Net Efeckt

Could the North American lifestyle be sending you to an early grave?  It sounds a bit dramatic, but the truth is that factors like stress, a poor diet, overstimulation, a sedentary lifestyle, and not spending enough time outdoors (all of which are rampant in North American culture) have been proven time and time again to have devastating effects on your health.

For that matter, so have some other surprising contributors like sitting behind a desk all day and using too much hand sanitizer.  Study after study has shown that these kinds of practices can actually take years off your life.

The good news is it is entirely possible to reduce, and in some cases even reverse, the harmful side effects of a lot of these lifestyle choices.  In fact, there’s just as much research out there that shows how living an active life, free of modern distractions and full of meaningful interaction with nature, can improve your health and wellbeing.

Here are 10 easy steps you can take today to help you begin living a happier, healthier, and more vibrant life.

Sarah444

1.  Turn off your electronics.

In a recent study of employees at the Boston Consulting group, led by a Harvard Business School professor, 26% of those surveyed say they sleep with their smartphones within reach.  A majority of that same group (51%) check email while they’re on vacation.  North Americans just can’t seem to let go of their devices.

And their kids are picking up on the same behaviors their parents are modeling.  In a 2010 study by the Kaiser Foundation, North American teens spent 7.5 hrs per day texting, using social media apps, and streaming videos.

This constant overstimulation leads to problems with concentration and difficulties recharging our brains.  In one Chinese study, overstimulated subjects showed signs of atrophy of the connective tissue in areas of the brain responsible for behavior and emotions.

By contrast, however, powering down your devices can allow your brain to recover and refuel, increasing your creativity, attention span, and cognitive function.  Learning to unplug will take some getting used to, but the benefits will be well worth it.

2.  Get off the couch.

Many North Americans spend their days working at sedentary jobs and then come home only to resume equally sedentary activities, like watching TV and sitting around talking.  Even for those who do exercise, even say 30 minutes 5 times a week, that’s still a lot more sitting than moving, an average of 15.5 hours per day.

The problem with this is that when you’re sitting you’re using very few muscles, especially big ones like those in your legs and back.  As a result, your metabolism slows down.  Those who sit a lot often have unhealthy levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, triglycerides, and waist size…all which increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health problems.

In addition to the cardiovascular and other physical benefits associated with exercise, physical activity has also been shown to help people relax and improve their mood.  And we’re not just talking hard-core weight lifting here.  And any and all kinds of activities are beneficial.  Even things like gardening or working around the house are great ways to keep your body in motion.

Recent studies at England’s University of Essex have also shown that exercising in nature, otherwise known as “green exercise,” offers even more benefits for your mental health.  Not to mention the fact that those who spend time outdoors are approximately twice as likely to be active than those who spend almost all of their time indoors.  So, forget heading to the gym to get your heart rate up.  Just head to the back yard or the park and let it happen naturally.

3.  Go outside.

As we mentioned, today’s North American lifestyle involves an unprecedented amount of time spent indoors.  Even for those who do have an interest in nature, there’s still the temptation to read about it online or simply kick back in the recliner and watch the Discovery Channel.

However, none of these offer the same positive benefits as actually BEING in nature, which studies have shown to have a positive effect on both attention and memory.

Nature has an uncanny way of capturing our awareness, giving us a break from artificial attractions that constantly vie for our attention. Just merely looking at nature, not even actively participating in it, heightens activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus (responsible for emotional stability) and the basal ganglia (which helps recall happy memories), per a study at South Korea’s Chonnam National University.

Studies also show that the benefits increase with prolonged exposure to nature.  Even 5 minutes outside can produce some positive effects.  However, one study showed that participants improved their cognitive performance by 20% following a 3-hour hike.  Those who spent 4 days in nature upped their scores by 50%.

4.  Soak up the sun.

Most North Americans have less than optimal levels of Vitamin D, among a number of other nutrient deficiencies.  Just another result of our underutilization of the great outdoors, this situation can be rectified by a mere 5 to 30 minutes of UV exposure per day, according to a University of Wyoming study.

The benefits of adequate amounts of Vitamin D?  Better defense against conditions ranging from cancer to osteoporosis to depression to heart attacks and stroke.  In addition, the right amount of exposure to natural light helps the pineal gland regulate its output of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep.  So getting plenty of sunshine may actually help fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

On the flip side, too much artificial light at night can have the opposite effect on our internal clock.  For instance, staring at a backlit screen before going to bed can decrease melatonin production and disrupt sleep.

