Guest: Dr. Artemis Morris, ND, LAc — Naturopathic Physician & Licensed Acupuncturist
In this episode, Dr. Regina Druz is joined by naturopathic physician and acupuncturist Dr. Artemis Morris to uncover what the Mediterranean diet actually looks like in its native context — far richer in wild edible plants, unfiltered olive oil, and community eating practices than the watered-down versions most Americans encounter. Together they trace why cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in traditional Mediterranean populations remain among the best in the world, what happens when those populations migrate and lose their food culture, and how patients can recapture the protective elements of this dietary pattern without moving to Crete. The conversation covers olive oil quality tiers and polyphenol content, the pharmacological power of wild greens, adaptogens, and herbs used across the Mediterranean basin, and practical strategies for incorporating these foods into a modern American lifestyle.
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Episode Chapters
| [00:00] | Welcome & Introduction |
| [02:14] | Who Is Dr. Artemis Morris? |
| [06:30] | What Is the Mediterranean Diet, Really? |
| [12:45] | Wild Edible Plants — The Secret Ingredient |
| [19:20] | Olive Oil: Quality, Polyphenols & What the Label Hides |
| [27:10] | Cultural Eating Patterns & Why They Work |
| [34:55] | Mediterranean Diet & Cardiovascular Health |
| [41:30] | Practical Steps to Eat Mediterranean in America |
| [48:00] | Supplements, Herbs & Adaptogens |
| [54:15] | Final Recommendations & Where to Find Dr. Morris |
Podcast Transcript
[00:00] Welcome & Introduction
Dr. Regina Druz (00:00) Welcome to Own Your Heart Health. I’m Dr. Regina Druz, your holistic cardiologist. This week we explore common heart health concerns, uncover root causes, and unpack scientific discoveries and controversies. The information provided does not constitute medical advice — please contact your healthcare practitioner before making any changes that may impact your health.
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Artemis Morris — naturopathic physician, licensed acupuncturist, and someone who has spent her career studying food as medicine in its most original form. We are talking about the Mediterranean diet — but not the version you find in a supermarket pamphlet. We’re going deep: wild plants, real olive oil, and the cultural traditions that made this diet one of the most studied and most protective dietary patterns in the history of cardiology. Dr. Morris, welcome to the show.
Dr. Artemis Morris (01:20) Thank you, Dr. Druz. I am thrilled to be here. This is exactly the conversation I have been wanting to have — because what most people call the Mediterranean diet and what people in Crete, Sardinia, or rural Greece actually eat are two very different things. And that gap matters enormously for health outcomes.
[02:14] Who Is Dr. Artemis Morris?
Dr. Regina Druz (02:14) Tell us your story. How does a naturopathic physician end up becoming a specialist in Mediterranean food traditions?
Dr. Artemis Morris (02:30) My grandmother is Greek. I grew up watching her forage for wild greens — horta — in fields and along roadsides. She would blanch them, dress them with lemon and olive oil, and serve them as a staple at every meal. I thought it was just tradition. Then I went to naturopathic medical school, studied phytotherapy and nutritional biochemistry, and realized she had been practicing evidence-based medicine her entire life without calling it that. That set the trajectory for everything I have done since.
I went on to study traditional Mediterranean food systems formally — the ethnobotany, the preparation methods, the seasonal rhythms. I also trained in acupuncture, which deepened my appreciation for systems-based medicine. What ties it all together is the understanding that food is not just fuel — it is information. Every bite is a message to your cells.
[06:30] What Is the Mediterranean Diet, Really?
Dr. Regina Druz (06:30) Let’s define the Mediterranean diet — the real version, not the American interpretation.
Dr. Artemis Morris (06:45) The traditional Mediterranean diet is characterized by high consumption of vegetables — particularly wild and semi-wild greens — legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and abundant olive oil. Fish is eaten several times per week, poultry occasionally, red meat rarely, and dairy in fermented forms: yogurt and aged cheese, not fluid milk. Wine, if consumed, is drunk with meals in modest amounts. Sweets are reserved for celebrations.
