Defining the Mediterranean "Diet" From my time living and working in various countries, I have learned that three factors hold true throughout the Mediterranean region: Food is treated as medicine. Moderation is key. An active physical and social lifestyle is mandatory. Since these elements have been practiced since antiquity in the now twenty-seven countries in the region—countries as diverse as France, Israel, Egypt, and Morocco—my definition of “The Mediterranean Diet” is a modern eating plan based upon the traditional diet and lifestyle of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea