The Healthier Lifestyle in Spain, by Lily O'Donnell

In the past three months of studying abroad in Seville, one of the main things that I have noticed is how much healthier of a lifestyle people living in Spain have compared to the United States. There are many different contributing factors to this. One is the slower mealtimes, which lessens people from going to drive-thrus or eating fast food. Instead, people slowly eat and spend time with family and friends, which is also so healthy! In addition to this, the food that is more common in Spain is the Mediterranean diet. This diet is characterized by olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and seafood. All of which are very healthy, nutrient dense foods.

Other than meals, Spain also has a healthy culture because of how much walking people do. In the United States, people rarely walk places, but rather choose to drive. A 10 minute walk in the States is enough for someone to take their car out of the garage and drive instead. However, in Spain, people walk everywhere! They walk to the doctor, to the grocery store, to visit their friends, and to all types of places. Walking is so healthy for your body, and it helps you to work in an active lifestyle, which is very different from many places in the United States.
Overall, there are many reasons that I have noticed Spaniards are healthier than people from the United States, but meals and walking are two of the main areas that I notice it most. In cultural psychology class, we have discussed how when you are living in another culture can teach you more about your own home culture. By living in Spain, I have learned a lot about the unhealthy lifestyle that many Americans have. I hope that I can change this when I get home. I am excited to bring home some of my favorite meals, and plan to walk more in my daily life, and rely less on a car.
 
News Source: https://thespanishradish.com/spanish-radish-blog/why-is-the-spanish-lifestyle-so-healthy-top-10-reasons/#:~:text=Central%20to%20the%20Spanish%20way,health%20to%20mental%20well%2Dbeing.