Country: Spain
Try: Siestas
Spaniards have long known a nap after lunch was good for them, but Spanish scientists proved it in 2012. The Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians found a short sleep of no more than half an hour after lunch could reduce stress, help cardiovascular functions, and improve alertness and memory.
You can’t nod off in a bed though, as this will encourage a deeper sleep, and if you snooze for too long then you won’t sleep at night. Also, you’ll only see the benefit if you have a siesta every day.
Country: Finland
Try: Saunas
Most homes in Finland come with their own in-built sauna, and the Finns already know they’re sweating away toxins every time they step inside. A recently published study of men in Finland, however, found that those using the sauna every day were also less likely to die of heart problems than those who went just once a week.
Scientists followed more than 2,000 men for 20 years and discovered that the more often the men went to the sauna, and the longer they stayed, the lower their risk for sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease and fatal cardiovascular disease.
Country: Japan
Try: Shoku-iku
Meaning 'food education', the idea of eating consciously was pioneered alongside macrobiotics in the late 1800s by military doctor Sagen Ishizuka, who believed the secret to health and healing was to strengthen the body from the inside.
In 2005, the Basic Law of Shoku-iku was passed in Japan, making nutrition education compulsory. British-based chef Makiko Sano’s recipe book Shoku-iku! explains how the Japanese make dishes to share at dinner from five food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein) which appeal to your five senses.
Country: France
Try: Slowing down
As Mireille Guiliano, the former President and CEO of champagne company Clicquot, attests in her book, French Women Don’t Get Fat.
Why? Well they don’t do crash diets for a start. Instead, they adopt a new lifestyle over a longer period. “If you believe you can shed pounds quickly by force of will and deprivation, you will in all likelihood not only regain the ones you have lost but add a few more besides,” she says. “A proper recasting, resetting your body's dials, is a three-month affair. The key is to make it a pleasant three months.”
Country: Russia
Try: Rhodiola Rosea
The Russians have a go-to herb they rely on to treat everything from altitude sickness to depression and infections. R. Rosea, aka golden root or arctic root, is a perennial flowering plant that grows high up in the Arctic and is known to be an ‘adaptogen’, which helps the body adapt to stress – and is thought to boost mood and reduce fatigue.
It’s available in supplement form from health food shops.
Country: Sweden
Try: Fika
In Sweden, fika means ‘to have coffee’ with friends – and it’s a tradition that’s been around since the 1700s. Companies build in special coffee breaks, where employees head to cafés at around 10am and 3pm to have coffee or tea with a pastry and discuss work.
The health benefits of regular screen breaks on your eyes and back are well known, but spending time chatting with friends also promotes wellbeing, with a recent study finding that those who stopped to socialise during the day were 10 to 15% more productive than those who didn’t.
Country: Holland
Try: Cycling
OK, so it’s not like the Dutch own cycling, but they certainly do it the most – with each person in Holland pedalling an average of 1.5 miles a day. A study in 2010 of Dutch drivers found they’d live as much as 14 months longer if they switched to cycling for short trips rather than relying on the car.
The exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers - if you do it at least three times a week for 30 minutes. On your bike!
http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/health-tips-from-around-the-world-11363974089097
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