Note: Of course, care should always be used to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.  Using sunscreen can block UVB rays, but unfortunately those are the same ones that provide beneficial Vitamin D.  Professionals are split on this issue, but in general it seems that a limited amount of unprotected exposure can be beneficial, while too much can certainly have serious consequences.

5.  Just add water.

Not only are many North Americans lacking in their exposure to the great outdoors. Many are also missing out on another important benefit of nature: water.  A study by the University of Exeter Medicine School found that being near water improved subjects’ moods to an even greater degree than merely being in just any old natural setting.

In a separate study, they also showed that good health seems to be more prevalent the closer you live to the coast.  Living near the seaside has been proven to reduce stress, and it also seems to encourage physical activity, a known stress reducer.

Researchers at Columbia University also identified the fact that negative ions–which are in high concentration near moving water such as waterfalls, breaking waves, and river rapids–actually act as natural antidepressants.  A study by Indoor Air saw its participants improve their energy levels by 33% after breathing negative ions for an hour.

6.  Play with your kids.

As North Americans are living increasingly inactive lifestyles, perhaps no one is suffering the consequences as much as their children.  Most young people spend more than 7 hours a day in front of an electronic screen and less than 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play.

As a result, childhood obesity rates have doubled in the past 20 years. Pediatric antidepressant prescriptions have skyrocketed.  And the U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of ADHD medications.  As kids are missing out on the essential connection with nature, they’re becoming out of shape, unfocused, and mentally stressed.

Playing outside builds active, healthy bodies and prevents a number of future health issues.  It also raises vitamin D levels and improves distance vision, lowering the chance of nearsightedness.  It has also been shown to improve concentration and critical thinking skills and has been linked to a reduction of ADHD symptoms.

Being in nature also causes children’s stress levels to fall almost immediately.  It also reduces the anxiety associated with a hurried lifestyle.  So, do the whole family a favor and stay outside and play until the sun goes down.   

7.  Get your hands dirty.

This may sound counterintuitive, but many North Americans have become too clean for their own good.  Known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” this problem has arisen as humans have decreased their exposure to helpful microbes, like gut flora, probiotics, parasites, and good bacteria.

Without these usual suspects for our immune systems to fight, they’re instead forced to attack harmless substances like pollen and pet dander.  In essence, our overuse of bleach, anti-bacterial sprays, and hand sanitizers has left us in a sterile environment where we’re more susceptible to allergies, asthma, and other serious conditions.

A new study in Finland showed that the skin of young people who lived near forests and farms had a different composition of microbes than that of their counterparts who lived in more urban areas.  The rural kids also had healthier immune systems and a significantly lower occurrence of allergies.

The solution?  Get outside.  Let your kids play in the dirt, and maybe even eat a little of it.

The good news is that a few recent studies, conducted on laboratory animals, have shown that by reintroducing bacteria you can actually reset your immune system and its capacity for certain allergens.

8.  Eat fresh fruits.

Many North Americans fail to eat their recommended daily amount of fruit.  And often what they do get is genetically modified or doused in harmful pesticides or other chemicals, rendering them almost a net zero in terms of nutritional value.

A few fruits that you can introduce into your diet for an immediate boost in nutrients are coconuts, avocados, and mangos.  The increasingly popular coconut water has a wealth of health benefits.  It also makes a great sports drink, since it’s lower in sodium and sugar and higher in potassium than most commercial brands.  The coconut’s flesh and oil are also good for you.

Avocados pack a double punch when it comes to nutritional value.  Not only do they lower cholesterol and provide folic acid, which can prevent cancer and birth defects, they also help you absorb the nutrients of other vegetables that you eat alongside them.  So, add a few slices to your salad for an added benefit.

Eating one mango gives you half your daily recommended allowance of Vitamins A and C, as well as Omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, some B-Vitamins, and more.  These and other fresh fruits should be important staples in your daily diet.

9.  Don’t forget about your brain.

Mental deterioration is just as much, if not more of, a problem in North America as physical atrophy.  In fact, the U.S. currently ranks 3rd in the world for Alzheimer’s deaths, up 68% over the past decade.

Some contributors to this trend include lifestyle factors, like some of those we’ve already mentioned, but a lack of mental stimulation can also be to blame.

