Shownotes
Ever go on vacation overseas and eat your heart out and wonder why you still lose weight or it seems easier to maintain your weight without even thinking about it?
In this episode I'm going to talk about why that is and what they are doing in Europe that is different from what we do here in the US. I'll share practical ways in which you can incorporate these aspects of the European lifestyle into your daily routine so you can enjoy some of the benefits stateside.
If you need help reducing stress and developing a healthier relationship with food and your body, I would love to support you! Schedule a free 30-minute Coffee Talk here and let’s chat about your health goals and how I can help you achieve them.
Mentioned in the show:
EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce
References:
Latest Roundup Cancer Lawsuit Updates on Drugwatch.com
Interested in working with Jeannie? Schedule a 30-minute Coffee Talk here.
Connect with me on Instagram @joliverwellness and check out the options for my more affordable self-study programs here: https://www.joliverwellness.com/diy-programs
Music credit: Funk’d Up by Reaktor Productions
A Podcast Launch Bestie production
Transcripts
Hey there and welcome to
the nutrition edit podcast.
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I'm your host, Jeannie Oliver.
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And today we're going to be talking about
lessons learned from European lifestyle.
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So a few weeks back, I returned from
our annual trip to Europe and every
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single time I come back and before I
go and when my friends, family, and
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clients travel, I find myself having a
familiar conversation with everybody.
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And we all remark.
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about how amazed we are that in spite
of indulging in more decadent foods like
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pastries, sweets, bread, pasta, et cetera,
often drinking more alcohol, that we
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all tend to lose weight and we feel so
much better both while we're there and
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after we come home, at least for a while.
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Now, of course, this can partly be due
to the fact that You know, if you're
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working and, or if you're on vacation
rather, excuse me, and not working
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while you're in Europe, of course
you're going to feel more relaxed and
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better because you're on vacation.
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Right?
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But I've had the same conversation with
people who are actually over there for
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work and there are several factors at
play that I want to share with you today.
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Obviously, it's a privilege to be able
to travel, and I'm really grateful that
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I'm able to go to Europe regularly.
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I realize that many of you are not
able to travel, and there are a
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multitude of reasons why people can't.
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I mean, finances can play a huge role.
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, you may have kids in school, , work
obligations, maybe caregiving for
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family members or elderly parents.
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There are a million reasons
why travel may not be.
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You know possible or practical for you
right now But you can still apply what
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I'm going to share with you today to
improve your quality of life So let's
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kick off today's convo by talking
about food because we all love food.
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I love food I'm pretty sure you
love food and food as It's, you
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know, a nutrition professional.
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I really believe it is the
foundation of our health.
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And I think there are a few people
who would actually argue with that.
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If the fuel that we're putting in our
bodies is of good quality and it gives us
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what we need and we're not putting stuff
in our bodies that is problematic for us,
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we're just going to be a lot healthier.
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We're going to feel better.
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Everything is going to be better.
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Right?
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So let's start off with food.
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And I think the quality of ingredients
in food is probably the biggest
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factor when it comes to the difference
between American and European food.
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In general, fewer chemicals are
used on European crops and many
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countries do not allow any GMO or
genetically modified crops, which
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are heavily laden with Roundup.
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Or glyphosate, which is the active
ingredient in Roundup and other
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chemicals that we use profusely
here in the United States.
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But let's start specifically by
talking about bread and pasta, since
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I think those are two of the things
that people tend to indulge in most.
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Many of you who are gluten intolerant,
like I am, but find that you can eat
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foods containing wheat when you're in
Europe, you might wonder why this is,
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and there are a few explanations of this.
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, I'm a prime example of this.
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I don't tolerate gluten
at all here in the States.
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I avoid it like the plague.
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I'm really strict about it because
it's just not worth the trade
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off for how crappy I feel when I
eat anything containing gluten.
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However, I go to Europe, I can enjoy
a croissant at breakfast or I can
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I eat a little pasta or a couple
of pieces of bread with my meals
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and have no issues whatsoever.
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I'm pretty conditioned out of
eating those things, so I still
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don't indulge heavily in them.
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But if I do want to enjoy
them, it's a non issue.
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So why is that?
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Well, first, different varieties
of wheat are grown in the EU.
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And the European varieties are
naturally lower in gluten content.
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They usually use what's called
soft wheat for their breads
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and Semolina wheat for pasta.
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Whereas here in the United States,
we usually use hard red wheat,
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which has higher gluten content.
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, we've actually kind of selectively bred
our wheat here to be higher in gluten
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content because it makes bread faster.
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It gives bread that elasticity that
comes from that gluten protein.
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So if you've ever you're So if you've
ever made bread at home and you need it
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while needing the bread, you'll notice
that it gets more and more elastic.
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Well, that's what we
call gluten development.
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That's that gluten protein
creating that elasticity.
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And when they're making bread
on a commercial level, they want
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that to happen faster, right?
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Because you can produce more faster.
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So over the years, we've actually
hybridized wheat crops so that
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they contain higher gluten content.
