When it comes to health and wellness, Americans may think we know it all. Yes, we diet like crazy, eat all low-fat foods, and drink vitamin water, but do we really know what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle?
It has long been recognized that European women weigh less and are in better overall health than American women. And, for the most part, European women do not rely on diet pills, diet drinks, or diet foods to live this healthy lifestyle. Instead, they rely on simple healthy living lessons passed down from generation to generation. These lessons are so easy that anyone, even Americans, can adopt them.
European women are more often seen walking or riding a bike, rather than driving a car.
What is a European woman’s secret to a healthy life? Well, it’s really no secret at all. To live a healthier and more European lifestyle, take your cues from our sisters across the pond by following these healthy life lessons…
5 Healthy Life Lessons From European Women
- Walk or ride a bike everywhere you go – Although European women may frown on formal exercise, they have found a natural, easy way to incorporate exercise into their daily lies. From young to old, from shop workers to lawyers, European women walk or bike everywhere they go, which boosts cardiovascular health and helps keep off the weight. Now, unless you are in a large metropolitan city, walking or biking everywhere may not be practical or even safe. Instead, try to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, whether it’s taking a walk at lunch or meeting with friends to go dancing instead of food.
- Eat fresh – And I don’t mean Subway. Choose fresh, all-natural foods, which are lower in sugar and are void of preservatives unlike processed or prepackaged foods. Besides, when does fresh bread, fresh fish, and fresh cookies ever not taste good?
Yogurt, filled with healthy probiotics, is popular all over Europe.
- Leave room for Yogurt – Yogurt has been popular in Europe for many years. And it’s no wonder. It contains healthy probiotics that aid in digestion, boost your immune system, and stave off infection. And, because it’s loaded with protein and vitamins, it’s nutrious and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
- Choose quality over quantity – As someone once said, even if you can’t afford the best food, eat the best food you can afford. This means high quality, full-fat cheeses, pastries, sauces and other things that are usually off limits on an American diet. The key is to eat better food, just eat less of it. So, instead of eating a whole bag of low-fat cookies (many dieters will because diet cookies never seem filling enough), have 1 or 2 pieces of rich, dark chocolate.
Drinking just 3 cups of tea a day can help prevent heart attacks.
- Make a Tea Time – Tea is the most popular beverage in most European countries, especially Great Britain, and rightly so. Most of us know that tea has a numerous health benefits, particularly for cardiovascular health. But, a recent study from the Tea Advisory Council found that drinking at least three cups of tea a day can lower the risk of heart attack by up to 70 percent. Other studies have shown that drinking tea can help reduce the incidence of stroke, cancer, and promote blood flow around the brain. Now that’s a healthy drink!
Whether she’s French, British, German, or Italian, European women have a few things to teach us about living healthier lives. Now, all we need to do is be willing to learn.
