Longest Living People Part 5!

In the Longest Living People On The Earth Part 1, we talked about the healthy people of Iceland. In the Longest Living People On The Earth Part 2, we talked about the healthy people of Japan. In the Longest Living People On The Earth Part 3, we talked about the healthy people of Finland. And in the Longest Living People On The Earth Part 4, we talked about the healthy people of Switzerland. In this section, we’ll talk about the healthy people from Spain.

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Longest Living People!

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Paperback Book—————Kindle E-Book

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Super Healthy People of Spain!

Spain is one of the top rated healthiest and longest living people on Earth. Why? What are they doing that the rest of the world isn’t doing?

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Spain Statistics!

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The beautiful country of Spain (194,897 square miles), is about ¾ the size of the great state of Texas (261,797 square miles). Spain is divided into 50 Provinces. It is located south of France, east of Portugal and bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea.

Its population is approximately 49,000,000. Its landscape includes a Meseta Central plateau, mountain ranges, coastal plains and lowland river valleys.

In the year 2019, Spain was voted the most healthiest people on Earth and here’s why. Spain’s root reason for being so healthy is their diet.

A diet based off the famous Mediterranean Diet and here it is again straight from the 600+ page Gettysburg Program.

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Mediterranean Diet!

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Why are people who live by the Mediterranean Diet, healthier than Americans despite their high tobacco consumption, low exercise level, and modest health-care system?

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet low in meat, but high in cereal, fruit, grain, legumes, monounsaturated fats, nuts, and vegetables.

Recent French Study found that the Mediterranean Diet after a heart attack was 70 percent more life-saving than the Standard American Diet (low-fat diet-less than 30 percent fat calories). Some Harvard Researchers favor the Mediterranean Diet over the Standard American Diet.

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Seven Countries Study!

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A research effort, called the Seven Countries Study, examined 12,763 men ages 40 through 59 in the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Serbia, Japan, and the United States.

Ten years after their initial screening, the study reported several important results:

Mediterranean groups had lower death rates from all causes than the northern European and American groups.
Lower mortality from coronary heart disease in the Mediterranean countries.
Men at the peak of their lives (45 years) have longer life expectancies in Greece than in any other European or North American country despite their high tobacco consumption, low exercise level, and modest health-care system.

The Mediterranean Diet is based on traditional eating patterns evolving over centuries in Greece, Italy, North Africa, Southern France, Spain and several Middle Eastern nations. All share a general pattern of cooking and ingredients.

Their diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. The principal fat is olive oil! Lean red meat is eaten only a few times a month and in small portions.

Eating foods from animal sources – namely dairy products, fish, and poultry is low to moderate. Wine is drunk with meals. Plenty of crusty country-style bread is enjoyed with each meal. The major fat used in the Mediterranean Diet is olive oil!

Olive oil is primarily a monounsaturated fat, which is noted to lower harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) blood cholesterol and may increase good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) blood cholesterol. Olive oil isn’t the only key to a healthy diet.

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Mediterranean Eating Tips!

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Here are some Mediterranean Eating Tips:

Switch to olive oil (extra virgin).
Avoid butter and margarine. There is nothing wrong with putting olive oil on toast or whole grain bread.
Cut meat consumption. If you do eat meat, ensure it’s lean. Try small portions of poultry or fish with plenty of vegetables.
INCREASE fruit and vegetable consumption.
Eat plenty of whole grain bread. The darker the better (ingredients not burnt).
Eat a salad at the beginning and end of each meal.
Wine at each dinner meal. It’s been noted that a couple glasses of wine each day may protect against coronary heart disease.

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Spanish have highest healthy life expectancy in Europe

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Olive Oil!

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Olive oil varies in quality. The term “virgin” is loosely applied. Originally it meant that the oil was from the first pressing of the fruit, as opposed to the second or third pressing. Olive oil when unrefined has a greenish tinge and a pungent flavor. It is preferred to refined oils because the health qualities are intact.

I’ve found that Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil (cold pressed), is one of the best bets for a quality oil. Many studies have shown that populations using large amounts of olive oil like Italy and Greece have lower heart disease and stroke. Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E and a known antioxidant. Olive oil is linked to longevity – olive trees have been known to live as long as 3,000 years!

Olive oil may be one of the best choices when cooking with oils. Olive oil IS NOT saturated fat but is a monounsaturated fatty acid, which is stable at high temperatures and less prone to oxidation than other vegetable oils. Extra Virgin Oil is probably your best choice of all the other oils. Avoid refined vegetable oils.

All cooking oils are 100% fat. Vegetable oils contain a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats in varying proportions. There is no such thing as a saturated-fat-free oil or one containing purely monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat.

One study may contradict another study concerning the health benefits or negative results of one oil or another. One fact is agreed upon by most studies. Consuming products that have saturated fat has been linked to a very long list of diseases.

The bottom line, CUT THE FAT. If oils are required for cooking, cook with monounsaturated fats since studies are still finding their beneficial affects towards health for you above polyunsaturated fats.

People in the Mediterranean have been noted to develop far less heart disease than Americans, even though they drink, smoke, and even consume as much or more saturated fat than Americans! What are they doing different? Their diet consists of an oil they use on their vegetables, grain-rich dishes, and meats. They even dip their bread in it! It’s olive oil! Yes olive oil.

One added bonus of monounsaturated fats is they maintain HDL (high density lipoprotein) that helps prevent heart disease. Olive, peanut and canola oils are noted to be highest in monounsaturated fats. Ensure you read the Nutrition Facts label on any cooking oil. Look for the word “monounsaturated.” Look for the least amount of saturated fats and the most monounsaturated fats.

