In Symi they…
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, onions, peppers and salad, either grown locally or brought in from other nearby islands.
What we can do:
- We can also grow our own vegetables or get them from local organic suppliers or supermarkets.
In Symi they…
Eat salad as an accompaniment to most meals – Greek salad with olives, tomato, cucumber, capers, herbs and feta cheese is a staple.
What we can do:
- Have salads of many different varieties regularly and so get all the anti-aging benefits of raw vegetables, with their high content of fiber, antioxidant vitamins, and minerals.
In Symi they…
Have extra virgin olive oil with everything – as a dip for bread, in salad dressings, and for all types of cooking.
What we can do:
- Use extra virgin olive oil freely in place of butter, for salad dressings, and for cooking, knowing that it is cardioprotective and excellent for gut health.
In Symi they…
Eat fresh fruit such as figs and pomegranates picked from trees or brought in from nearby islands.
What we can do:
- Eat fresh fruit daily from suppliers of quality produce, preferably fresh, seasonal and organic, and also enjoy more exotic fruits if available.
In Symi they…
Have tomatoes with everything – in rich tomato soups, with fish, as a base for stews and roast dishes, or simply sliced and eaten fresh from the vine.
What we can do:
- Use tomatoes, preferably organic and sold on the vine for added flavor and nutrients, in salads and in cooking and so get all the benefits of anti-cancer lycopene. Tomato paste contains particularly concentrated levels of lycopene and is an excellent way to add flavor to all types of dishes.
In Symi they…
Flavor their dishes with liberal quantities of garlic, onions, lemon and herbs such as thyme, parsley and sage.
What we can do:
- Use these ultra-healthy foods in cooking and with salads rather than relying on salt or other unhealthy ways of making food appetizing.
In Symi they…
Eat fresh-caught fish two or three times weekly, fried in olive oil or roasted with herbs and lemon.
What we can do:
- Eat fish regularly, as fresh as possible and preferably from a sustainable, unpolluted source – fish is an excellent source of protein whilst oily fish such as sardines provide omega 3 essential fatty acids and calcium.
In Symi they…
Eat lean organic meat such as local free range goat, lamb and rabbit only around once a week, often stewed with the fat removed, or in small amounts to flavor vegetable-based dishes.
What we can do:
- Choose lean organic cuts of meat, trim the fat off, and use it in vegetable-based casseroles and roast vegetable dishes or with a large salad, rather than as a meal on its own.
In Symi they…
Eat creamy live Greek yogurt and other fermented foods such as traditionally marinaded capers, olives and bell peppers.
What we can do:
- Use yogurt and other fermented foods and so keep our guts healthy with the probiotics they provide.
In Symi they…
Eat stews, soups and casseroles made with beans.
What we can do:
- Use beans in cooking regularly – they are filling, high in nutrients, full of fiber, and a good source of protein.
In Symi they…
Eat home made whole wheat bread – bread with sesame seeds are a local specialty.
What we can do:
- Buy or bake our own fresh whole wheat bread – free of additives, high in nutrients, and so much better for health than shop-bought sliced white loaves. What could be more welcoming than the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the kitchen, and what more therapeutic than kneading a big lump of dough? It’s also good for your toning your arm muscles.
In Symi they…
Enjoy locally-made red and white wine and its variations – ouzo, raki and retsina – on a daily basis, with a meal enjoyed with friends.
What we can do:
- Relax over a meal with a glass of good-quality red wine, high in heart-protective antioxidants – always better sipped with relish than necked down.
