing, put away phones and made the most of the meal, the company and the vibrant surroundings.

Surprisingly for a nation of foodies, Italy is ranked the 2nd healthiest country in the world, topped just slightly by Spain.

Even more, the US, the home to the most diets, supplements and weight loss fads, is the least healthy country in the world.

Did you know almost ¾ of people in a recent survey ranked the top reason they traveled to Italy as the food? Respondents said that if they could visit any country based on its cuisine alone, Italy tops the list.

Italians live longer, disease-free lives. But not by strictly sticking to someone else’s diet or taking the right supplements, but by satisfying their nutritional and emotional needs with more traditional, less processed foods.

And by being foodies! Italians make food a priority by focusing on quality over quantity, eating with the seasons, and insisting on fresh ingredients. Lunch and dinner are multi-course affairs ensuring lots of variety and time for enjoyment. Luckily with the rising cost of travel, you don’t need to go anywhere to experience the pleasure and the benefits of Mediterranean style eating.

Here’s a short list of suggestions for cooking Italian food at home:

• Transport Yourself to Italy: Let the flavors and aromas, even the vibrant colors of Italy transport you to the picturesque streets of Tuscany, Florence, or Naples without leaving home. Add music, candlelight and fresh flowers for a full sensory experience.

• Share the Love: Italian food is all about sharing and bringing people together. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party for friends or surprising your neighbors with homemade tiramisu, cooking Italian food at home is a nourishing way to share your love of food and friendship with others. And like those foodies surveyed responded, it doesn’t need to be fancy to be amazing.

• Savor the Flavors of Fresh Ingredients: Italian cuisine celebrates the simplicity and freshness of ingredients, from ripe tomatoes and fragrant basil to freshly baked focaccia and flavorful olive oil. These are all ingredients we have access to here! Cooking Italian food at home allows you to savor the vibrant flavors of fresh, seasonal ingredients in every bite.

After years of research on this topic I’m excited to share what I’ve learned. I invite you to join me in bringing more abondanza to your life with simple shifts, easy and delicious recipes plus a whole lot of tools, resources and encouragement along the way.

If you’re tired of “nutrition confusion“, never knowing the right way to eat for more energy, weight loss or gut health, this workshop will introduce to you the pleasures and practices of Mediterranean eating, the lifestyle most strongly associated with longevity and wellness.