Meri Raffetto

The Mediterranean diet includes a specific balance of foods that's high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and contains the perfect balance of fatty acids. Alas, you can't just eat your way to Mediterranean health. Living a healthy lifestyle means you have to look at all aspects of your life. Along with the food plan is a way of life that includes regular physical activity and time for rest, community, and fun; for the folks on the Mediterranean coast, this combination seems to have created that ever-elusive life balance.

Eggs are eaten often in the Mediterranean and are a great breakfast choice because they're a wonderful source of protein and offer other healthy vitamins and minerals.Although they're high in cholesterol, eating eggs in moderation hasn't proven to have any adverse effects on heart health. In fact, a review of 224 studies carried out over the last 25 years has determined that eating eggs daily didn't raise cholesterol levels.

Springtime in the Mediterranean (March through May) brings warm weather and new crops such as brightly colored, pencil-thin asparagus; dark leafy greens; and artichokes. Nothing is quite like seeing these welcoming veggies lined up in the produce aisle or at the farmers' market after a long, cold winter. Here are some simple Mediterranean-inspired veggie dishes to go along perfectly with a spring meal.

No matter what country you live in, nothing tastes as good as a perfectly cooked steak. Eat steak the Mediterranean way: smaller portion sizes and amazing fresh flavors and ingredients. Although the serving may be smaller, the taste quotient is just as high. You can make up for the smaller size by adding an amazing legume or vegetable dish.

The winter months, December through February, are often the time when you're less active, which makes it one of the most important times of the year to ramp up your vegetable intake, especially if you're following the Mediterranean Diet. The extra fiber and roughage help you feel full and satisfied as you expend less energy through activity and exercise.

Although the Mediterranean Diet encourages you to slow down and enjoy cooking and eating, doing so all the time can be a challenge. Here are some quick seafood recipes that you can prepare and take with you as you run from errand to errand. The most important piece is to get you eating fish a couple of times a week if you aren't already doing so.

Although the fall isn’t as big a veggie season as summer, you can find several choices to incorporate into your Mediterranean diet, including broccoli, cauliflower, and late summer eggplants and squash. These recipes highlight some of the vegetables you can find from September to November, adding a punch of flavor with fresh herbs, spices, olive oil, and cheeses.

In many Mediterranean regions, the general rule is to serve a hot appetizer before a light meal and a cold appetizer prior to a heavy meal. This strategy is a great health tip; avoiding eating heavy foods on top of heavy foods is one of the ways the people of the Mediterranean naturally balance their calorie and fat intake.