What gets lost in translation is the plant diversity. Traditional Mediterranean populations were eating 150 to 200 different plant species over the course of a year. Modern Americans eating a so-called Mediterranean diet might get 20. That diversity is not cosmetic — it means exposure to an enormous range of polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds that each play specific roles in metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Dr. Regina Druz (08:52) And the preparation methods matter too?
Dr. Artemis Morris (09:05) Enormously. Slow cooking, fermentation, sun-drying, marinating in olive oil — these are not just culinary preferences. They affect bioavailability. Tomatoes cooked in olive oil release lycopene in a far more bioavailable form than raw tomatoes. Legumes slow-cooked with aromatics develop prebiotic fiber structures that raw or fast-cooked beans do not. The food culture is part of the medicine. 2000 we knew very little about which biomarkers were causally linked to this process. Over the past 25 years we have learned that the immune system is truly a hub for aging — hallmarks like cellular senescence and epigenetic changes are largely driven by inflammation.The 1000 Immunomes Project was designed to provide solid science around this. We recruited 1,000 relatively healthy, ambulatory individuals and secured over $70 million from federal agencies. The study ran for 15 to 17 years, allowing us to prospectively identify biomarkers of systemic chronic inflammation that predict morbidity and mortality.
[12:45] Wild Edible Plants — The Secret Ingredient
Dr. Artemis Morris (12:45) Wild edible plants are the most underappreciated element of the Mediterranean diet. Horta — the Greek term for wild greens — encompasses hundreds of species: purslane, chicory, dandelion, amaranth, sorrel, wild mustard greens, and many others. These plants have never been selectively bred for sweetness or cosmetic appearance, so they retain extraordinarily high concentrations of protective compounds.
Purslane, for example, is one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Wild chicory contains inulin — a powerful prebiotic — and bitter compounds that stimulate bile production and liver detoxification. Dandelion greens have among the highest potassium content of any food, which is directly relevant to blood pressure regulation. These are not superfoods in the marketing sense — they are foods that have co-evolved with human biology over tens of thousands of years.
Dr. Regina Druz (15:10) What about people who don’t have access to wild greens? Can they replicate the benefit?
Dr. Artemis Morris (15:25) Partially. You can get close by choosing the most bitter, deeply colored cultivated greens — arugula, radicchio, endive, Swiss chard, lacinato kale, beet greens — over iceberg or romaine, which have very little protective value. Farmers’ markets often carry heirloom varieties closer to wild ancestors. And for those with a yard or patio, purslane is extraordinarily easy to grow — most people already have it as a weed and are pulling it out.
[19:20] Olive Oil: Quality, Polyphenols & What the Label Hides
Dr. Artemis Morris (19:20) Olive oil is the most misrepresented food in the American market. The label says extra virgin, but most of what is sold in US supermarkets has been adulterated, blended with cheaper oils, or has degraded from mishandling during import and shelf storage. True extra virgin olive oil — freshly pressed, high-polyphenol, properly stored — is a genuinely remarkable cardiovascular medicine.
The cardiovascular protection comes primarily from oleocanthal — a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory activity structurally similar to ibuprofen — and from oleacein. Both are present in high quantities only in fresh, properly processed oil. When olive oil oxidizes, those compounds degrade. The characteristic peppery burn at the back of the throat when you taste good olive oil? That’s oleocanthal. If there’s no burn, the protective compounds are likely gone.
Dr. Regina Druz (22:40) How should patients choose olive oil?
Dr. Artemis Morris (22:55) Look for a harvest date — not just an expiration date — within the past 12 months. Choose dark glass or metal tin packaging, never clear plastic. Buy from single-origin producers or cooperatives with third-party certification. California Olive Ranch and a handful of Greek and Italian small-estate producers consistently pass independent authentication testing. Expect to pay more. Real extra virgin olive oil cannot be produced cheaply.helium, left ventricular hypertrophy, and arterial stiffening.The second key protein is eotaxin, also known as CCL11. Eotaxin-1 is produced largely in response to airborne exposures — air pollution, cooking vapors, allergens. Macrophages in the lungs produce it, and it enters the bloodstream where it crosses the blood-brain barrier easily. There it causes cognitive dysfunction and is associated with dementia and memory loss.The other three important proteins are gamma interferon (involved in immune system activation), GRO-alpha, and TRAIL. TRAIL is particularly interesting: it sensitizes senescent cells to undergo apoptosis. Low TRAIL means senescent cells are not being cleared, and they accumulate throughout the body — a core driver of tissue aging.
