According to the 20-year-old follower, these are the best tips for Mediterranean diet

I followed the Mediterranean diet for 20 years while living in Crete, Greece.
You do not have to cut out food groups and snacks.
Olive oil and lemons are staples for the Mediterranean diet.
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It is suspected that the Mediterranean diet started on Crete, Greece, the historically rich island where I have had my home base for the past twenty years.

It is believed that this plant-heavy diet, which eats vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, improves brain function and increases life expectancy.

With a focus on seasonal foods, traditional options and local produce, this way of eating has become increasingly popular, so here are my 9 secrets to follow:

Your attitude is just as important as what you eat

Here in Crete, ‘siga siga’, which translates to ‘slow, slow’, is not just something that is commonly said, it is a way of life.

Meals can last three hours, and I am most days from 2pm to 5pm and keep myself regularly drinking coffee and chatting with friends.

A relaxed pace of life is just as important as eating well, so make sure you surround yourself with people and take the time to enjoy your food.

Snack if you are hungry

Mediterranean diet — I enjoy snacks almost every day.

A common misconception is that you can not snack while using a new diet, but in Crete I did find to feast at all times of the day.

Although potato chips and sweet drinks are not a kitchen food, I often enjoy cucumber chopped into bite-size sizes, tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt, and crunchy dakos, whole grain, open face gliders baste with olive oil.

Use olive oil for everything

olive oil with bread — Olive oil is a versatile kitchen food.

Saturated and trans fats can have detrimental effects on health, but I banned butter and margarine from my pantry years ago because of taste.

These days I make everything from carrot cake to mashed potatoes with olive oil. This is not only because EVOO is an important ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, but it also gives food a much richer flavor.

In addition to its wholesome taste, this oil is rich in antioxidants that are believed to help protect the body from cellular damage.

I also prepare herbal-flavored options by bottling oil with fresh basil or rosemary sprigs. So if I feel like a treat, I drip this delicious alternative over a few cubes of wholemeal bread served with fresh cucumber.

Do not deny yourself the food you enjoy

For me, the Mediterranean diet is not about denying yourself the foods you love, but about enjoying them moderately.

Occasionally eating a dose of poultry, eggs and dairy is good. After all, how could anyone resist a bowl of delicious creamy Greek yogurt with local honey and covered with a handful of nuts?

I have noticed that meat is also on the menu in most Cretan homes, but because there is not much room for larger animals such as cows to graze on this arid atoll, many people eat other options such as lamb or goat.

Drinking moderate wine is also a welcome accompaniment to the Mediterranean diet.

If life throws lemons at you, use it

avocado lemon — Lemons work as an excellent addition to a salad dressing.

It’s great to eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats, but also make sure you fill your closet with lemons.

Like some of my neighbors, I grow a lemon tree at the bottom of my garden, and I use this vitamin C-packed fruit with just about everything.

You can add a wedge to your first glass of water in the morning, mix lemon juice with EVOO to pour over your salad, or squeeze a few drops into your thick lentil soup dinner – I guarantee you will soon be addicted.

Swap chocolate and cake for fruit and honey

I like whole grains and vegetables, but sometimes I miss chocolates and cookies. But I learned to crave my sugar by adding lots of fruit to my diet.

After a meal in a Cretan restaurant, you are almost always offered a bowl of sweet Bing cherries, a dish of juicy chilled watermelon or a shiny grape picked from the vine, depending on the time of year.

If I need a morning snack, I go straight to the fruit basket, and also make sure I top up my fridge with dried prunes and apricots.

Plan ahead

Like most people I know, I have a busy life and I do not always have time to prepare healthy dishes. So my solution is to have a whiteboard that I use every Sunday to plan my meals for the week.

Once I know what I am eating each day, I prepare some of the basic ingredients, such as whole grain breads, lentils, beans, tomato sauce or chickpeas and place them in the freezer.

If I want to cook one of the dishes on my list – like my favorite Mediterranean lentil soup with sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, onions and garlic – I just thaw my main ingredients and add the rest.

Do not be afraid to feed your own food

There are as many as 300 different wild, edible greens in Crete, so food is a popular pastime.

When I first moved to Greece’s largest island, I would see my neighbors with bags full of greens coming home from the field. And soon enough, I learned to recognize dozens of these edible plants and how to prepare them, such as steaming them lightly and dressing them with a squeeze of lemon juice and dripping olive oil.

Finding food is a great way to eat mineral rich greens and stay on your feet.

You may not see aniseed fennel or wild oregano growing in your backyard, but dandelion, porcelain and sorrel are common finds – make sure you harvest them in a non-polluted place.

Do not call it a diet

To me, the Mediterranean diet is not a fad, it is a lifestyle choice that involves making the most of the food available in a sustainable way.

While respecting the environment, you also learn to enjoy the flavors of sunny tomatoes, fiery garlic cloves and tree-picked lemons.

Once I started on the Mediterranean diet, I never wanted to eat any other way.

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