Women in other countries are healthier, and now, we know their secrets! Photo: Cavan Images, Flickr

We get a bad rap here in America, and with some of our unhealthy habits, it's at least somewhat well-deserved. Our portions are big, we drive everywhere and most of us do lots of things that don't help our waistlines (or our overall health).

Women's Health magazine took a look at some of the healthy things women in other countries do and came up with great, easy ways for us to incorporate some of those habits into our lives. No, we're probably not all going to suddenly become faux-Norwegians, eating vegetable soup with a bit of fresh fish for the majority of our meals or walking for our main mode of transportation. (There's a reason Norway is approximately 20 years behind the States on the obesity curve.)

But, taking a few tips from foreign lands could make a big difference.

Considered one of Hollywood's scary skinny elite, Victoria Beckham doesn't seem to have any trouble keeping the pounds off. Is it because she avoids carbs? The fashionista did admit that she doesn't eat Italy's national dish -- which is unfortunate seeing as she's moving to Milan this year.

Nope, that's not it at all -- she physically can't eat it, according to FemaleFirst.co.uk. "It's not that I avoid carbs, I'm allergic to pasta. It's like my kryptonite. I feel like I can't digest it properly and it makes me feel ill," she says.

Pasta is my kryptonite too. I have this unfortunate condition in which I eat tons of it because I love it, and then my hips get wider and I can't fit into my jeans. Oh, wait. That's not really an allergy I guess.

What's your kryptonite?

Source

Love the rich, flavourful, fresh cuisine of Greece and Italy? Eat up! Not only is the Mediterranean diet effective and recommended by medical professionals, but a recent study shows that it protects against all major chronic diseases, according to this article from the Daily Mail.

That's a pretty bold claim, but it seems to be legit. Researchers in the UK analyzed data from 12 different studies worldwide that took place over time periods of up to 18 years and found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet closely had a significantly longer lifespan and a lower risk of diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is high in nuts, fish, whole grains, healthy fats, fresh fruits and veggies and even red wine in moderation. To find out how you can incorporate it into your diet, click here.

Source

There was always that ONE dog that lived in your neighborhood when you were a kid. You know, the dog that was more K-19 than K-9, a veritable killing machine designed to destroy the lives of elementary school kids who dared step foot near their owner's property. Or, at least it seemed that way. One thing was for sure, though, that dog was aggressive, and steering clear of him sometimes meant the difference between a leisurely walk home from school and a mad dash for survival. But what is it that made that dog aggressive while so many other dogs are very friendly? According to researchers in Italy, it may be related to something that also makes some humans more aggressive.

Scientists posit that a deficiency in EPA and DHA, both of which are components of omega-3 fatty acids, may cause certain dogs and certain humans to act somewhat aggressively. Research from a number of studies, including those published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggests that EPA and DHA play an important role in behavior and impulse control in humans, something that the recent Italian study found may also be the case for dogs.

While external factors certainly play a role in shaping a person's behavior (as well as a dog's), this research provides an interesting theory for the nature side of the perennial nature vs. nurture argument.

Source

Although the United States clearly takes the cake (and devours every last piece of it) as the fattest country in the world, there are many European nations who also seem to be indulging a bit too much these days.

Tipping the scales with an average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 is -- well, that's us here in the good ol' U.S. of A. Not far behind, however, are the following nations:

~ Italy: 24.3 (The pasta diet - "I never walk pasta good meal!")

~ France: 24.5 (These 'Francy' eaters are chowing on their namesake fries and toast a bit too often)

~ Poland: 24.8 (Sausages Warsaw being eaten by the dozen)

~ Netherlands: 24.9 ("Hollandaise Me")

~ Belgium: 25.1 (Also known as 'Bulgium')

~ United Kingdom: 25.4 (United under what king? The Burger King?)

~ Hungary: 25.6 (Not anymore)

~ Finland: 25.8 ("F" inland, it's time to start jogging to the outer land, too)

~ Greece: 25.9 (Enough said)

BMI plays a crucial role in our cardiovascular health and risk for metabolic syndrome. Clearly, the growing waistline problem is not limited to the borders of the United States, making this a global problem.