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That's different from genetic
modification where we're
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introducing, genes from different.
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Organisms right into a crop,
but we'll get into the problems
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with that a little bit later.
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So, When it comes to bread europeans
are also more likely to use traditional
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slow fermentation methods for breads
Instead of fast rising yeasts, which
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we often use here Gluten proteins
are much more effectively broken
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down during slow fermentation, which
makes them easier for us to digest.
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So that's another big, big factor here.
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European soil is also richer in sulfur.
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I just learned this recently.
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I think this is fascinating.
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Wheat crops that are grown in higher
sulfur soil have been found to be lower
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in gliadin, which is the allergenic
or inflammatory component of gluten.
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So when you're growing crops
in higher sulfur soil, they're
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naturally lower in this gliadin.
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Which is pretty cool.
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second, many countries in the EU
have limited or banned the use
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of glyphosate, which is the main
ingredient in Roundup Weed Killer.
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Here in the US, glyphosate is
commonly used for a process called
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desiccation, which accelerates
the drying of the wheat crops.
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It's easier and more profitable to
store and transport the dried wheat,
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and by saturating a wheat crop with
glyphosate, it dries it out much
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faster than it would naturally.
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This is really problematic because
Roundup or Glyphosate has It's
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been declared a probable human
carcinogen, which means cancer causer
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by the World Health Organization.
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And there are countless lawsuits
against its parent company,
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which is Monsanto, or now Bayer.
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And in 2020, Bayer agreed to
pay close to 11 billion to
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settle roundup cancer claims.
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As 2023.
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There were more than 4, 000 Roundup
cancer lawsuits pending in the California
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Roundup federal multi district litigation.
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Say that 10 times fast.
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, so it's a really big problem and
there have been many, many people
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coming forward , with claims.
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, from these , cancer diagnoses.
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Also in addition to possibly
causing cancer, glyphosate disrupts
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our microbiome or our gut flora.
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And we've talked in previous episodes
about the importance of our gut
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microbiome, but I'm going to dive a
little bit deeper into this specific
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problem with glyphosate here.
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So the people who are marketing And
who are proponents of glyphosate
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claim that it's non toxic to
humans because we don't possess the
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biological pathway that it disrupts.
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However, bacteria do possess this pathway.
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It's called the shikimate pathway.
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And since we have trillions
of bacteria in our bodies.
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In fact, we have 10 times as many
bacteria as we have human cells.
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One could argue that whatever
affects the bacteria we are
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hosting is going to affect us.
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And our gut flora or our bacteria play
crucial roles in our health because
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they help us break down our food.
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They produce neurotransmitters and
certain nutrients like B vitamins, and
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they regulate our immune system and
even play a big role in our metabolism.
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The bottom line here is that
anything that's harmful to your
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microbiome is also harmful to you.
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And the solution here is really
organic food is not perfect, but try
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to buy organic food whenever possible.
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And you can use the environmental working
groups, shopper's guide to pesticides
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in produce to help you prioritize
what to buy organic to save money.
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I'm going to link that in the show notes
so that you can download that from EWG,
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but that's a really helpful document.
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Also certified organic foods
cannot be genetically modified.
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So by choosing organic foods,
you're going to avoid genetically
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modified foods or GMOs as well.
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organic isn't necessarily
perfect, but it's better.
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And you're going to be limiting your
exposure to all of those chemicals.
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And it's not just Roundup.
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I mean, there are thousands of herbicides,
pesticides, fungicides that are sprayed
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on crops that are conventionally grown.
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And all of that can be
potentially harmful to us.
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So you want to just limit
that as much as you can.
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Another differentiating factor between
the food here and the food in Europe
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is that Europeans are much more likely
to use local seasonal ingredients.
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Of course, this isn't true
everywhere, but in many places it is.
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And if you're eating food that is in
season and has been grown locally,
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it's usually harvested closer to peak
ripeness, and it doesn't have to travel
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nearly as far to get to your plate.
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So why is this better?
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Well, seasonal locally grown ingredients
are going to taste better, right?
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Because they're closer to ripe.
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They're also more nutrient dense versus
food that's harvested much sooner and
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has to travel, you know, hundreds or even
thousands of miles before you eat it.
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One of the things that I love about
Europe is going to the farmer's market
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because you can see, oh my gosh, this
is what they grow in this region.
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And this is what's seasonal at this
time of year versus just a big grocery
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store, which they also have there where
you're going to see foods imported from
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all over the world so that you can get
things all year round, whether they're
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in season locally or not, that's fine.
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And sometimes we just.
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I don't know.
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I don't always eat seasonal food.
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That would be ideal.
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We don't live in an ideal world.
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So, you know, sometimes we're going
to use things that are not seasonally
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available or that have come from someplace
further away, but it's always good to
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eat local and seasonal when possible.
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Again, better for us, better
for the planet and, , they taste
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better and are more nutritious.
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and you're supporting local farmers.
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So that's always a great thing.
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We want to support small farms.
