The Hellenic Center for Excellence in Health & Wellness is organizing a conference at Creta Palace Resort in Crete November 7-11 titled “Cretan Lifestyle: Mediterranean Tradition & Modern Applications.” Young investigators and professionals are invited to submit abstracts for poster presentations, and local producers are welcome to propose contributions.

Focused on the traditional Cretan diet and lifestyle and its impressive health benefits, the conference will take place at a seaside resort. The event will combine lectures by world-famous scientists from Harvard, the Culinary Institute of America, Yale, Spain, the Predimed study, and Greece with meals featuring traditional dishes and products, and experiences such as visits to olive groves, wineries, a cheese factory, a monastery, and a recreation of a traditional Cretan village at the organic Agreco Farm. The conference is open to all: students, professionals, researchers, foodies, chefs, producers, exporters, and wellness enthusiasts. (See the end of the article for registration information for all.)

The preliminary agenda includes the following sessions:

•    Crete: From Past to Present
•    Lifestyle Medicine and Medical Tourism
•    Spirituality and Health (from Orthodox Christian Fasting to Mindful Eating)
•    Prevention of Dementia and Cognitive Decline
•    PREDIMED / PREDIMED PLUS Updates
•    Young Investigators and Professionals (Poster and Presentation Competition)
•    Making Greek Products Successful in the US Market
•    Phenols and Antioxidants

The center’s advisory committee is interested in developing partnerships with Greek and foreign institutions and universities, and with local producers of traditional products in Crete. For example, they “would be happy to engage with local producers to discuss with them any type of sponsorship, logistical or technical partnerships,” or other contributions to the conference or the center, as Dr. Stefanos Kales, the founder of the center, its CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, and Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Harvard University, told Greek Liquid Gold.

In addition, young investigators and professionals are invited to submit abstracts now to obtain one of the 25 invitations to present posters at the conference. Those with accepted abstracts will be able to attend the entire conference at a specially reduced rate (799 USD), which also includes the associated 5 nights at the 5-star resort, all meals and excursions. These young investigators must be students, trainees or others within five years of their terminal degree or last training (e.g. the end of their post-doc, residency, or fellowship).

To enter, young investigators should send an abstract of less than 250 words related to the Mediterranean Diet/Lifestyle or Healthy Nutrition/Lifestyle on which they are an author or co-author. The abstract must be received by September 10, 2022 at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If their abstract is accepted, the young investigators must register for the conference by September 25, 2022 at the preferred rate of 799 USD (with more than a 45% discount off the full price). Young investigators whose abstracts are accepted will receive a special registration code.

Those accepted will be able to present their work in poster format during the conference. A selection committee of conference faculty will select the top five submissions by October 15. Writers of these top five abstracts will be awarded the opportunity to present their work orally to a panel of distinguished faculty judges at the conference. Each oral presentation will last five minutes and be followed by questions from the faculty. The faculty judges will select three prize winners. Third and second place winners will receive 250 USD and an award certificate, and the first place winner will receive 500 USD and an award plaque.

For more information about the Hellenic Center for Excellence in Health & Wellness and its inaugural conference, see New Hellenic Center for Excellence in Health and Wellness.

Greek Liquid Gold readers who are not young investigators: you can take advantage of an extra discount if you register for the Cretan Lifestyle conference by October 15 using this (case-sensitive) code: GLG2022. In that case, the total for a room at the 5-star luxury resort the nights of November 7-11, full board, registration, receptions, and conference excursions, including fees, will come to $981.88 US, almost $80 less than the Early Bird rate (with its fees) and more than $610 less than the regular price!

Thanks to Dr. Stefanos Kales for the photos that appear with this article.

Greekliquidgold.com is a Technical Partner for the Cretan Lifestyle: Mediterranean Tradition & Modern Applications experiential conference.

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