The Mediterranean diet, and the loveliest thing in Athens

If anyone asks about my favourite book, for me it is certainly “How Not to Die” by Dr Michael Greger. The book draws together some three thousand scientific studies, but it is written in plain, thoroughly approachable language, with a single purpose: to make the case that a whole-food plant-based diet can prevent, and help treat, the fifteen leading causes of death (in the American context).

There is a small, happy memory from a few years back. A Korean student of mine — a “reading partner” I am very fond of — read this book with me, and went on to ask his wife to pack an extra box of boiled sweet potato and vegetables for his lunch, and kept telling his parents: remember to eat more vegetables and fruit.

It was not until my trip to Athens, Greece in December 2025 that I actually met people whose eating came closest to the strict recommendations in this book: teta Lana and Xhaxhi Jani. The two weeks I spent in their house were the loveliest thing I had in Athens.

Go easy on red meat, eat plenty of fish, use only olive oil, eat the full range of nuts and seeds every day, always have every kind of fruit ready, and make no exceptions at all for anything that affects the heart.

Thank you both for teaching me so many important things!