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Okay, next thing that I want to move on
to, and this is a really, really big one
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in Europe, in most of Europe, mealtime is
sacred and gosh, could that be any more
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of a contrast to the U S where we're like
rushing through food, eating in front
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of the computer and , eating, standing
up, snacking on the run in the car.
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I mean, we all do it.
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I've done it.
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I'm totally guilty of that.
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But in Europe, it's very different.
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Mealtime is sacred and.
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Often when you're eating
out It takes a while.
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So for example, on our recent trip, we
were in France and Portugal, and I don't
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think we spent any less than 90 minutes to
two hours when we ate out at restaurants.
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It's just what's expected.
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They take their time.
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They don't rush you through the meal.
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Everybody eats much more slowly.
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They savor it.
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It's an event, right?
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And obviously, this isn't totally
practical, but I think it's a good lesson
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for us to just sort of slow down and see
mealtime as a time to nourish ourselves
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and actually enjoy and connect with
our food, which we tend to not do here.
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I mean, we didn't see
anybody rushing around.
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Rushing through their
lunch to get back to work.
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Many businesses will actually close
for two to three hours at lunchtime.
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And, you know, obviously this is not
the way we do things here in the U S
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unfortunately, but I really think it's
an important lesson that when we slow
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down and truly experience our food,
it's more enjoyable and satisfying.
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And if we can enjoy meals with
friends or family, it's even better.
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When our meals are more enjoyable and
satisfying, we're a lot less likely
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to mindlessly overeat or to walk
away from a meal feeling unsatisfied.
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I mean, how many times have you
eaten lunch at your desk or rushed
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through a meal just to finish it
and realize like, Hey, I didn't even
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really taste or experience this.
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I've done this a million times and
inevitably those are the times when I want
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to keep eating or I want something sugary
afterwards because I don't feel satiated.
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So I encourage you to
make mealtime sacred.
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or at least more sacred.
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Move towards that.
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You may not be able to devote an hour
or more to lunch during your work week,
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but you can step away from your desk,
try to eat in a relaxing environment,
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eat more slowly and mindfully.
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And just trust me on this one.
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You're going to enjoy your food much
more and you'll be more relaxed and
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focused when you go back to work.
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So it really is worth the effort.
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Lunch breaks are also legally required.
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So regardless of your company culture,
you are entitled to that time.
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How much time that is depends on
the number of hours you're working
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each day, but I believe 30 minutes
is like the bare minimum for
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anyone working an eight hour day.
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So take advantage of that
because they can't legally punish
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you for taking a work break.
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And if you're working from home,
Absolutely take advantage of that.
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Step away from your computer,
sit at your table, don't have
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distractions, just really be present.
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Eat slowly, chew well, enjoy your food.
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Okay, so next point.
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Walking.
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Walking after meals.
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This is a really big one and it's
actually a pretty easy one to put into
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practice if you're willing to try it.
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So.
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We don't walk a ton in the United States.
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A lot of us live places that require cars.
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So we really have to kind of make
an effort, extra effort to do this.
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When we're on vacation, we often end
up walking to and from restaurants
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and places of interest, which we're
like, you know, less likely to do
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when we're home here in the U S.
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eSpecially if we do some live
somewhere less walkable and we
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need to take our car everywhere.
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I mean, I don't know about you, but
for me getting 10, 000 plus steps in is
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really easy when traveling because I'm
exploring new places on foot, which many
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of us do, or you might be going like
to museums, different things like that.
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, And Europeans themselves spend
a lot less time sitting in cars
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and at desks than Americans do.
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Their infrastructure is such that.
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Many of them walk to work or they're
taking public transport and have to
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walk to that transport to get there.
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So they just sit a lot less than we do.
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And walking after we eat or
after meals is especially helpful
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because it improves our digestion.
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It'll lower your blood glucose and it
increases insulin sensitivity, which we've
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talked about in other episodes, which.
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is huge when we're talking about, you
know, fat loss, , stress reduction,
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brain health, all of these things.
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It also reduces stress hormone production.
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Walking does.
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So all of these things can aid
in a healthier gut, healthier
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metabolism, and in helping you feel
just more relaxed and less stressed.
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Now, I realize that walking after every
meal in our daily lives just may not
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be practical, but just moving around
and using your muscles after you eat.
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Can be super beneficial if you can take
a walk even a short one after eating
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like just a few minutes go for it
But if you can't try walking a couple
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flights of stairs or doing bodyweight
squats or lunges next to your desk You
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only need to do it for a few minutes
to reap the benefits But by using your
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muscles after you eat It's gonna do
the same thing by lowering your blood
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glucose because the insulin is gonna
shuttle that glucose into your muscles
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because your muscles are moving and
it's going to help you feel more alert.
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It'll improve your digestion afterwards.
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So you're less likely to feel like that
food sitting in your stomach like a rock.
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It can help you be more
regular and less constipated.
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If that's something that
you struggle with, just.
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Try to move around or walk after you eat.
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Okay, moving on.
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So community and connection is
the next thing I want to touch on.
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In Europe and in many countries around
the world, families and friends come
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together over mealtime and people often
have a stronger sense of community.
