In May 2021, Bob Rowley, an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Chicago, embarked on a new culinary adventure to explore the cuisine of the Mediterranean countries. As part of Oldways’ 4-week challenge, Bob and his wife Carolyn, both 69, followed a Mediterranean diet for a month. Their daily menu consisted of more fruits, vegetables and whole grains; less sugar and red meat; and no processed foods.
Although Bob Rowley, a grilling enthusiast, admits he went through “withdrawal” after two weeks without red meat, the variety of healthy and delicious Mediterranean meals kept him satisfied. The couple still enjoyed lean poultry occasionally and sprinkled their food with pecorino to satisfy cheese cravings. Their menu also included a colorful array of plant-focused meals, such as polenta and sun-dried tomatoes, whole-grain panzanella salad, pasta puttanesca and baba ganoush on whole-wheat bread.
After a month, the Rowleys saw a marked improvement in their mood and overall health. Carolyn Rowley felt more energetic and lowered her cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
“We were biking more because we had so much more energy,” she says.
While neither of them expected to lose weight on the Mediterranean diet, Carolyn Rowley dropped 5 pounds, and her husband lost 7 pounds, because they were eating healthier and being more physically active, thanks to their increased energy.
The Rowleys have since reintroduced some old habits but…
