All the things we can learn from Parisiennes about our health
The book: ‘How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are‘ has adorned my coffee table for years. It is a French girl how-to guide with 80 black-and-white and color photos, many of which were taken by the authors themselves, explaining topics such as clothing, makeup, men, culture, and lifestyle in a way that only a true Parisienne can. If you ever find yourself unsure of how to handle a certain situation, you just need to flip through the pages of this modern bible and your life will be back on track (with appropriate chaos) in no time. So we can learn a lot from them, those Parisiennes. Even when it comes to your health. The French have that quite well figured out. Quite strange for a country that is mainly known for wine, bread, and cheese. This paradox has been thoroughly researched, and the conclusion is that the French do the following things differently to stay healthy and in shape.
1. Eat unprocessed food
The French diet includes a lot of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. They avoid processed snacks and eat full-fat dairy products. The focus is on high-quality, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat without added hormones, and they have never heard of ‘semi-skimmed’ or ‘light’.
2. Less intense exercise
Look, I always knew I was a born French woman. Less exercise is always a good idea in my book. The French prefer outdoor activities over strict training schedules. They would rather walk to work than go to the gym and engage in sports as a social activity. If you are training hard, you can't talk, so there's no need to call the French for that.
3. Drink more red wine
Okay, in moderation, of course. But moderate consumption of red wine, which is rich in resveratrol, is good for the heart. These benefits apply with an intake of one to two glasses per day. Alternative for non-drinkers: resveratrol can also be found in grapes, peanuts, blueberries, cranberries, and dark chocolate; not a bad deal either.
4. Enjoy mindfully
In France, there is no such thing as good or bad food, but there is such a thing as reasonable portions. French women do not count calories (heaven) but eat mindfully. They know their bodies and allow themselves to indulge in something truly delicious from time to time. They eat mindfully, which means they listen to hunger signals, eat until they are full, and then actually stop.
5. Meals as an event
For the French, meals, like exercise, are a social event. They take the time to enjoy their food and avoid fast food (I’ll just pretend I didn’t read that). The wine culture promotes longer meals and allows food more time to digest. By slowing down meals and seeing them as a time to create lovely memories with loved ones, the French experience less stress in their lives and therefore also fewer health problems.