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We Americans are much more individualistic
and our busy lives leave little
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room for connecting with others,
unless we really prioritize it.
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I feel like this is even worse
since the pandemic, because.
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So many of us are used to being holed
up in our homes, we're working from
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home, we're not going out as often,
you know, we have gotten a little
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funny about going and doing social
things or, worried about getting sick.
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I know so many people who are still
really concerned about COVID, and
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just don't want to expose themselves
by going to big parties or large
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gatherings, things like that.
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And...
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You don't necessarily have to
do that, but I think connecting
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with community is really crucial.
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And we all need to find a way
to do that that works for us.
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Finding your people is so important,
especially in this time when
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loneliness is at an all time high.
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And like I say, there's so many
ways to connect with the community.
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So I encourage you to seek out
a community around whatever it
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is that makes your heart sing.
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That might be sports.
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It could be something
like, gosh, even gaming.
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What else?
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00:17:11,686 --> 00:17:14,686
I know people that do like
knitting and crochet together.
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00:17:14,757 --> 00:17:18,017
You could do music classes,
dance classes, whatever it is.
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00:17:18,584 --> 00:17:21,184
When I was in nutrition school, they
talked a lot about what's called
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primary food and primary food.
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00:17:23,944 --> 00:17:27,993
refers to the aspects of life that feed
your soul, including relationships,
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00:17:28,023 --> 00:17:34,374
joy, spirituality, creativity, career
and education, finances, your home
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00:17:34,374 --> 00:17:38,654
environment, home cooking, health,
and of course, physical activity.
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And.
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When one or more of these is lacking
in your life, you're much more likely
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00:17:44,204 --> 00:17:48,774
to turn to food or other substances
in an attempt to fill the void.
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Your social life and community
are big sources of primary food.
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00:17:52,934 --> 00:17:56,534
So whatever it is that you enjoy,
I guarantee there are others out
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00:17:56,534 --> 00:17:57,974
there who love the same things.
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00:17:58,484 --> 00:18:00,044
So explore that.
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Try to connect with other people and get
some things on your calendar that you look
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00:18:03,794 --> 00:18:07,934
forward to that will allow you to really
connect and create community in your life.
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00:18:09,227 --> 00:18:14,747
Okay, let's talk about stress because
one of the biggest differences between
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Americans and Europeans is the stressful
pace of life that we live here.
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00:18:21,297 --> 00:18:26,287
We usually have a fraction of the
vacation time that most Europeans enjoy.
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00:18:26,982 --> 00:18:30,532
Most corporations or large companies
in the U S have cultures where working
335
00:18:30,532 --> 00:18:34,042
long hours and weekends is really
common and sometimes even expected.
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00:18:34,562 --> 00:18:38,352
I have so many clients who work for
companies like this, where, you know,
337
00:18:38,362 --> 00:18:41,912
the boss is a workaholic or their
managers are workaholic and everyone
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00:18:41,912 --> 00:18:43,802
beneath them is expected to be the same.
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00:18:44,232 --> 00:18:47,662
And those teams always end
up having a lot of turnover.
340
00:18:47,702 --> 00:18:49,922
They're burnt out there.
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00:18:50,387 --> 00:18:52,757
Bitter and angry and resentful.
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00:18:53,327 --> 00:18:54,717
They don't feel well.
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00:18:54,727 --> 00:18:55,867
They're super stressed.
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00:18:55,877 --> 00:18:58,337
Their sleep suffers, their
health suffers, everything.
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00:18:58,347 --> 00:19:00,547
It's just a really,
really bad vicious cycle.
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00:19:01,537 --> 00:19:04,467
And we have, what's
called,, golden handcuffs.
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00:19:04,467 --> 00:19:07,097
I'm sure you've heard that term
before where people feel like,
348
00:19:07,097 --> 00:19:09,317
well, I'm making a lot of money, so.
349
00:19:10,182 --> 00:19:14,342
I have to work all these long
hours and salaries here are
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00:19:14,372 --> 00:19:16,152
often higher than in Europe.
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00:19:16,612 --> 00:19:20,542
However, when you break it down
into an hourly wage, people are
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00:19:20,542 --> 00:19:24,092
not really making enough to justify
sacrificing their health and wellbeing.
353
00:19:24,202 --> 00:19:29,032
I mean, when you're working crazy
long hours on weekends, you break down
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00:19:29,032 --> 00:19:31,472
that big salary into your hourly wage.
355
00:19:31,602 --> 00:19:33,772
It's not always that much, right?
356
00:19:34,414 --> 00:19:39,144
So, it's just a completely different
philosophy of work life balance.
357
00:19:39,504 --> 00:19:43,604
Work life balance is highly valued in
most of Europe, and because people don't
358
00:19:43,614 --> 00:19:46,314
have to worry about paying outrageous
amounts of health, for health care
359
00:19:46,314 --> 00:19:48,884
and things like that, they aren't
so terribly stressed all the time.
