Mediterranean Lifestyle
Welcome to my last post about the Mediterranean Diet, at least for now! I am back in the states and suffering a bit of reverse culture shock. Yes, you have most likely heard of culture shock, but did you know reverse culture shock exists too (https://2009-2017.state.gov/m/fsi/tc/c56075.htm) !?
Most often reverse culture shock occurs after you have lived in a foreign country for at least a few months, but I find after living in Spain for a semester in my undergrad, that I suffer mild reverse culture shock every time I come back from Spain, even if I have only been there for a couple of weeks.
I find myself wishing I could order my favorite Spanish dishes at local Wisconsin restaurants and I am upset by the lack of veggie options when eating out.
Last night as we were finishing up dinner at home, my husband and daughter left me at the table, I found myself wishing we could linger like the Spainards do. Continue the conversation, let the food digest, maybe enjoy a few more sips of wine.
I miss easily being able to get 20,000+ steps in Spain while I struggle to fit in my 10,000 in the states. The list goes on and on.
So that brings me to the point of this blog post, we have talked a lot about the Mediterranean diet and the health benefits and they certainly exist but recent studies have found that to really get the most benefits from the Mediterranean diet.... you have to live in the Mediterranean!
Why is that? We suspect that it has a lot to do with lifestyle. Here are some comparisons:
Mediterranean
Walking for transportation
Walking for enjoyment
Savoring meals with friends and families
Working 30-35 hours/week
USA
Driving for transportation
Watching TV for enjoyment
Rushing through meals and eating on the go
Working 50-60 hours/week
These are just a few examples, but you get the jist! So it isn’t just important to focus on diet but to also evaluate your lifestyle. How is your physical activity? How is your stress? How is your sleep? All of these things play a role in your overall health.
So how does your typical day compare to the Mediterranean way? What can you do to improve? Share below!
