Health Tips from The Netherlands
«Workouts zijn net als het leven. Hoe lastiger het is, hoe STERKER U WORDT!»
«Workouts are like life. The harder it is, the STRONGER YOU BECOME!»
1
Rust - Rest for happiness
The most effective rest happens when we are purposefully renewing the parts of our life we regularly drain or exhaust. Any type of rest that does not meet this goal isn’t rest; it’s just more work adding to the a busy schedule. Building rest into your day is not doing nothing. It’s something that is essential to our health and wellbeing that we need to get aware of. Doing ‘nothing’ is hence the most effective things you can do. Rest is preventative against exhaustion, depression, overwhelm and eventually burnout. And it is another tool that helps us increase and maintain our happiness. There are loads of suggestions in this post about how to rest. 7 types of rest
Many people think of sleep and rest as the same thing when in fact they are not. It is suggested by professionals that there are seven types of rest that every person needs:
Physical rest - This can be passive physical rest like sleeping and taking a nap. Or active through activities that improve our health such as walking, yoga, stretching and massage.
Mental rest - Such an important one for us when we have busy minds and thoughts. Taking regular breaks throughout the day helps.
Sensory rest - Switch off completely from gadgets
Creative rest - Get out into nature to take a break and restore your creativity.
Emotional rest - We so often pour in to others so make sure you have time and space to process your feelings and nurture yourself.
Social rest - Make sure you spend time with people who are positive and uplifting.
Spiritual rest - Make space for activities such as prayer and meditation.
Rest is vital for better mental health, increased concentration and memory, a healthier immune system, reduced stress, improved mood and even a better metabolism.
2
Reinheid - Good hygiene for overall health and wellness
Hygiene is a series of practices performed to preserve health. According to the WHO, "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases. "Personal hygiene refers to maintaining the body's cleanliness. Hygiene activities can be grouped into the following: home and everyday hygiene, personal hygiene, medical hygiene, sleep hygiene and food hygiene. Home and every day hygiene includes hand washing, respiratory hygiene, food hygiene at home, hygiene in the kitchen, hygiene in the bathroom, laundry hygiene and medical hygiene at home.
Many people equate hygiene with 'cleanliness,' but hygiene is a broad term. It includes such personal habit choices as how frequently to take a shower or bath, wash hands, trim fingernails and wash clothes. It also includes attention to keeping surfaces in the home and workplace clean, including bathroom facilities. Some regular hygiene practices may be considered good habits by the society, while the neglect of hygiene can be considered disgusting, disrespectful, or threatening.
Good hygiene is crucial to good overall health and wellness because it helps lower the risk for disease, illness, and medical conditions caused by the effects of poor hygiene. When a person doesn’t practice good hygiene, their body can accumulate bacteria that contribute to diseases such as athlete’s foot, head lice, and scabies. Poor hygiene can also cause parasites to grow and multiply on the skin and in the body, causing parasitic diseases like malaria and toxoplasmosis.
Good personal hygiene habits include brushing your teeth, bathing or showering, and wearing clean clothes. Performing these habits daily or as often as needed achieves and maintains good hygiene and cleanliness.
3
Regelmaat - Regularity and Routine
Regular exercise is an important part of a healthier lifestyle. It can help manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing diseases. Also, it boosts your mood and recline yourself from all the stress in your life. No matter what the age, everyone can benefit from doing regular exercise.
Exercising regularly is also good for your mind. Exercise can help treat specific mental health conditions. It also reduces the risk of developing depression. By exercising regularly, an individual feels relief from stress, anxiety, and mood. Staying active helps to protect both your physical and mental health.
An effective routine can help reduce stress, which can lead to better mental health, more time to relax and less anxiety. Sleep better: Routines like your sleep schedule and bedtime habits affect your mental sharpness, emotional well-being and energy. According to a study by researchers at Tel Aviv University, predictable, repetitive routines are calming and help reduce anxiety. They'll also help you take control of your day and subsequently, your life.
4
Physical activity - Skating during winter
The Dutch love sports! Sports in the Netherlands are diverse, fun, and full of life, as streets get filled in a sea of orange. Football is the national sport here and during the European and World Championships, Dutch fans get the orange fever. Everyone puts on their loudest orange outfits, with crazy costumes and gadgets all in orange. Bars, shops, houses, and offices are decorated with orange flags and posters, and sometimes even walls are painted orange. Cars that run the streets with at least one Dutch or orange flag.
Popular Dutch winter sports include ice skating, skiing, and speed skating. Ice-skating is one of the most common winter sports in the Netherlands. From a young age, little children are placed on skates and gliding down frozen canals. Almost every city in the Netherlands opens up its own outdoor rink during winter as the lakes and ponds have frozen over.
Skating works nearly every muscle group in the body, and gliding requires synchronized movement of the legs, which is important for joint flexibility. It also builds up the leg and abdominal muscles. Like any workout, skating is great for cardiovascular health – it gets blood pumping and the heart rate up.