[27:10] Cultural Eating Patterns & Why They Work
Dr. Artemis Morris (27:10) The epidemiology is striking. When Greek immigrants to Australia maintain their traditional dietary patterns, their cardiovascular mortality stays low — comparable to their relatives in Greece. When the second generation adopts Australian eating habits, cardiovascular risk rises to Australian population levels within one generation. The diet is not a genetic protection — it is a practice.
What the culture provides that supplements cannot is context: eating slowly, at a table, with others, without screens. That social and ritual dimension directly affects digestion, stress hormones, insulin sensitivity, and satiety signaling. We have reduced the Mediterranean diet to a list of foods when it is actually a set of relationships — with food, with the land, with each other.
[34:55] Mediterranean Diet & Cardiovascular Health
Dr. Regina Druz (34:55) Let’s talk specifically about the cardiovascular evidence.
Dr. Artemis Morris (35:10) The PREDIMED trial — Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea — is probably the best evidence we have. It showed a roughly 30 percent relative risk reduction in major cardiovascular events in high-risk patients randomized to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts compared to a low-fat control diet. The benefit appeared within the first year and was sustained across follow-up.
Mechanistically, we see reductions in oxidized LDL, improvements in HDL function, reductions in inflammatory markers including hs-CRP, improvements in endothelial function, and favorable changes in gut microbiome composition — all of which contribute to cardiovascular protection. No single drug produces all of those effects simultaneously.
[41:30] Practical Steps to Eat Mediterranean in America
Dr. Artemis Morris (41:30) Start with three shifts that have the largest impact. First, replace processed vegetable oils with genuine extra virgin olive oil as your primary cooking and finishing fat. Second, add a bitter green to every meal — even a handful of arugula or a serving of sautéed chard counts. Third, eat one meatless Mediterranean-style meal per week centered on legumes: lentil soup, white bean stew, chickpea dishes with olive oil and herbs. Those three changes alone move the needle measurably.
Once those are established, begin expanding plant diversity. Aim for 30 or more distinct plant species per week — this includes herbs, spices, teas, and nuts, not just vegetables. A weekly farmers’ market trip with a commitment to buying two unfamiliar greens each time is a practical way to build that diversity gradually.
[48:00] Supplements, Herbs & Adaptogens
Dr. Artemis Morris (48:00) Mediterranean herbal medicine is a largely untapped clinical resource. Olive leaf extract — distinct from olive oil — contains oleuropein, which has documented antihypertensive, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects. Hawthorn berry has long been used in European phytotherapy for heart failure and arrhythmia and has some supportive clinical trial data. Artichoke leaf extract supports bile production and helps with lipid metabolism.
Adaptogens from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions — ashwagandha, rhodiola — are increasingly being studied in cardiovascular contexts because they modulate cortisol, which in chronic excess damages endothelium and drives insulin resistance. These are not replacements for medications but they are meaningful adjuncts when used thoughtfully.
[54:15] Final Recommendations & Where to Find Dr. Morris
Dr. Regina Druz (54:15) Final thoughts — one thing every listener can do today?
Dr. Artemis Morris (54:30) Buy a bottle of real extra virgin olive oil — with a harvest date — taste it, feel the burn, and use it generously. That single change, applied consistently, is probably the most evidence-backed dietary intervention for cardiovascular health that most Americans are not doing. Everything else builds from there.
Dr. Regina Druz (55:45) Dr. Morris, this has been extraordinary. Where can people find you and learn more?
Dr. Artemis Morris (56:00) My practice website has resources, a newsletter, and information about working with me directly. I also do speaking and practitioner trainings. The best starting point is to simply follow the principles we discussed today — your cardiovascular system will respond.