360
00:19:49,504 --> 00:19:51,534
And unfortunately, that's
just not reality here.
361
00:19:52,064 --> 00:19:53,834
It's not an easy thing to change.
362
00:19:54,254 --> 00:19:59,374
But I want to encourage to those of you
listening, especially you women, to really
363
00:19:59,374 --> 00:20:03,604
draw strong boundaries around your work
hours and weekends, plan your vacation
364
00:20:03,604 --> 00:20:05,984
time, take days off whenever possible.
365
00:20:06,314 --> 00:20:09,274
And if you're in a job that you hate,
that's sucking the life and soul out
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00:20:09,274 --> 00:20:13,604
of you, Start looking for something
that won't because I guarantee
367
00:20:13,604 --> 00:20:16,824
there is no job that is going to pay
you enough to make up for feeling
368
00:20:16,854 --> 00:20:18,314
exhausted and shitty all the time.
369
00:20:18,754 --> 00:20:21,864
And no company is going to come
to you on your deathbed and thank
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00:20:21,864 --> 00:20:23,244
you for all that you did for them.
371
00:20:23,564 --> 00:20:24,944
That's just not how it works.
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00:20:24,954 --> 00:20:26,124
It's not worthwhile.
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00:20:26,474 --> 00:20:32,795
So, prioritize that work life balance
and Any way you possibly can because
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00:20:32,855 --> 00:20:37,475
we don't necessarily have the luxury
of not paying for healthcare and
375
00:20:37,475 --> 00:20:39,155
things like that, like Europeans do.
376
00:20:39,185 --> 00:20:42,455
So we have to make more of an
effort to reduce our stress.
377
00:20:43,025 --> 00:20:46,805
and that said, I wanna give you a
few ways that you can reduce the
378
00:20:46,810 --> 00:20:50,137
stress in your life, or at least
become like less stress reactive.
379
00:20:50,137 --> 00:20:51,697
So what do I mean by that?
380
00:20:52,597 --> 00:20:56,257
I mean that while your
stressors may not change.
381
00:20:56,727 --> 00:20:59,707
How you react to them does like
they may not affect you as much
382
00:20:59,717 --> 00:21:00,997
if you're less stress reactive.
383
00:21:01,007 --> 00:21:05,467
So here are just six quick ways
that I think you can do that.
384
00:21:06,187 --> 00:21:07,867
Number one, walk more.
385
00:21:07,927 --> 00:21:11,317
We talked on this or touched on this
earlier, but walking reduces stress
386
00:21:11,317 --> 00:21:14,817
hormone production and it can be a great
way to get some fresh air or a break
387
00:21:14,817 --> 00:21:16,207
from your desk during your work day.
388
00:21:16,487 --> 00:21:18,297
Yoga is also great for reducing stress.
389
00:21:19,297 --> 00:21:22,107
Number two, eat nutrient
dense, whole foods.
390
00:21:22,497 --> 00:21:27,727
We've talked about this a million times
on this show., but also Minimize or avoid
391
00:21:27,737 --> 00:21:31,357
your alcohol, sugar, and caffeine intake.
392
00:21:31,737 --> 00:21:34,887
All of these can increase inflammation
and increase stress hormone
393
00:21:34,887 --> 00:21:37,987
production, while compromising
your sleep and immune function.
394
00:21:38,007 --> 00:21:39,617
So, it's kind of a vicious cycle.
395
00:21:39,907 --> 00:21:42,877
I've mentioned before that you
can kind of think of alcohol
396
00:21:42,907 --> 00:21:44,687
and caffeine as liquid stress.
397
00:21:45,457 --> 00:21:47,797
You know, caffeine is
stimulating stress hormones.
398
00:21:47,797 --> 00:21:50,357
That's how it wakes you up, by
stimulating cortisol and adrenaline.
399
00:21:51,237 --> 00:21:52,437
Alcohol is deceptive.
400
00:21:52,497 --> 00:21:53,477
It's a depressant.
401
00:21:53,487 --> 00:21:57,827
So it's going to initially make you
feel more calm or relaxed, but it
402
00:21:57,827 --> 00:22:01,127
increases cortisol production, which
is why, you know, if you drink a lot,
403
00:22:01,127 --> 00:22:03,977
you often have disrupted sleep or you
might wake in the middle of the night
404
00:22:04,737 --> 00:22:06,227
and not get as good quality of rest.
405
00:22:06,237 --> 00:22:09,867
So, and then sugar is just super
inflammatory and it can mess with your
406
00:22:09,867 --> 00:22:13,937
blood sugar, which can also mess with
your sleep, immune function, et cetera.
407
00:22:14,567 --> 00:22:17,667
Number three, this is a big
one in this time of the world.
408
00:22:18,277 --> 00:22:22,507
Don't watch or listen to
the news all the time.
409
00:22:23,787 --> 00:22:27,287
I know this is a tough one for some
people and yes, it's important to have a
410
00:22:27,287 --> 00:22:28,787
clue about what's going on in the world.