WARNING: ENSURE you use “cold pressed” olive oil! Use all cooking oils sparingly! Read about cholesterol in Section 08.

Note: I like taking some pieces of French bread and dunking them in a small cup of olive oil. It’s delicious.

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Spain’s National Dishes!

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Spain’s National Dish includes the following foods:

Bocadillos
Gazpacho
Iberico chorizo
Jamon iberico
Montaditos
Paella
Pan con tomate
Pullpo a la gallega
Rabo de torro
Salmorejo
Tortilla espanola
Churros

What the heck you say!! OK, below are the translations. When you read the translations, consider adding a few of these tasty foods to you list of meals. OK, let’s start with Bocadillos:

Bocadillos = sandwich
Gazpacho = tomato soup with vegetables
Iberico chorizo = dry cured sausage
Jamon iberico = a type of ham
Montaditos = rolled bread
Paella = rice dish
Pan con tomate = bread with crushed tomato
Pullpo a la gallega = octopus dish
Rabo de torro = bulls tail stew
Salmorejo = purée consisting of tomato and bread
Tortilla espanola = egg omelet with potatoes and onions
Churros = a sweet snack consisting of a strip of fried dough dusted with sugar or cinnamon

The Gazpacho, Paella, Salmorejo, Pullpo a la gallega and Tortilla espanola look like the healthiest.

I’m going to try the Tortilla espanola tomorrow (22 Jan. 2020). I’ll cook it all up in coconut oil. I’ll let you know how it taste below. That Pullpo a la gallega (octopus) sounds tasty. There’s no way I could find any octopus around here. I’d have to drive all the way into Saint Louis, MO to find some. I bet adding octopus to the Tortilla espanola would taste great.

Note: You’ll find tasty Churros in most major food stores.

OK, let’s carry-on with Spain’s Meals Always Include…

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Spain’s Meals Always Include…

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Spain’s meals more times than not, ALWAYS INCLUDE:

Vegetables
Fruits
Fish
Olive Oil
Wine

Here’s a quote from the Guardian:

“There is growing evidence that the Mediterranean diet — which emphasizes vegetables, fish, olive oil, nuts, and whole grains while slashing processed foods and red meat — can help protect people from aging.”

Because of Spain’s location, it’s able to grow its own fruits and vegetables all year. And it’s surrounded to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea. And it’s partly surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean. So its seafood source is abundant. Therefore fruits, vegetables and fish are easily affordable for everyone.

Studies over the decades, indicate the Mediterranean Diet:

Reduces risk of heart disease
Reduces risk of certain cancers
Reduces risk of diabetes
Reduces risk of dementia
Enhances cognitive thinking

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Are Spaniard’s Drinking Red Wine For Their Health!

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Remember me telling you about the benefits of drinking wine in “Longest Living People On The Earth – Part 3!” – Red Wine For The Heart? Here, let me repeat part of it:

Flavonoids are natural compounds found in red wine and in almost all fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids have been noted to help protect against heart disease and possibly cancer! Good sources of flavonoids are in the peel, pulp, and skin of fruits like oranges and apple’s skin. High levels of flavonoids are found in broccoli, celery, citrus fruit, cranberries, endive, green beans, and onions. Medium sources of flavonoids are apples, broad beans, grapes, grape juice, lettuce, red wine, tea, red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and tomato juice.

According to John Folts, Ph.D., head of the coronary thrombosis research lab at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, “We’re pretty sure it’s the flavonoids that have a clear protective effect.”

In Spain, the legal age to purchase alcohol is 18-years of age. Spaniards surely enjoy their wine, beer and hard liquor. I found no evidence that the majority of Spain’s drinkers drink wine for health reasons. I’m sure there are a few here and there.

One of the most popular drinks in Spain is sangria. Sangria is a Sangria is a mixed alcoholic drink. Red sangria is made with red wine, and white sangria with white wine. And there are several regional variations of sangria. In addition to wine, a sangria may contain fruit juice like orange juice.

And Spain can brag about how much wine she produces.

Located on its Iberian Peninsula, Spain has 2,900,000 acres of land dedicated to growing grapes for their different wines.

Spain is in 2^nd place in the world to producing the most wine. She’s in 2^nd place behind Italy and is followed by France and the United States. Heck, I’m thinking about going downtown (23-miles away) and go buy me some red flavonoids (wine)!

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Spaniards Are Extra Healthy!

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Besides their healthy Mediterranean Diet, Spaniards are extra healthy because of their all-year beautiful weather and temperatures. Beautiful weather that has Spaniards more active outdoors collecting plenty of Vitamin D from the sun and having them more active all-year. Exercise, even minimal exercise like just walking benefits the entire body.

Since Spain is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea it’s complimented with approximately 5,000-miles of beautiful beaches.

And inland, it’s 50 Provinces are complimented indoor and outdoor activities.

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SEE –Inactivity KILLS 5,300,000 People Worldwide Each Year!
at www.survivalexpertblog.com

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Spain’s Healthcare System!

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Besides their healthy Mediterranean Diet, their climate and their activities that keeps them active, the Spaniards have one of the top rated healthcare systems in the world.

Spain spends 10% of their GDP (Gross Domestic Product) on their healthcare system. According to Spain’s Constitution, ALL CITIZENS of Spain are guaranteed access to Spain’s universal healthcare system. Less than 20% of Spain’s residents have their own private healthcare insurance.

So Spaniards have peace of mind that actually enhances their overall health. Spaniards have peace of mind that if they get sick or injured, a nearby hospital has the lawful obligation to give them the best medical care possible. What does this mean for the average Spaniard?

LESS STRESS on their life. They don’t have to constantly worry about ‘what if this happens to me or one of my family members?’

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