Want to know one easy way to improve your mental ability while also broadening your horizons?  Learn a foreign language.

Becoming bilingual has been proven to delay Alzheimer’s disease in at-risk individuals by as much as five years. That’s a higher success rate than any Alzheimer’s drug currently on the market.

Speaking multiple languages also improves listening skills, focus, and one’s ability to adapt.  The benefit to your kids will also be a positive one, as children raised in bilingual environments have stronger working memories and are better at mental calculation, reading, and many other skills.

10.  Allow for plenty of down time.

Overworked and highly stressed North Americans aren’t exactly famous for knowing how to slow down and take it easy.  But doing so is essential to optimal health and wellness.

Studies have shown that those who spend the most time enjoying leisure activities report the most positive emotions and the lowest occurrence of depression.  Other benefits include lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones, and smaller waist sizes.

Even the good old fashioned nap has its place in a healthy, active lifestyle.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, a 20-30 minute nap can do wonders for your physical and mental stamina.  It can help restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents.

Viva Tropical

These Principles Are the Driving Force Behind Our Adventure Colonies.

Because we truly believe that these are essential strategies for living a healthy, well-balanced life, we make every effort to put them into practice in our own lives. However, we saw firsthand how hard it was to do that living in the North American culture.

Yeah, you can get exercise at the gym, and you can make the six hour drive to take your family to the beach every now and then.  But what we were looking for was a scenario where all of these ten lifestyle choices just came a bit more naturally.

That’s what’s so great about our Adventure Colony concept.  Adventure Colonies are the ideal setting for those of us who want a place where we can unplug, recharge, and live our lives more in tune with the way nature and our bodies intended us to.

If these healthy choices sound like the much-needed change you’re looking for, learn more about how you can live the Adventure Colony lifestyle.  Download our free informative ebook today and see how you can reset your routine and experience a whole new way of living.

Viva Tropical

Meet Gary Dierking, specialty outrigger sailing canoes designer and builder who calls Coromandel, New Zealand home. Gary acknowledges that while catamarans and trimarans are now the norm in ocean racing, cruising, and charter fleets, the characteristics of the sailing outrigger canoe are still unknown to most sailors. Read on, as Gary helps explain the different designs and benefits of outrigger sailing.

1. What is an outrigger sailing canoe?

Viva Tropical

An outrigger canoe is a very narrow canoe that would not be stable without the addition of a float on the end of a pair of beams to stabilize it. The advantage of making it very narrow is the ease with which it can be driven through the water and especially waves. An outrigger canoe can be paddled, sailed, or powered with an engine. A sailing model requires a bigger ama and stronger crossbeams to counter the forces of the sail. Over half of the earth’s surface, from Madagascar to Easter Island, was originally explored and settled with this type of vessel. An outrigger canoe can range from twelve foot in length to over one hundred feet.

2. What are they used for?

Today most outrigger canoes are used for fishing by indigenous people in the Pacific or for recreation all over the rest of the world. In Hawaii they are used for surfing and racing between the islands.

3. Can you use them on the open ocean?

Viva Tropical

Outrigger sailing canoes can be safely used on the open ocean if they are designed and built for that purpose. An 18 foot outrigger with a windsurf sail crossed 700 miles of open Pacific several years ago. One of my T2 designs cruised for over 1000 miles from Northern Mexico to Panama. The success of a voyage like these depends on good workmanship, water tight compartments, and an experienced sailor. Take baby steps first; don’t finish a canoe and immediately take off into a long voyage. Learn to sail it in light winds and calm seas until your instincts are developed. Capsize it on purpose and learn to right it. Then imagine doing that in a big seaway.

4. Are there different designs?

There is a wide variety of outrigger sailing canoes. The most important published work, “Canoes of Oceania” is 1000 pages long. There are a limited number of plans available for modern builders but I have been trying to interpret traditional designs so that they can be reproduced with modern materials. The sailing rigs and the resulting differences in hulls and structure can be divided into two types. Shunting rigs allow the canoe to be sailed with either end as the bow and always keep the ama (outrigger float) on the windward side where it acts as floating ballast. Tacking rigs sail like normal Western sailing boats and will have the ama to windward or leeward depending on the tack being sailed.