411
00:22:29,327 --> 00:22:33,307
However, a steady intake of news is
only going to make you more fearful,
412
00:22:33,567 --> 00:22:35,097
more hopeless, more depressed.
413
00:22:35,107 --> 00:22:37,277
So really try to keep this to a minimum.
414
00:22:37,417 --> 00:22:39,597
Okay, number four.
415
00:22:39,892 --> 00:22:43,172
Incorporate a meditation
and or prayer time into your
416
00:22:43,172 --> 00:22:44,662
day doesn't have to be long.
417
00:22:44,752 --> 00:22:47,682
Just a few minutes here and there
can make a really big difference, but
418
00:22:49,147 --> 00:22:52,977
Studies have shown that meditation
and prayer take your brain into a
419
00:22:52,977 --> 00:22:57,557
state of relaxation that's deeper than
anything else that we do as humans.
420
00:22:57,607 --> 00:23:01,767
So I don't care if it's 30 seconds,
30 minutes, whatever you can
421
00:23:01,767 --> 00:23:05,887
fit in, just try to incorporate
that into your life every day.
422
00:23:06,377 --> 00:23:12,027
It also just helps me so much to
turn over my cares and worries
423
00:23:12,027 --> 00:23:13,837
and fears to my higher power.
424
00:23:14,427 --> 00:23:14,977
And.
425
00:23:15,597 --> 00:23:19,137
To actually like visualize
myself handing those things over.
426
00:23:19,607 --> 00:23:20,757
That is super helpful for me.
427
00:23:20,757 --> 00:23:25,397
So that is part of my, prayer,
meditation, visualization practice
428
00:23:25,407 --> 00:23:26,517
that I find really helpful.
429
00:23:26,547 --> 00:23:29,087
So whatever works for you,
definitely incorporate that
430
00:23:29,617 --> 00:23:30,907
can be a big stress reducer.
431
00:23:32,167 --> 00:23:32,877
Number five.
432
00:23:33,327 --> 00:23:34,627
Prioritize sleep.
433
00:23:35,887 --> 00:23:37,007
This is probably the biggest one.
434
00:23:37,007 --> 00:23:40,847
This should probably be number one
because it affects everything downstream.
435
00:23:41,417 --> 00:23:43,917
If you're not rested, everything
else is going to be worse.
436
00:23:43,927 --> 00:23:44,837
It's going to be harder.
437
00:23:44,877 --> 00:23:46,707
So do not compromise your sleep.
438
00:23:46,717 --> 00:23:50,757
I know it's super tempting to stay up
late or get up early to get extra work
439
00:23:50,757 --> 00:23:53,827
done, but the reality is that you'll
be much more focused and productive
440
00:23:53,827 --> 00:23:55,207
if you've had a good night's sleep.
441
00:23:55,527 --> 00:23:59,217
You'll also have less cravings
for sugar and junky foods.
442
00:24:00,182 --> 00:24:01,372
You're going to have more energy.
443
00:24:01,382 --> 00:24:06,292
You'll be more likely to have energy to
work out more, get that walk in, whatever
444
00:24:06,292 --> 00:24:09,322
it might be, connect with, with community.
445
00:24:09,362 --> 00:24:09,732
Right?
446
00:24:09,962 --> 00:24:12,282
So sleep is a huge needle mover.
447
00:24:12,592 --> 00:24:13,982
So start by prioritizing that.
448
00:24:14,412 --> 00:24:18,472
The last number six, the last one I want
to mention to you guys is something that
449
00:24:18,512 --> 00:24:25,032
can also reduce stress is not trying to
achieve an unrealistic body size or shape.
450
00:24:25,357 --> 00:24:26,757
Or try to stay young forever.
451
00:24:27,657 --> 00:24:30,587
This is something that European
women are brilliant at.
452
00:24:30,617 --> 00:24:35,147
They know how to emphasize their assets
and embrace their flaws instead of trying
453
00:24:35,147 --> 00:24:36,817
to become something that they are not.
454
00:24:37,517 --> 00:24:40,327
I think we're making some strides
here in our culture when it comes to
455
00:24:40,327 --> 00:24:44,277
celebrating different body shapes and
sizes and unconventional beauty, but we
456
00:24:44,277 --> 00:24:47,727
still have a really long way to go and.
457
00:24:48,772 --> 00:24:53,432
On an individual basis, I don't
think I know any women who
458
00:24:53,432 --> 00:24:54,772
don't need to work on this.
459
00:24:55,012 --> 00:25:02,848
So I encourage you to take small steps,
to just accept and celebrate who you
460
00:25:02,848 --> 00:25:09,502
are and what you've got and emphasize
those assets versus trying to, fit
461
00:25:09,542 --> 00:25:12,432
a square peg into a round hole by.
462
00:25:12,847 --> 00:25:17,407
Just constantly trying to be smaller, a
different weight, all of these things.
463
00:25:17,457 --> 00:25:23,547
I think that our weight can often, if not
usually, correct itself or we can find our
464
00:25:23,547 --> 00:25:26,727
natural healthy weight when we do embrace.
