Health Tips from Croatia
«Svatko ima smisao za humor. Ako se ne smiješ vicevima, vjerojatno se smiješ mišljenjima.»
«Everyone has a sense of humor. If you don't laugh at jokes, you probably laugh at opinions.»
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Pomalo - Croatians slow-food
In a world that ‘spinns’ faster and faster - with corresponsing (unhealthy) trends to follow - taking on the handbreak, makes you breath better and feel better. It is like the Coca-Cola slogan from the 1920s: “It's the Pause That Refreshes”, not only for body, but also for the mind.
A meal in Croatia is about enjoyment and to indulge the taste to the fullest. The Croatian slow-food movement started in the 1989. It was an outcry against the mind-and-body-destroying fast food junk. It’s no coincidence that the shift first took root in a Mediterranean country. Their meals can last for hours, even when they are business lunches. Theyt have expereinced that if they enjoy their food and eat slower, they have more time for everything else. A local saying is: “The slower we live, the more time we have - especially for slow cooking.” Quite a powerful statement.
The feeding ritual also involves table-setting, lots of chatting, even doing the dishes. Croatians do everything pomalo. Remember this word for slow because it’s also a Croatian state of mind with lots of healthy benefits as it also lowers the stress.
Chewing your food longer breaks it down more which helps your stomach digest it. In addition, when you eat slowly, you give your brain a heads up to signal your stomach to let the digestion begin. So, not only is your appetite satisfied but so is your sense of multi-tasking and efficiency.
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Croatian food at home - Always healthier
As the foodies of the world promote home cooking as a new things, the Croatians has always made the traditional croatian food at home. Often are these dishes the ones you can eat with a spoon. One of these would be ‘cušpajz’ – a stew with seasonal vegetables (often spinach). The foodie buzzword would be ‘back to basic’or ‘clean cooking’. Regardless of tradition, fads or buzz-words- home cooking is always more healthy.
The Croatiands incorporating a lot of home-cooked meals into their daily routine and hence reducing the reliance on packaged foods. There are some overlooked health benefits of preparing food in your own kitchen.
You eat fewer calories without even realizing it. There are two core reasons. Firstly, you control the ingredients, and secondly, you control the portion size.
You’re more mindful of what you’re putting into your body. when you eat home made food, chances are you’ll eat more mindfully, noticing each flavor and component you included in your dish.
You can socialize with loved ones. Spending time with family and friends is important to everyone's well-being. It can ward off loneliness, which has been linked with depression, heart disease and other ailments. With a little effort, cooking can help you be more social.
You stimulate your brain. When you cook, you have the chance to exercise creativity, experimenting with ingredients and adjusting recipes as you find fit.
In addition, preparing healthy meals at home can support your immune system and reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It can give you more energy, improve how you sleep at night, and help you better manage health problems.
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Špinat Cušpajz - Croatian spinach stew
Croatian vegan recipes are not that difficult to find - though here is no such thing as vegan Croatian food. The Croatian cuisine offers plenty of accidentally vegan food. The coastal Croatia thrives on the Mediterranean diet. This means you get to enjoy a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables. There is crazy healthy olive oil for seasoning. There is a variety of beans and legumes.
One of the national favorites, would be Špinat Cušpajz - Croatian spinach stew. A side dish for ‘spoon-enjoyment’. Most of the time Croatrians eat simple, clean meals like čušpajz. But at special occasions, they go all out with feasting, even overeating….
Spinach has vitamins and minerals like vitamin E and magnesium that support your immune system. This system keeps you safe from viruses and bacteria that cause disease. It also defends your body from other things that can hurt you, like toxins.
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Kolo - Burning calories by socializing
Throughout a large part of Croatia, the Kolo (traditional folk dance) continues to be the centre of village social life. The Kolo as a dance became a tool for social gathering, and was often the main occasion in which young men and women could get to know each other. With many dances, the singing of jocular verses during the performance served as a way to express feelings or tell a story. Kolo is traditionally performed for special occasions such as harvests, weddings, and religious celebrations.
Kolo is a great form of exercise while allowing you to be as energetic as you like. Some estimate social levels of dancing to burn 100 to 400 calories per hour. Two to three hours of continuous dancing can give the persons an excellent low-impact aerobic workout. If you are to dance well, it requires good posture, which helps you breath better, walk better, and look and feel younger. Finally, dancing is one of the few activities men and women can enjoy together. It's a great way to meet people, make new friends, and interact socially. Dancers are the nicest people.
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Maškare - Making people engaged and alive
Songs and dances & Joy and laughter. Masks and costumes. It’s that time of year, time to be whatever you want to be, without hesitations and limitations. It’s carnival or maškare, fašnik, poklade, mesopust, krnjeval as it is called in different parts of Croatia. Even though the most famous and largest events are held in Rijeka and Samobor, there’s hardly any village or town that doesn’t celebrate carnival, many of which have unique and interesting traditions.
It’s also time to switch roles and once maškare (people who dress up in costumes) take over in a city or a village, it’s all about merrymaking and fun. With large parades and processions of costumes and masks, both traditional and representing modern heroes and villains, Croatia is a fun place to be during carnival. Carnival may seem like endless, relaxed fun but some associations and groups prepare their costumes and masks as well as their acts months ahead. For example, the carnival on Pag island also includes the folks drama called Pag’s Slave Girl as well as the traditional circle dance, kolo.