5. How do the differences of the design affect performance?

Viva Tropical

Some hulls like the classic Hawaiian were optimized for landing in heavy surf due to the lack of protected harbors. All boat design involves compromises and a canoe optimized for surf with buoyant ends and plenty of rocker will not be the best performer sailing on a lake. Traditional outriggers never had centerboards or leeboards but I have added them to greatly improve their performance to windward. Some traditional sailors would use their paddles as leeboard when sailing to windward but this is poor substitute for a good deep high aspect foil.

Steering can be accomplished with a large paddle, a long steering oar, or a rudder mounted either on the stern or on the side like a Viking ship. All of these methods were used in Oceania. Modern recreational sailors can use any of these methods but the paddle and oar are more difficult if you are sailing alone.

6. How quickly could you build one using your plans?

The big hull can usually be completed in 100 hours or less, but there are many additional parts to an outrigger sailing canoe that can take another 200 hours to complete. Much is determined by the standards of finish and ability of the builder.

Wa Kuk Wa Jimor – Marshallese Canoes Today from Rachel Miller on Vimeo.

Editor’s Note:

Gary Dierking specializes in building Outrigger sailing canoes, you can see more at his blog, Outrigger Sailing Canoes.

Jonny Ueda

You get off the plane and immediately catch her eye. The hot, sticky air compels your body to sacrifice more moisture as it attempts to claw back to homeostasis against the tropical sun. You follow her entranced to the luggage carousel. The crowd magically opens to reveal a place to wait for your bags, right next to the gorgeous Latin goddess.

She turns, smiles, bats her enormous lashes surrounding her milk chocolate, larger-than-life eyes, and says the following, “Hola guapo. ¿Cómo te llamas?”

It is at that point that you wish with every fiber of your rapidly pounding heart that you had invested your time in those Spanish classes when you had the chance.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish,” you blurt out in a pitchy, trembling voice. “Do you speak English?”

Not your best pick up line. She gives you a quizzical smile, cocks her head to the side to study the terrified whites of your eyes, and says very simply, “No.”

She then grabs her luggage from the carousel, turns, and walks out of your life forever, leaving you only with the memory of the most amazing legs you’ve ever encountered.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Do I have your attention yet? Good. Do you see why knowing Spanish is important? Excellent!

It’s no secret that breaking through the language barrier can be intimidating, even downright scary. I mean, it’s hard enough for us to communicate in our own language sometimes, right?

Is this how you feel? Are you scared of moving to the Latin tropics because you find the idea of the nuances of a new language about as overwhelming as teaching a burro how to catch a sombrero like a frisbee? Don’t worry! Your brain is much less stubborn and inclined to be distracted by the flowering weeds than your attempt at equine to canine translation education.

It’s actually very easy to become fairly proficient in Spanish in less than three months. In fact, you really only need to learn 1% of the roughly 100,000 words to unleash your own Antonio Banderas impersonation and speak about 90% of the spoken word. Don’t believe me? Read on dear doubter!

Many people feel intimidated by learning a new language and moving to a place where trying to convey your pressing need to use the restroom is not immediately apparent. While Google Translate is a great app in a pinch, it really betrays any attempt you make to not look like a gringo.

If you want to gain a certain comfort with a new language, it’s time to dive in. You’ll be impressing that saucy hot local you just met with your talented tongue’s linguistic skills in no time, instead of watching her walk away!

Bilingual benefits

If the advantage in the ability to communicate well enough to order a burrito instead of chicken feet doesn’t convince you to give a new language skill your time investment, there are more subtle ways learning Spanish, or any language, can be worth your time.

For one thing, it just makes you smarter. It has been shown that the act of learning a new language increases cognitive benefits such as concentration and the ability to tune out distractions. Studies also show that it can delay diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Of course, there are the obvious social benefits of being able to communicate with people, create new friendships, get driving directions, find clean bathrooms, and in general be the life of the party. And, the best part is, once you learn how to grasp a new language, it makes conquering your next foreign dialect that much easier.

Let Dr. Seuss make you feel better!

I’m a huge Dr. Seuss fan. Did you know Dr. Seuss’ vocabulary for “Green Eggs and Ham” was written on a bet that Dr. Seuss (a pen-name of Theodor Seuss Geisel) couldn’t write a book using only 50 words? Thankfully, children everywhere benefit from the successful outcome of that bet. This was after the completion of Dr. Seuss’ book, “The Cat in the Hat,” which was written on only 225 words.

