Secrets of healthy living from the world over

We often wonder how certain people, like the French for instance, maintain a petite body, the Japanese sport flawless skin and often live for over a hundred years and how the Scandinavian have such low obesity rates? Well wonder no more as we expose the secrets of their healthy living.

It is no myth that French women have a trim body despite their consumption of butter and cream. We would like to think such women do not exist or even if they do, they starve themselves to death, but the fact is that the French ladies do not compromise on quality eating as well. So how do they maintain that unearthly size and still live it up with glorious dining. The answer can be explained in two short words: Portion Control. Small amount of fresh quality food layered with flavor and lingering over courses of controlled portions that allow them to savor each bite.

They also believe in walking instead of a hard workout at the gym. Due to the old architecture, many buildings don’t have the elevators which results in a lot of climbing of the stairs as well. The high gas rates also motivates the French to walk more than ride in a car which all results in lower incidence of heart diseases and obesity.

Scandinavians: The north Europeans are known to have low obesity rates because their ideology is to eat farm fresh. The Nordic way of life indulges in gardening your own vegetables and consuming omega 3 rich food that lowers the depression rate despite the scarcity of sunlight. They believe in berry picking, eating fresh vegetables and consuming whole grains for a diet that not only nourishes their body with nature’s best, but through farming out at their own backyard they also connected with their food which is their best exercise.  

Japanese: An island in Japan named the Okinawa hold the highest concentrations of Centenarians (People aged 100 or over).They are known to have the lowest rate of dementia, cancer and heart diseases. The secret is their practice of hara hachi bu or eating till 80% full. (Incidently, this is what has been taught to the Muslims by Prophet Muhammad PBUH: to stop eating when three quarters full).

Their lifestyle includes a deep connection with their family and community, where they dine together, pray and meditate. Their diet includes fruit, rice, cruciferous & sea vegetables, omega 3 rich fatty food. They have strong social support systems where a sense of connection with their community and sense of belonging lowers their stress and diseases which are related to stress increasing their health, frame of mind and longevity.

Adopt the best from those who do right and practice a healthy living which supports an ideal you!