Dr. Regina Druz (56:45) Thank you so much. And thank you to our listeners — as always, please review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, share this episode with someone who could benefit, and I will see you next week on Own Your Heart Health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the traditional Mediterranean diet different from the version sold in American supermarkets?
The most important difference is plant diversity. Traditional Mediterranean populations consumed 150 to 200 distinct plant species annually — including a wide variety of wild and semi-wild greens foraged seasonally — compared to the 20 or fewer species in a typical modern American diet, even one marketed as Mediterranean. This botanical richness translates into exposure to hundreds of bioactive compounds — polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, bitter glycosides — that work collectively to reduce inflammation, support endothelial function, and improve metabolic health. A second critical difference is olive oil quality: authentic extra virgin olive oil contains high concentrations of oleocanthal and oleacein, compounds with potent anti-inflammatory activity, whereas most mass-market olive oil has degraded or been adulterated and provides little of this benefit. Finally, traditional Mediterranean eating is embedded in a cultural context — slow, communal, seasonal — that affects digestion, stress hormones, and satiety in ways that eating the same foods alone and quickly does not replicate.
What is the cardiovascular evidence for the Mediterranean diet?
The strongest trial evidence comes from PREDIMED — Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea — a large randomized trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In high-risk patients, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts produced approximately a 30 percent relative reduction in major cardiovascular events — myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death — compared to a low-fat control diet. The benefit was statistically significant and appeared early in the trial. Mechanistically, the Mediterranean diet reduces oxidized LDL, improves HDL particle function, lowers systemic inflammatory markers including hs-CRP and IL-6, improves endothelial function, and supports a more favorable gut microbiome composition. Population studies from Mediterranean countries have consistently shown lower rates of coronary artery disease, heart failure, and metabolic syndrome than age-matched Northern European or American cohorts — differences that largely disappear in migrant populations who adopt Western dietary patterns.
Why are wild edible plants so much more nutritionally valuable than conventional produce?
Wild plants have never been selectively bred for sweetness, size, or shelf life — traits that domestication has optimized at the expense of phytochemical complexity. A wild dandelion green, for example, contains far higher concentrations of flavonoids, carotenoids, and bitter compounds than a cultivated lettuce bred to minimize bitterness, because bitter compounds are part of the plant’s own defense chemistry and have co-evolved with animal metabolism over millions of years. Purslane — common as a garden weed — is one of the richest plant-based sources of ALA omega-3 fatty acids. Wild chicory contains inulin prebiotic fiber and bitter sesquiterpene lactones that stimulate bile flow and support liver detoxification. Patients who cannot access wild greens can approximate these benefits by choosing the most deeply pigmented and bitter cultivated greens available — arugula, radicchio, endive, beet greens, lacinato kale — over mild-tasting varieties with lower phytochemical content.
How should patients choose a genuinely high-quality extra virgin olive oil?
Look for a harvest date — not just a best-by date — within the past 12 months. Fresh oil is meaningfully richer in protective polyphenols than oil that has sat on a shelf for two or three years. Choose dark glass or metal tin packaging, which protects against light-induced oxidation; never buy olive oil in clear plastic. Seek single-origin oils with third-party authentication from organizations such as the California Olive Oil Council or the Australian Olive Association, which test for adulteration and polyphenol content. The simplest sensory test: pour a small amount on a spoon and taste it. Genuine high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil will produce a distinct peppery or burning sensation at the back of the throat within a few seconds — that sensation is oleocanthal, a phenolic compound with anti-inflammatory activity comparable to a low dose of ibuprofen. If there is no burn, the protective compounds have likely degraded. Expect to pay more for authentic oil — it cannot be produced cheaply.
What are the most practical first steps for patients who want to adopt a Mediterranean dietary pattern?
Three foundational changes produce the largest early benefit. First, replace all refined vegetable oils — canola, corn, soybean, and generic cooking oils — with genuine extra virgin olive oil as the primary cooking and finishing fat. Use it generously: the protective dose in PREDIMED was approximately four tablespoons daily. Second, add a bitter green to every meal. Even a handful of arugula on a sandwich or a serving of sautéed chard alongside a protein qualifies. Third, introduce one meatless Mediterranean-style meal per week built around legumes — lentil soup, white bean stew, chickpea dishes dressed with olive oil and fresh herbs. Once these habits are established, begin expanding plant diversity systematically: aim for 30 or more distinct plant species per week, counting herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and teas alongside vegetables. A weekly farmers’ market visit with a commitment to buying at least two unfamiliar greens is a practical way to build this diversity over time without overhauling the entire diet at once.
