Hello Friends!
(Benessere means well-being in Italian in case you are wondering.)
I’m Manuela, an Italian who moved to California in the 90s. I believe I combine the best of both worlds in my lifestyle: My European upbringing combined with the California lifestyle. Lucky me!
I have always been a bit of a health nut with a fascination for the human body which is truly the most amazing piece of engineering. I recall pouring over a medical encyclopedia when I was not even 10. Over the years, I have been reading up on medicine, homeopathic remedies, holistic and integrative medicine, exercise, cooking simple but tasty and healthy meals, etc. In short, my goal has always been to live a healthy, happy and balanced life.
I grew up eating wholesome foods and healthy dishes based on the Mediterranean diet. Zero fast food, no frozen dinners, hardly any processed foods and no microwave. I think I was very lucky to have grown up that way. Over the years, living here in America, I have pretty much maintained my healthy eating habits which seem to have served me very well. OK, I admit, I do have a microwave now because it came with my apartment. I used it to heat up my plates 😉
What is not so great about the European mindset is the lack of regular exercise. Luckily for me, I played a fair amount of sports growing up and I have always enjoyed physical activities and exercise. So much that I decided to become a certified Personal Trainer. Most of my female friends, especially in Europe, have always excused themselves from exercising citing it would lead to muscle gain and they would end up looking too muscular. So they would either diet or skip meals here and there to maintain their svelte figure. How unhealthy and counter-productive! As we age, we lose muscle much faster and easier, especially if not maintained. It’s even more imperative to strength train as we age. If we keep our body (and mind) in shape, it allows us to continue doing the activities we love such as hiking, skiing, gardening, etc. It is our body and we have to keep it in the best functional order as much as it is in our own power. In addition, I have attended a Stanford Medical Workshop on Chronic Disease Self-Management.
How we live, what we eat, how much we get moving, etc. makes a substantial impact on our lifestyle years down the road. I believe that we owe it to ourselves to invest in our health, not just in our career and stock market. All the money and wealth will serve you little when you become sick and cannot enjoy the fruits of all those long days, nights and weekends working away.
Be happy, live healthy and be and stay well for many years to come! Ciao 🙂