May is International Mediterranean Diet Month. In recognition of this little known event, I’d like you to answer these questions about your usual food choices:

• Do you use olive oil as your main culinary oil?
• Do you consume two to four cups of non-starchy vegetables per day, such as bell peppers, cabbage, celery, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, or onions?
• Do you eat at least two servings of fruit per day, such as apples, dates, grapes, or berries?
• Do you have a serving of beans or legumes two to four times per week, such as lentils or chickpeas?
• Do you include one to two ounces of nuts per day, such as walnuts, almonds, or pistachios?
• Do you enjoy two or more fish meals per week that feature salmon, tuna, or sardines?
• Do you eat breakfast every morning?
• Do you have one to two daily servings of yogurt or cheese, such as feta or mozzarella?
• Do you have a serving of whole grains at most meals, such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, or quinoa?

It’s almost Shavuos, and you’re thinking, here comes yet another article about dairy, with the requisite cheesecake recipes. Well, yes and no. I am indeed writing about dairy, and there will in fact be some cheesecake recipes – but with a twist. The focus will be on a dairy food that is most likely not at the top of everyone’s ingredient list for this holiday: yogurt

Good things really do come in small packages. This is especially true of blueberries. These sweet, juicy, colorful berries are not only super-nutritious but also convenient and versatile, as they are available fresh, frozen, dried, and canned.

What makes the tiny blueberry such a nutritional heavyweight? According to the book Superfoods, the extraordinary power of blueberries derives from their rich supply of antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins. These natural chemicals are also what give blueberries their color. They help neutralize the effects of free-radical damage to cells and tissues. Citing several studies, integrative physician Leo Galland, MD, recently wrote on Huffingtonpost.com that eating anthocyanin-rich foods like blueberries on a daily basis may help prevent heart disease, stroke, cancer, and memory loss.

I know you have a zillion things to do before Yom Tov, so how dare I write an article suggesting you make your own salad dressings?!

You’ll be happy to learn that making salad dressings is, in fact, a pretty quick and simple task. It doesn’t have to be daunting at all. Most can be made with just oil, vinegar, and dried spices, shaken vigorously in a glass or plastic bottle or container.

A blogger, who calls herself the Skinny Chef, writes that preparing delicious homemade salad dressings is one of the easiest tasks that beginning cooks can quickly master. Besides, think about the control you can have over the quality of your ingredients. (You knew this was coming, given my perspective as a holistic nutritionist.) As you may have noticed, many readymade Pesach products – such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, and sauces – contain cottonseed oil. This cheap oil is used to replace the kitnyios-based oil usually used during the year. But if you make your own, you can use extra virgin olive or walnut oil, as well as other quality ingredients, like apple cider vinegar (preferably organic, although that may be hard to find on Pesach), dried herbs, and even fresh vegetables or fruits. Your homemade pesachdik dressings will have no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, no added sugar, and no cottonseed oil.

Question: I just found out that my cholesterol is high. Do I need to stop eating eggs?

Answer: First, a little about cholesterol and what it is. Cholesterol is essential to the body. It is the parent molecule of some very important hormones and also of vitamin D. Most people don’t know that the majority of cholesterol is made in your body, by the liver. The body has a reciprocal relationship with cholesterol. If you take in more from your diet, the liver makes less. If you eat less, the liver makes more. It is almost impossible to outsmart the body because of this protective mechanism.

We’ve all heard the old joke that the Yom Tov experience can be summed up by the acronym ESP – eat, sleep, and pray. Ideally, your Yamim Tovim will be a fulfilling, meaningful, spiritual experience, but for many, there is also the concern about eating too much and gaining weight during this season. If this is a challenge you face, read on. I’ve outlined eight steps you can take to empower yourself to make good choices about food, and to lessen any stress you might feel around the numerous Yom Tov meals and on the days before, in-between, and immediately after the holidays.