“The secret of the Mediterranean diet is polyphenols”

Dioscurides invites you on an exciting journey towards a balanced and healthy life, as part of the “Healthy Talks by Dioscurides” campaign on Anastasia Kotzakoliou’s Radio Newspaper show, with the slogan: “WE WALK in Balance… WE GAIN Health” The first guest is the CEO of Dioscurides and Pathologist Mr. Tzimikas Stergios.

When asked if he expected the development of the company he created, he noted that if you have goals you can achieve anything, saying that the secret is the collaboration with many scientists of various specialties (chemists, chemical engineers, etc.).

Now we can see that the world is turning to another pattern, with Mr. Dzimika saying that since the beginning of the world, man has been looking for medicines in nature and in herbs. For thousands of years man has been using the same herbs, he says, noting that when these substances are produced by nature they are more effective.

He described our place as a “corner plot” and a blessed place, where 750 of the 800 herbs, aromatic or medicinal plants worldwide thrive. Western Macedonia has over 300-330 of them, with Mr. Tzimika noting that it has great wealth and has not been exploited, saying that it is worth producing innovative products and food in this sector.

He mentioned the value of nutrition in health and how good nutrition can positively interfere with human health, delaying what is written in human DNA.

He referred to what free radicals are, how they affect the body and what they cause to humans. When there are more free radicals in the body, we talk about oxidative stress, while as Mr. Tzimikas said, polyphenols are very important, explaining what they are and how humans can take advantage of them to be healthy, as they have a high antioxidant effect.

Medicine for polyphenols has not been produced, only they thrive in nature. The Western world has oxidative stress caused by food with preservatives, polluted environment, smoking and alcohol abuse.

Fruits, nuts, grains, and herbs are rich in polyphenols. Especially in herbs, oregano, honeysuckle, thyme and sage are rich in polyphenols and their inclusion in the diet is a gift to health. These should be used in moderation, in appropriate amounts, he also notes, saying however that one should consume extremely large amounts.

Finally, he referred to the secret of the Mediterranean diet, which is polyphenols, but also to biofunctional foods or drinks. In fact, he also referred to the chocolate that Bodosakei’s patients received, seeing the benefits in their bodies.