So, if Dr. Seuss could effectively communicate a book with just 50 words in the English language, when the Oxford English Dictionary states that we have 171,476 English words, it stands to reason that you also don’t need to learn all 100,000 words in the Spanish Diccionario de la Real Academia Español.

Why Spanish lingo math translates better than the Pareto (80/20) Principle.

LexnGer

Many people are aware of the Pareto Principle. It simply states that for any effort exerted, 80% of the results will come from just 20% of the effort. Now, while this translates well for business endeavors, the results for learning a new language actually show an even easier equation.

You see, in order for you to be able to understand about 90% of the spoken word and 77% of the written word, you really only need to know the 1,000 most popular Spanish words.

If you feel like getting even more adventurous and double your learning to 2,000 Spanish words, you would increase your knowledge to 85% of all written and 93% of spoken Spanish.

With a 3,000-word Spanish vocabulary, you would be close to 90% of all written and 94% of conversational Spanish.

Do you see how your return on your investment goes down after the first 1,000 words?

Doubling your knowledge base only increases your linguistic talents by 8% in reading and 3% in speaking.

Adding an additional 1,000 words will only give you a 5% return on reading and a 1% improvement in speaking.

Therefore, learning the additional 97,000 words to know every Spanish word that you could possibly encounter, which would take you years to accomplish, will only give you a 10% return on reading and a 6% return on speaking.

If you just want to be able to talk to people and have a working knowledge of the language, it makes sense to focus on your first 1,000 words, and then pick up others as you become more immersed in the culture. After all, if you hear a word you don’t understand, you will have the language skills to ask for clarification and learn on the go.

Essentially, learning just 1% of the Spanish dictionary yields a 90% efficacy rate on understanding the Spanish channel on your T.V. or trying out your pick up lines at the nearest watering hole. Those ratios should encourage you and remove all fear of the Spanish dialect.

Now, let’s break this down even further.

Just focus on learning 100 of the most common Spanish words. Then, set a goal to learn 100 new words every week, while also brushing up on your previous words from past weeks so you don’t forget them.

Learning 100 new words per week translates to just about 15 words per day. If you keep up this schedule, in 10 weeks or about 2.5 months, you will have gained a working knowledge of the 1,000 most commonly-used Spanish words and will be able to comprehend 90% of any Spanish conversation.

To get you started, here’s 100 of the most commonly-used words to commit to memory this week.

1. el / la (def. art.) the 2. de (prep.) of, from 3. que (conj.) that, which 4. y (conj.) and 5. a (prep.) to, at 6. en (prep.) in, on 7. un (indef. art.) a, an 8. ser (verb) to be 9. se (pron.) -self, oneself [reflexive marker] 10. no (adv.) no 11. haber (verb) to have 12. por (prep.) by, for, through 13. con (prep.) with 14. su (adj.) his, her, their, your (fam.) 15. para (prep.) for, to, in order to 16. como (conj.) like, as 17. estar (verb) to be 18. tener (verb) to have 19. le (pron.) [3rd pers. indirect object pronoun] 20. lo (art.) the (+ noun) 21. lo (pron.) [3rd pers. masc. direct object pronoun] 22. todo (adj.) all, every 23. pero (conj.) but, yet, except 24. más (adj.) more 25. hacer (verb.) to do, make 26. o (conj.) or 27. poder (verb) to be able to, can 28. decir (verb) to tell, say 29. este (adj.) this (m); esta (f) 30. ir (verb) to go 31. otro (adj.) other, another 32. ese (adj.) that (m); esa (f) 33. la (pron.) [3rd pers. fem. direct object pronoun] 34. si (conj.) if, whether 35. me (pron.) me 36. ya (adv.) already, still 37. ver (verb) to see 38. porque (conj.) because 39. dar (verb) to give 40. cuando (conj.) when 41. él (pron.) he 42. muy (adv.) very, really 43. sin (prep.) without 44. vez (noun, f.) time, occurrence 45. mucho (adj.) much, many, a lot 46. saber (verb) to know 47. qué (pron.) what?, which?, how (+ adj.) 48. sobre (prep.) on top of, over, about 49. mi (adj.) my 50. alguno (adj.) some; (pron.) someone 51. mismo (adj.) same 52. yo (pron.) I 53. también (adv.) also 54. hasta (prep.) until, up to; (adv.) even 55. año (noun, m.) year 56. dos (num.) two 57. querer (verb) to want, love 58. entre (prep.) between 59. así (adv.) like that 60. primero (adj.) first 61. desde (prep.) from, since 62. grande (adj.) large, great, big 63. eso (pron., n.) that 64. ni (conj.) not even, neither, nor 65. nos (pron.) us 66. llegar (verb) to arrive 67. pasar (verb) to pass, spend (time) 68. tiempo (noun, m.) time, weather 69. ella (pron.) she; ellas them 70. sí (adv.) yes 71. día (noun, m.) day 72. uno (num.) one 73. bien (adv.) well 74. poco (adj.) little few; (adv.) a little bit 75. deber (verb) should, ought to; to owe 76. entonces (adv.) so, then 77. poner (verb) to put (on); get (+ adj.) 78. cosa (noun, f.) thing 79. tanto (adj.) much 80. hombre (noun, m.) man, mankind, husband 81. parecer (verb) to seem, look like 82. nuestro (adj.) our 83. tan (adv.) such, a, too, so 84. donde (conj.) where 85. ahora (adv.) now 86. parte (noun, f.) part, portion 87. después (adv.) after 88. vida (noun, f.) life 89. quedar (verb) to remain, stay 90. siempre (adv.) always 91. creer (verb) to believe 92. hablar (verb) to speak, talk 93. llevar (verb) to take, carry 94. dejar (verb) to let, leave 95. nada (pron.) nothing 96. cada (adj.) each, every 97. seguir (verb) to follow 98. menos (adj.) less, fewer 99. nuevo (adj.) new 100. encontrar (verb) to find