Show Notes & Resources
Guest: Dr. Artemis Morris, ND, LAc
Naturopathic Physician | Licensed Acupuncturist
Focus: Mediterranean Food Traditions, Wild Plant Medicine, Cardiovascular Nutrition, Phytotherapy, Integrative Cardiology
Training: Naturopathic Medical Degree | Acupuncture & East Asian Medicine | Graduate study in ethnobotany and Mediterranean food systems
Resources Mentioned:
• PREDIMED Trial — landmark Mediterranean diet cardiovascular outcomes trial (Estruch et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2013; corrected 2018)
• California Olive Oil Council (COOC) — third-party authentication and polyphenol testing for California-produced olive oils: cooc.com
• Wild edible plants referenced: purslane (Portulaca oleracea), wild chicory (Cichorium intybus), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), sorrel, wild mustard greens, amaranth
• Herbs discussed: olive leaf extract (oleuropein), hawthorn berry (Crataegus spp.), artichoke leaf extract, ashwagandha, rhodiola
Key Terms Referenced in This Episode
Mediterranean Diet: A dietary pattern traditional to countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, characterized by high intake of vegetables (including wild greens), legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fish, with low consumption of red meat and processed foods.
Horta: Greek term for wild and semi-wild edible greens, traditionally foraged and consumed as a staple across the Mediterranean basin. Includes purslane, chicory, dandelion, sorrel, amaranth, and many other species.
Oleocanthal: A phenolic compound found in fresh extra virgin olive oil with anti-inflammatory activity structurally analogous to ibuprofen. Responsible for the characteristic peppery burn at the back of the throat when tasting high-quality olive oil. Degrades with heat, light, and age.
Oleacein: A polyphenol in extra virgin olive oil associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial-protective effects. Co-occurs with oleocanthal in high-polyphenol oils.
PREDIMED: Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea — a landmark Spanish randomized controlled trial demonstrating approximately 30% relative risk reduction in major cardiovascular events with a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts versus a low-fat control diet.
Polyphenols: A broad class of plant-derived bioactive compounds including flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes. Found in high concentrations in olive oil, wild greens, berries, legumes, herbs, and spices. Associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardiovascular-protective effects.
Inulin: A prebiotic dietary fiber found in chicory root, dandelion greens, garlic, onions, and artichokes. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria (Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus) and supports short-chain fatty acid production relevant to cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Oleocanthal / Oleuropein: Distinct but related olive compounds — oleuropein is the dominant polyphenol in olive leaves and unripe olives; oleocanthal is the primary anti-inflammatory phenolic in ripe-olive-pressed extra virgin olive oil.
Endothelial Function: The ability of the endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels) to dilate in response to blood flow and nitric oxide signaling. Impaired endothelial function is an early marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk; the Mediterranean diet measurably improves it.
hs-CRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein): A blood marker of systemic inflammation used to assess cardiovascular risk. Consistently reduced in Mediterranean diet intervention studies.
Oxidized LDL: Low-density lipoprotein particles that have undergone oxidative modification — the form most atherogenic (plaque-forming). The polyphenols in olive oil and Mediterranean produce reduce LDL oxidation rates.
Phytotherapy: The evidence-based clinical use of plant-derived medicines, including herbal extracts, tinctures, and standardized botanical preparations. A core competency of naturopathic medicine.
Adaptogen: A class of herbs — including ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) — that help the body maintain homeostasis under physical and psychological stress by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and cortisol response.
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Medical Disclaimer
The information in this transcript is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The discussions about stem cells, exosomes, peptides, and regenerative therapies reflect the clinical experiences and opinions of the physicians involved. These treatments are not FDA-approved for all applications discussed. Individual results vary. Please consult your licensed healthcare practitioner before making any changes to your health regimen.