People who are located in the Scandinavian countries, which consist of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, are considered the happiest people because of their high life satisfaction and good personal health. One thing that helps them maintain their happy lifestyle is going to the Sauna. The steam helps flush out toxins out of the body, give them a better sleep, improve their cardiovascular performance, and taking a cold shower right after the sauna helps conserve heat in the body which will then boost circulation. Exercise is also a big part of their life that helps boost their mood and in turn makes them happier.
Health care in the Sweden, Denmark, and Finland are part of the most successful in the industrialized world. Infant mortality in all three countries are the lowest in the entire world and in life expectancy, Sweden and Denmark are among the highest. However, Finland’s life expectancy is shorter, especially for males. Norway’s average life expectancy is about 78 years old. In about the 18th and 19th century, modern medicine began to replace their old medical beliefs. Many still believe in their home remedies such as putting a sugar cube in a cup of milk to help with heartburn, a tablespoon of olive oil to help your cough, putting a piece of garlic clove in your ear to help with ear infections, and using ginger as an aid for sore joints.
Scandinavians had switched from the Mediterranean diet to the Nordic diet, which has affected their way of life. In the Mediterranean, a lot of vegetable and olive oil were consumed with moderate consumption of proteins. In the Nordic diet, it is healthier and more convenient for them since they use the resources that are near them. In this diet, it is harder for the to over-eat and therefore will result in a healthier self. The foods eaten in the diet are foods that are easily grown and produced in the colder climates. The diet is a cheaper alternative and is also environmentally friendly. A main part of their diet is fish because it is convenient for their location. Fish helps protect against heart disease and helps brain development. Scandinavians eat their fish cooked, raw or cured. Having it raw or cured helps retain all the health benefits in the fish. The beneficial value of having all the health benefits results in them being healthier. Their vegetables that are grown in cold weather has high antioxidants and vitamin K. The main type of oil they use is rapeseed oil, which contains a higher level of fatty acids, omega-3 to help blood circulation and brain development, omega-6 to promote healthy skin, hair, and nails, and omega-9 to help boost heart health and control their blood sugar. The native berries found in the Scandinavian countries have unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, high antioxidants levels, and in their natural plant compounds, they protect against diseases involving the heart, strokes and cancer. Because most of the foods they eat have a health benefit involved in them, they are able to live a healthy lifestyle and therefore have limited health issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) had predicted that obesity would be on the climb in all the countries even Scandinavian countries. However, in recent years Scandinavian countries only have about 14% considered obese and it is shown that their levels are not what the WHO has reported it would be.
Written by: Allison Soh
SOURCES:
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