When I first moved to Spain, straight out of the ELLE HQ in Carnaby Street, London I was blown away by the contrast in lifestyle habits, sure I'd heard the rumours about the Mediterranean diet, doting mothers, siestas and blue zones but I honestly never thought it would be so... well, so true and so healthy.
I was accustomed to commuting on a busy tube for over an hour each day (loved it btw!) which was a complete contrast to Spain where people considered working more than 10 minutes away from the comfort of their own home an inconvenient lifestyle disaster; I was accustomed to eating little and on the go in-between cracking deadline after deadline and people here were taking three hours for a massive lunch followed by a nap and family time and while my weekends already consisted of plenty of yoga, nice food and friends here it was meal after meal, saving money by eating with your family (most people I know here receive food parcels from their Mamas way into their 40´s!) and totally rejuvenating yourself for your next working week. It took me quite a while to settle in, my nervous system still craved the hustle and bustle but now as I look back I can see that moving to Spain has probably added many years to my life, colour to my eyes, at little peace to my heart and beauty to my life. Here are my top five healthy Spanish lifestyle tips you might like to have a little play with...
1. Loving Mealtimes.
Spanish people love to eat, their entire life is planned around food but not in the fast food, obesity driven kind of way but rather the fresh fish, vegetables, lentils and high-quality meat kind of way. I remember my first Spanish family meal, everyone gathered around the table, drinking mini tumblers of Spanish white wine called Rueda from Valladolid, (if you want to style your next meal in the spirit of Spain try swapping your large wine glasses for some understated tumblers, I love these ones and buying a bottle of Rueda from ASDA here,) while dipping fresh bread into plates of anchovies from Bermeo, hand-picked red peppers picked, roasted in wood and jarred in Calahorra along with various seafood style canapes. Up next was an organic, free-range chicken born and raised on the family farm, there were no accompanying roast potatoes or veggies, everything is kept simple and excellent produce speaks for itself, the chicken is served alone covered in its own sauce.
This long lunch, rolling into its third hour was followed by coffee and mini cakes from the local patisserie and a long standing tradition called ´After Desk´ which includes sitting around enjoying a Gin & Tonic or liqueur and taking time, lots of time. Mealtimes are the highlight of their days and right there, hidden behind all that food and chatter is what I believe to be one of the biggest health tips from Spain, the appreciation of local ingredients, slow cooking, slow eating, conversation, community, family and taking the time to enjoy what is there.
2. Naps.
I didn't need to move to Spain to love a nap but since I arrived a daily 30 min rest in the afternoon has become one of my non-negotiables. The Spanish have relied on the trusty nap throughout time as a way to split their long days into two productive sessions, a siesta means they can have a productive morning; skip the intense midday heat and productively work later in the evening.
This moment of peace keeps my mind in a state of balance and harmony, I don't necessarily fall asleep but I allow my mind and body to relax and let go of the stresses of the morning routines and rejuvenate, I use a specific relaxation technique that is called Yoga Nidra, some studies have claimed that 20 minutes of profound relaxation can have the same effect as 4 hours sleep, you can try it for free here. And while it may be easier for people to nap in Spain with their long lunch breaks and close to home offices, everyone deserves a weekend nap as an additional snippet of self-care to look forward to.
3. Less travel, more rest.
Like I mentioned previously I was blown away by the fact people in Spain place so much importance on being able to walk to work and it's not just walking to work, it's being able to walk to your gym, your yoga studio, your hairdressers, your beauticians, your fruit shop, your fish shop – practically everything. Again, this was something I totally resisted; I loved travelling far and wide around London hopping from the Flower Market on Columbia Road to the vintage stalls at Brick Lane to the food markets in Borough Street and my yoga jaunt in Primmy Hill, I loved the diversity, the energy, the excitement... but how much energy was I using to do this? I was basically giving away all my physical/mental energy along with the energy of my time and money so that when it came to aspects of creativity, ambition and personal growth I was somewhat lacking. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Do I feel healthier, stronger and more vibrant now that my lifestyle is more restful? Absolutely. I guess it all comes back to that wonderful concept of balance.
Moving to Spain was never something I consciously planned, it came and stole me in the night on the wave of a romance but maybe, just maybe it was the answer to a higher calling for rest and health which I now have the joy and privilege of sharing on Bilbao Yoga Retreats. These two-day well-being retreats I host from my very beautiful Basque home are aimed at stressed -out city folk who are in need of a quick fix of health and healing. I also offer daily yoga classes and Teacher Training Taster events.
If you'd like to answer the call for wholeness I would love to see you someday soon. Kat x
Rustic charm.
Arroz Jugoso, that´s juicy paella to me and you!
Red Tuna is abundant in Cadiz and Tarifa.
Mealtimes are a celebration.
Everyone loves a nap, especially Jacob!
Walking distance please!
No need to buy a hairbrush this summer .