465
00:25:27,022 --> 00:25:30,942
Who we are, what we've got to work
with and just start really taking care
466
00:25:30,942 --> 00:25:32,822
of ourselves and honoring our bodies.
467
00:25:33,212 --> 00:25:36,862
So start there versus trying to lose
weight and then thinking that you're
468
00:25:36,862 --> 00:25:38,752
going to love your body once you do that.
469
00:25:38,792 --> 00:25:40,292
That's not how it works.
470
00:25:41,282 --> 00:25:44,312
So anyway, those are the top six ways for.
471
00:25:44,762 --> 00:25:45,832
Reducing your stress.
472
00:25:45,862 --> 00:25:49,232
I mean, there's more than that, obviously,
but those are the ones that came to mind.
473
00:25:49,262 --> 00:25:50,512
I think can be really helpful.
474
00:25:52,152 --> 00:25:53,962
And of course, Europe is not perfect.
475
00:25:53,962 --> 00:25:56,062
It definitely has its
share of problems as well.
476
00:25:56,342 --> 00:25:59,882
Obesity and diabetes are increasing
there because of processed foods.
477
00:25:59,932 --> 00:26:02,792
But for the most part, Europeans
don't struggle with their weight
478
00:26:02,802 --> 00:26:05,822
and their relationship with food
and body as much as we Americans do.
479
00:26:06,832 --> 00:26:10,022
So here's a quick recap of what
we covered today and a few reasons
480
00:26:10,032 --> 00:26:12,662
why these things matter that I
may not have mentioned earlier.
481
00:26:13,102 --> 00:26:17,462
So number one, try to eat as much
organic local seasonal food as
482
00:26:17,462 --> 00:26:19,382
possible, just whenever you can.
483
00:26:19,712 --> 00:26:20,452
Do your best here.
484
00:26:20,452 --> 00:26:21,692
It's not going to be perfect.
485
00:26:22,532 --> 00:26:24,852
Second, make mealtimes sacred.
486
00:26:25,142 --> 00:26:28,932
Europeans enjoy more leisurely meals and
they usually eat slower and savor the
487
00:26:28,932 --> 00:26:33,402
experience of the food and that makes
us feel more satisfied after meals.
488
00:26:33,412 --> 00:26:36,082
So, this is an easy one
to try and incorporate.
489
00:26:36,122 --> 00:26:39,782
Just try slowing down and really
being present and experiencing
490
00:26:40,542 --> 00:26:42,052
your meals with all of your senses.
491
00:26:42,862 --> 00:26:43,662
And see how you feel.
492
00:26:43,712 --> 00:26:45,052
I bet you're going to feel more satiated.
493
00:26:45,462 --> 00:26:48,622
Next is walking a lot,
especially after eating.
494
00:26:49,042 --> 00:26:52,662
The reason that this is so helpful is
not only does it decrease your blood
495
00:26:52,682 --> 00:26:56,742
glucose or your blood sugar after eating,
but it gives the food somewhere to go.
496
00:26:56,772 --> 00:26:57,952
So what do I mean by that?
497
00:26:58,232 --> 00:27:01,962
Basically, instead of your body storing
food, it's going to use those calories
498
00:27:01,962 --> 00:27:06,422
that you ingest for creating energy or
rebuilding muscle tissue, et cetera.
499
00:27:06,772 --> 00:27:10,482
So it's putting it to use versus you
just eating and then sitting around.
500
00:27:10,607 --> 00:27:12,787
And it being more likely
to be stored as fat.
501
00:27:12,837 --> 00:27:18,447
So that's why another reason why it's
so helpful to walk more after mealtime.
502
00:27:19,297 --> 00:27:20,827
And it's also going to
boost your digestion.
503
00:27:20,827 --> 00:27:24,187
As I mentioned previously, next
is community and connection.
504
00:27:24,187 --> 00:27:25,417
And this is a really big one.
505
00:27:25,777 --> 00:27:29,377
Try to spend meals with family
or friends whenever possible.
506
00:27:29,907 --> 00:27:32,887
This is something that's really
common in Europe and people have a
507
00:27:32,887 --> 00:27:34,417
stronger sense of community there.
508
00:27:34,707 --> 00:27:37,667
So seek out your people, create
community for yourself, or
509
00:27:37,667 --> 00:27:39,227
get plugged into a community.
510
00:27:39,817 --> 00:27:43,527
And it doesn't have to necessarily be
around food or around meals, but just
511
00:27:43,887 --> 00:27:47,587
being part of a community and having
that support system is really important.
512
00:27:48,337 --> 00:27:51,317
It's important because remember, this
is one of those pieces of what we
513
00:27:51,317 --> 00:27:54,997
call primary food that contributes
to your overall fulfillment in life.
514
00:27:55,632 --> 00:27:59,482
And when we aren't fulfilled in those
primary food areas, we're going to try and
515
00:27:59,482 --> 00:28:02,702
fill that void often with what's easiest.