Strengthening your muscles and improving your joint health leads to better balance. So does trying to stay standing on the ice. By learning to engage your muscles to stay standing, you’re not only toning them, but also improving your control over your body and your endurance.
Working out in general is a great way to relieve stress because physical activity releases endorphins in the brain. Learning to ice skate also boosts self-confidence and hones focus as you learn the many new moves skating offers, like crossovers, going backwards and spinning. Bringing friends to the rink or meeting new people during lessons is also a great way to relax and unwind after a long week at work.
According to Harvard Medical School, ice skating will burn up to 200 calories per hour, making it a great way to lose or maintain weight when combined with a healthy diet.
5
Stamppot - Wellness Platter in a Pot
Stamppot is a hearty winter dish. It can be quite healthy or rather heavy, depending on the approach you take. Stamppot is made by mashing potatoes together with vegetables – traditionally kale, a dark green leafy vegetable packed with vitamins. Stamppot is typically served with a mild smoked sausage called rookworst, either sliced and mixed into the disht, but you can go 100% vegetarian if you prefer. It is then very popular to use broccoli as a placeholder.
The conventional Stamppot is a true ‘wellness platter in a pot’; consisting of 1/3 carbs, 1/3 evegatbles and 1/3 proteins.
Of all the super healthy greens, Kale is King. It is definitely one of the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence. Kale is loaded with all sorts of beneficial compounds, some of which have powerful medicinal properties. Kale is a good source of plant-based calcium, needed for strong bones and teeth, and has low levels of a natural compound called oxalate, which makes the calcium more available for absorption. Kale is also a good source of vitamin K, which studies suggest works with vitamin D to support healthy bone metabolism.Fortunately, adding kale to your diet is relatively simple. You can simply add it to your salads or use it in recipes.
6
Biking - Always and forever
The Dutch travel almost everywhere by bike. These two wheeled contraptions are so well-ingrained in Dutch culture that on average, each household owns at least three. Just going for a gentle 30 minute ride can burn 200 calories and if you’re going out for dinner, be sure to take it along. Research has shown that leisure cycling after eating turns more of the consumed calories into heat, resulting in faster weight loss.
As well as scoring major points for health and happiness, the Dutch are also the most physically active population in Europe. According to the Euro Barometer, around 56% of Dutch people play sports on a weekly basis, compared to the European average of 40%. This is largely owing to the fantastic infrastructure throughout the country, which allows people to walk and cycle for work or fun. The famously flat country boasts 20,000km of fietspaden (bicycle paths) making cycling in the Netherlands an extremely pleasant activity.
7
Black coffee - Not too late
The Dutch drink a lot of coffee. In fact, after the Scandinavian countries, they are the world’s largest consumers. The Dutch prefer black coffee over commercial lattes and mochas, which is good news for weight-watchers. Black coffee is fat free with only four calories per cup whereas lattes can contain up to 300 calories. Perhaps the Dutch were onto something when they named the latte koffie verkeerd, meaning “wrong coffee.”
Coffee is chock full of substances that may help guard against conditions more common in women, including Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease, say nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
8
Portion size - Benefitting body and wallet
The Dutch love greasy foodstuff but are very good at eating in moderation. You will rarely see supersize portions served in restaurants and one will often come away from a meal feeling satisfied as opposed to ‘’stuffed.” Indeed, portion control is a fundamental tool to weight management in the Netherlands. Controlling your portion sizes isn't just lip service, though; there are some real benefits, both physically and financially, when it comes to dialing down the amount you're piling on your plate.
Portion Size vs. Serving Size
There is a difference between portion size and serving size. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they're actually not the same thing, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The difference is simple: A portion size is the amount you eat, big or small, and a serving size is the amount of food you should be eating. A serving size is a standard set by a food's nutrition label, while portion size varies depending on who's dishing out the fare.
Health Benefits of Eating Smaller Portions
1. Better Blood Sugar Control
2. Increased Satiety and Weight Control
3. Improved Digestion
4. Money Saved
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Healthy snacking - Ideal for filling up
To stay in control of their weight, the Dutch prefer low-fat nibbles: ontbijtkoek, Dutch ‘’breakfast cake” is a popular choice. This scrumptious cake can be bought as a sliced snack and with less than 1g of fat per serving, is virtually fat-free. Another popular bite is the eirkoeken (egg cake). These spongy delights are low in fat and high in protein-ideal for filling you up and combatting craving for something else.
10
Good timing -
Unlike many other European countries who traditionally eat their evening meal after 8pm, the Dutch prefer to eat earlier than 7pm. Though eating late does not result in weight gain, it may, however, contribute to more rapid fluctuations in blood sugars, ultimately leaving you more susceptible to overeating. So, eating earlier may minimise cravings and help you to make more sensible food choices. An additional benefit is improved sleep and a better feeling in the morning.
Nugget: As well as being one of the happiest nations on the planet, the Dutch are also one of the healthiest when it comes to diet and nutrition. In the Oxfam Food Index of 125 countries, they rank number one for having the most plentiful, nutritious, healthy, and affordable food; above France and Switzerland.