Carnival is about having fun, and fun makes us feel engaged and alive. Many people radically underestimate how important fun is to their resilience, happiness and mental and physical health.
The essential characteristic of fun is a sense of liberation. It’s a temporary release from various internalised and externally imposed restrictions, such as work obligations, schedules, routines, parenting responsibilities, schoolwork. Studies show that when we experience fun, we experience the confluence of a number of psychological states, including the following: Playfulness, Spontaneity, Connection, Liberation and flow.
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Friends are a chosen family - Good for mental wellbeing
Croatians perceive their friends a family, that they have chosen. They love spending time with friends regardless of the occasion. They share everything with them and collect a life experience together as they grow in life. We alo do everything with their closest friends – they go out, drink coffee, go on the sea, prepare gatherings, celebrate, complain, watch football matches, travel, or chill on movie nights.
Croats appreciate loyalty, trust, and empathy. They keep their circles close and tight, but if you can work your way in, you have a friend for life.
Having empathy enables people to build those social connections. To feel connected to others is hugely important for optimal wellbeing. It is the very basis of human relationships and helps us to feel valued, loved, and cared for. Being connected to others is good for our mental wellbeing.
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Rakija - For the right foot in the morning
If you have been to Croatia or planning to visit the country, one of the most important things you should always keep in mind is the importance of Rakija in Croatian culture. In case you are unaware of Rakija. It is a fruit brandy created at the Balkan peninsula, available everywhere, from drink menus to supermarket shelves and in almost every home. The most popular variation of Rakija is “sljivovica”, in other words – Rakija made of plum. Rakija is considered to be the national drink of the vast majority of Balkan nations, with Croatia being the number one ambassador of this divine drink. While it’s somewhat notorious for its relatively high alcohol content, a shot of Rakija in the morning has been a part of the Serbian culture for centuries. Drinking Rakija is about enjoyment and idulgance, and you should always make eye contact when toasting with other people. If possible, go for home-made Rakija, as it is superior to what is on the shelf in shops
By having a healthy (or rather moderate) intake of Rakija, the Croatians belive it has several health benefits.
Extends lifespan: Drinking excessive amounts of rakija or any other alcohol, will definitely shorten lifespan, but a moderate drinking can extend your life.Antioxidants contained in rakija help fighting against radicals which are a major cause of aging.
It releases stress: If you moderately drink rakija, it acts on the nervous system in a way so that you feel relaxed. Repeat yourself - if you drink moderate quantities, 1-2 small glasses a day.
Reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack: Great thing about rakija is that it prevents deposition of cholesterol in your cardiovascular system. And it reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Helps prevent colds: You probably know that rakija can serve as an excellent cough syrup. Alcohol also kills bacteria in the throat. The best effect will be achieved if you mix it with hot water and lemon.
Doesn't make you fat: This is an excellent argument - unlike soft and even some "natural" juices, rakija contains very few calories.
NB! Only to be enjoyed in moderation above legal age.
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Spending time with family - To boost wellbeing
When it comes to the quality of life indicators, Croatia tops Europe in spending time with family, engaging in physical activity and having a sense of security. Spending time with family and relatives is one of the activities to which Croatian citizens dedicate most of their spare time. According to Eurostat, almost one-third of the Croatian population (29.7%) spends time with their families and relatives every day, which is 13% higher than the European average.
Families are everything to Croatians and the whole world is built around them. It is common for a single household to include moms, dads, children, grandparents, and grandchildren. Young Croats usually live with their families until they get married or move to a bigger city to work or attend university.
A family's social support is one of the main ways that family positively impacts health. Social relationships, such as those found in close families, have been demonstrated to decrease the likelihood of the onset of chronic disease, disability, mental illness, and even death.
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Sport - Health for athletes and passionate fans
Croatia has achieved remarkable sporting success since gaining independence in the early 1990s. Croatia has punched above its weight with major success in some of the world’s most competitive sports, like football, handball, basketball, rowing, water polo, tennis etc. They are now ranked second as the world’s sportiest nation, just beaten by Norway :)
With a lot less government funding (and sponsorships) in sport and development, Croatia has achieved some remarkable results over its European neighbors. Genetics, quality coaching and development structure, passion, culture, and an enormous love for Croatia, are some of the main reasons according to those working in sports.
Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. At the end of the day, an active lifestyle will improve your healthy life years.
Besides the physical benefits of moving for the athletes, the health benefits for the fans are also many. Having a passion gives the fans a purpose in life. And having a purpose leads to fulfillment and happiness, which is subsequently good for their health. Many scientific studies have found a connection between happiness and good health.
And as a spin off or ripple effects of sports, people become positive. People with an optimistic mindset are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, such as exercising and eating right. Lower blood pressure and a healthier BMI have been associated with improved wellbeing on many occasions.
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Grandma’s advices - To stay well
- Never sit on a cold surface, you might catch a cold.
- Avoid the draft, you might catch a cold.
- Never walk barefoot on tiles, you might catch a cold.
- Drink a shotglass of rakija every morning to prevent all diseases.
- Lower your body temperature by rubbing your feverish body with rakija. (A very painful experience, highly unrecommended by doctors, but it does the trick).
- Interact with other people to stay sane. (In other words, have coffee with your friends/collegues regularly).
Nugget: Croatia has the highest number of UNESCO Intangible goods of any European county – 14 goods all in all. The list of culturally curated traditions includes crafts like lacemaking and wooden toy carving, as well as a host of festivals, music customs, and delicious cuisine.