516
00:28:02,712 --> 00:28:06,762
Those are substances, be it, food,
sugar, alcohol, drugs, whatever it
517
00:28:06,762 --> 00:28:10,422
is that people are using or that
works for you right in the moment.
518
00:28:11,422 --> 00:28:15,312
And then finally, lower your stress
levels in every way possible.
519
00:28:16,027 --> 00:28:19,877
People always wonder why Europeans
can seemingly get away with drinking
520
00:28:19,877 --> 00:28:23,487
and smoking and eating pastries and
they're still not as unhealthy as
521
00:28:23,487 --> 00:28:27,267
Americans or they don't seem to gain
weight by doing those things and A big
522
00:28:27,277 --> 00:28:31,267
part of this is that they just have
a less stressful lifestyle, you know,
523
00:28:31,307 --> 00:28:34,757
the more stressed you are the more
efficiently your body will store fat.
524
00:28:35,187 --> 00:28:38,907
And it's important to understand that
your cells don't differentiate between
525
00:28:38,907 --> 00:28:43,607
potential famine running from a predator
and the low grade chronic stress from
526
00:28:43,607 --> 00:28:46,877
work or family or whatever modern
day stressors you're dealing with.
527
00:28:47,537 --> 00:28:50,647
So on a physiological level,
your body responds in the
528
00:28:50,647 --> 00:28:53,267
same way and to your cells.
529
00:28:53,462 --> 00:28:55,702
Stress equals a threat to your survival.
530
00:28:55,922 --> 00:28:59,772
So your body is going to do whatever
it can to keep you alive and one
531
00:28:59,772 --> 00:29:02,792
piece of that is storing fuel more
efficiently in the form of fat.
532
00:29:03,112 --> 00:29:06,192
It's also going to down regulate
other functions like your digestion
533
00:29:06,212 --> 00:29:07,512
and sex hormone production.
534
00:29:08,162 --> 00:29:12,922
So if your body is dealing with less
overall stress, A, you're going to
535
00:29:12,922 --> 00:29:14,692
be more likely to burn fat, okay?
536
00:29:15,192 --> 00:29:16,262
Less likely to store it.
537
00:29:17,032 --> 00:29:20,292
But also, you're going to be able
to tolerate more things or more
538
00:29:20,322 --> 00:29:22,102
insults, so to speak, to your body.
539
00:29:22,112 --> 00:29:25,332
So if your body isn't super stressed
out and your mind's not super
540
00:29:25,332 --> 00:29:29,762
stressed out, you are going to be
more likely to tolerate things better.
541
00:29:29,822 --> 00:29:35,912
So your body may be able to handle or
detoxify more quickly from alcohol,
542
00:29:35,962 --> 00:29:40,012
sugar, tobacco, et cetera, because
your body's just better able and
543
00:29:40,012 --> 00:29:43,302
equipped to deal with those things
because it's not already overloaded.
544
00:29:44,012 --> 00:29:46,842
That's the major difference, I think,
with Europeans, in that they can get
545
00:29:46,842 --> 00:29:50,112
away with things that we can't get
away with here, or at least seemingly
546
00:29:50,112 --> 00:29:51,982
suffer fewer health consequences.
547
00:29:52,427 --> 00:29:55,727
And the main message I want to convey
to you is that while we can't change
548
00:29:55,727 --> 00:29:59,717
everything about American culture, we
can definitely take steps to prioritize
549
00:29:59,717 --> 00:30:04,852
our well being and our enjoyment of life
as with any kind of lifestyle change.
550
00:30:05,122 --> 00:30:09,665
It's most effective to start with
small, shifts and then build on them
551
00:30:09,665 --> 00:30:11,135
as they become part of your routine.
552
00:30:11,135 --> 00:30:14,925
So start with what feels easiest
to you and then work your way up.
553
00:30:15,432 --> 00:30:19,382
Europeans place a huge value
on enjoying life and they work
554
00:30:19,382 --> 00:30:22,862
to live, whereas Americans tend
to live to work, so to speak.
555
00:30:23,192 --> 00:30:26,252
But all these aspects of the European
lifestyle that I covered today can
556
00:30:26,252 --> 00:30:30,032
be helpful for you when it comes
to creating a healthier body,
557
00:30:30,032 --> 00:30:32,412
mind, and relationship with food.
558
00:30:32,462 --> 00:30:35,502
So yeah, give these a try.
559
00:30:35,722 --> 00:30:38,952
I hope you'll try incorporating at least
one or more of these principles into
560
00:30:38,952 --> 00:30:41,382
your daily life and see what changes.
561
00:30:41,412 --> 00:30:45,332
And I'm going to bet that you find food
more satiating, you have better digestion,
562
00:30:45,692 --> 00:30:47,362
and you feel more connected to others.
563
00:30:47,833 --> 00:30:49,753
So that's the show for today.
564
00:30:49,783 --> 00:30:51,613
I'd love to hear what you
thought of this episode.
565
00:30:51,623 --> 00:30:55,743
So come join me over on Instagram and
let me know, take good care of you.
566
00:30:55,783 --> 00:30:57,533
And I'll see you again next week.