Source

The Mediterranean diet has been shown to promote longer, healthier lives. One of the key components of this diet is virgin olive oil, which by itself has been linked to a host of cardiovascular benefits.

That is, of course, if your olive oil truly is a virgin.

Sure, there's plenty of room for a lame Popeye joke to be told here, but I think the facts in this matter are far more interesting. According to the Italian Agricultural Ministry, 205 of the 757 olive oil producers in their country sold or were caught trying to sell fake virgin olive oil.

To pull of this dastardly deed, the producers tried to pass off colored canola oil as olive oil. And they would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that pesky ... oh wait, wrong cartoon.

Source

Back in September That's Fit first mentioned the controversial Italian advertising campaign featuring a 68 pound anorexic model, and now it's making headlines again: almost all (there's only 1 left in Rome) of the images have been pulled due to claims that they don't follow Italian advertising code of conduct standards. The photographer, Oliviero Toscani, is calling the move "censorship" and says he's considering legal action for moral and economic damages.

I personally don't think the ads should have been pulled, but regardless they've already made an enormous impact.

Source

It's probably no surprise that a pizza designed to make whoever eats it more beautiful would come from Italy. However, while the anti-aging pie is a big hit with some, many Italians aren't so sure about it.

The pizza was invented by Eugenio Luigi Iorio, a nutritionist, biochemist, and owner of the La Fabbica dei Sapori (The Taste Factor) restaurant. He makes his specialty pies with three times the amount of fiber found in more traditional pizzas, and uses wholemeal flour, which supposedly means they also contain more magnesium and iron. In addition, the vegetables and the sauce contain tomatoes, rocket, garlic, courgettes, basil, mushrooms, carrots and spinach -- all of which are said to have an anti-oxidizing effect, and thus prevent aging. But even though some very prominent Italian citizens (like Pope Benedict XVI, for instance), love the anti-aging pizza, others, like the True Neapolitan Pizza Association (a group that strives to protect the traditional Italian pizza), don't like it -- claiming that the wholemeal flour doesn't allow the crust to form properly.

Um. Who cares? A pizza that tastes good and helps people look younger is genius -- no matter what the crust looks like!

Source

Italian food can go either way where your fitness level is concerned. It can be mega nutritious and low in calories, or it can be a belly busting nightmare loaded with calories and fat. Choosing which way you'd like your meal to go isn't a brainteaser, it just requires for you to make the choice and stick with it.

Meat: Choose a lean cut and grill it. Avoid fried versions of chicken Parmesan. .

Vegetables: Italy is renowned for it's incredibly fresh and delicious vegetables, which they like to use quite liberally. You should do the same. Primavera is a term you should become familiar with and use it often when going Italian.

Sauce: The sauce is where lots of folks screw up royally. Think marinara. Marinara sauce is made from tomatoes. Lots are even naturally fat free. Alfredo is bad bad bad. I know that we don't like to put 'labels' on things, but too bad! If you are not specifically creating your own low fat version of the white stuff say the heck away from it. It's made from cream, butter, cheese, and all sorts of things that combine to clog your arteries and stuff your jeans. Sauces with the words oil or butter in them need to stay in the kitchen as well, Hey, it's Italian. Go red!

What if you could eat a diet full of rich sauces, creamy cheese, and fatty meats and not suffer the inevitable health consequences? Seem unlikely? Some Italian villagers do just that, and have experts mystified.

The citizens of the small village Stoccareddo -- which sits in the foothills of the Alps -- often live into their 90s and enjoy a life virtually free of heart disease and diabetes, two diseases that plague Americans today. What's their secret?

Experts have two theories. Surprisingly, nearly everyone in the village is related. The original family arrived about 800 years ago and the town's remote mountain location made finding a suitable (non-related) mate difficult. So for centuries, distant cousins have been marrying each other, carrying on what researchers believe is a very fortunate gene pool that's resistant to common health problems. Another theory is that spending every day enjoying the pristine air and water of Stoccareddo, as well as the stress-free environment, contribute to the villagers longevity.

Source