So, what do you need to be a Spanish rock star?

Edward Kimmel

There are many programs to help you learn Spanish. Just make sure when choosing them, that they have a strong rating to help you learn the language effectively, quickly, and easily. You should evaluate the program carefully to decipher if this is something you can stick with for a few months.

You can have the best material in the world, but if it doesn’t suck you in like a black hole and keep you consistently coming back for more, than you may as well use the books for an expensive door stop.

There is no better way to learn a new language than to immerse yourself fully in the culture. If you can, choose a private tutor and begin actively learning over passively sitting in the classroom. I mean, honestly, how much Spanish do you remember from high school? If it’s anything like my experience, it’s about enough to ask where the bathroom is and sing “La Cucaracha.”

Another way to ensure you pick up your Spanish quickly is to become an active vs. passive learner. Don’t allow yourself to be taught at. Instead, ask questions, get engaged, and really relate to the material covered.

To keep yourself entertained, find ways to read about things in Spanish that you already enjoy reading about in English. If you hate reading about knitting in English, getting through an article about it in Spanish will make you want to stick knitting needles in your eyes to stop the boredom. But, if you love parasailing, then grab a Spanish article about it and take off into that world. You will enjoy the learning experience so much more.

The best way to learn is to actively converse with native speakers. You will learn better talking with someone, and being humble enough to let them correct your pronunciation, than staring blankly at a book.

Just remember to keep your sense of humor through it all. They are allowed to laugh when you mix up the Spanish phrase for “I am hungry” and “I am a man.” Being a women and having this happen, laughing with them was my only option at that moment.

So, why is Spanish one of the easiest languages to learn?

First, many of our English words originated from the Spanish language. You will encounter words that make sense to you, just because you have seen a similar version of them in your mother tongue. Here is a list of English words of Spanish origin that will help you immediately feel smarter about your grasp of Spanish.

Second, most people in Spanish-speaking countries are extremely helpful and will patiently guide you, so that you can pick up on their language. If you can learn a few common phrases that you can utilize to gain further knowledge, you can certainly broaden your base just by befriending a few locals.

I used the phrase “¿Cómo se dice?” which means “How do you say?” along with pointing my finger at an object for which I didn’t know the Spanish name many times in my travels through Spanish-speaking countries. While I may have annoyed my local friends after the tenth question, they certainly were gracious enough not to show it.

If you can get a few of these phrases under your belt, this works like a charm for times when you can’t remember what something is called. And, you will make great friendships just reaching out and asking for help.

Third, the Spanish language only has about 100,000 total words. People actually only use a fraction of this number in daily conversation. While this amount of words may seem intimidating, when you consider that the Japanese or Korean dictionaries have 5 times that amount, you begin to realize that as far as languages go, there could be a much larger learning hurdle to overcome.

Besides, as we already mentioned, learning 1,000 to 3,000 words will get you all the linguistics you need to be conversational.

Don’t let the language barrier stop your adventure!

OK. For all of you doubters who feel you still can’t learn Spanish after reading this, I will play “worse case scenario” with you. Even if you never can roll the romantic “r” sounds of the Spanish language and find it impossible to learn a new skill, you actually don’t have to become bilingual to visit the Latin Tropics. Many people know English and can help you get around quite well.

Not knowing the language is not an excuse to limit yourself to English-speaking countries in your travels. So embrace your pioneering spirit and don’t ever let your lack of language stop you from tasting ever corner of this globe. While I would recommend learning the local lingo to enrich your travel experience, we all know a smile can still speak louder than words anyway.

And, for times when it doesn’t, it’s OK to use Google Translate and embrace your inner gringo. I just can’t promise that you will impress many Latin goddesses.

Guy Buchmann

An influential factor for some North Americans who decide to move further south to Central America is the desire to lead a healthy lifestyle. However many residents in Central America consume high concentrations of pesticides and processed foods. Without a gym or a Whole Foods nearby it can be difficult for those moving abroad to be as healthy as they would like to be.

Here are some of the towns in Central America where expats and locals have created health meccas where organic food and healthy activities abound. People who are dedicated to healthy, sustainable living will find themselves connecting with the like-minded communities that exist in these towns.

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Ana Munevar

Once the infamous party town of the South Caribbean, the gorgeous Costa Rican beach town of Puerto Viejo is making a name for itself in the health community. In addition to hiking, surfing, biking, and other physically healthy activities there are over five yoga studios which offer daily classes for those in need of some centering.

Residents enjoy healthy boxes of farm fresh organic produce twice weekly and access to incredible superfoods like noni juice, kombucha, and raw cacao at the farmers’ markets. There is also a farming cooperative in Playa Cocles in Puerto Viejo for those who want to get their hands dirty and help grow their own produce. There are also a few organic healthy cafes, even an entirely raw foods cafe. This makes it very possible to eat organic and healthy in Puerto Viejo.

The Tierra de Suenos health center in the Playa Chiquita neighborhood offers unique health opportunities for visitors and residents. The center works to heal individuals from all over the world suffering with chronic disease. There is an onsite holistic health consultant who works with community members on an as needed basis as well. Many residents in Puerto Viejo visit this center for a basic health analysis, to purchase vitamins and herbs, and for assistance with cleanses.

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

This gorgeous lake surrounded by rainforest, mountain trails, and volcanoes is one of the top destinations for nature lovers in Guatemala. The clean mountain air and abundance of outdoor activities make it easy for residents to lead a clean, active lifestyle.

Some of the outdoor enthusiasts who fell in love with Lake Atitlan’s natural beauty decided to move here and contribute to the healthy lifestyle. Atitlan Organics is not only providing organic produce for much of the community, they also support local farmers with the intention of building a cooperative of farmers. They sell produce at the local farmers’ market and offer tours of their farm.

The La Voz organic coffee farm grows organic fair trade local coffee. Coffee lovers can enjoy some of the healthiest and best coffee in the world here and even take a tour of the farm.

The town of San Pedro de la Laguna is an expat’s health mecca with international restaurants ranging from all organic to Asian to vegetarian and vegan. They have daily yoga classes as well as retreat centers for those interested in a deeper immersion or a cleanse. The local hot springs are a great way to relax after a work week and you can dine on organic food while soaking.

Playa Gigante, Nicaragua

G. Gill

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua is an ecological paradise and most of the coast enjoys quiet serenity with no crowds and few tourists. Playa Gigante, known by travelers for its surfing, is a quiet little town that some expats looking for a laid-back lifestyle in an authentic surf and fishing town call home.

Many centers have opened that gear specifically towards health and wellness tourism, which presents the opportunity for those with plans to open a wellness-focused business or healthy restaurant. Residents can also enjoy many of the yoga classes and wellness packages offered at these centers.

Papaya Wellness has all kinds of yoga classes, pilates, and qi gong as well as Ayurvedic consultations, nutrition classes, and raw food preparation courses. Aqua Wellness Resort offers body work as well as healthy vegetarian meals.

Nosara, Costa Rica

Possibly the healthiest town in all of Central America is Playa Guiones in Nosara in Costa Rica. The town sits on a stunning white sand beach with perfect surf waves surrounded by jungle.

Costa Rica has the highest concentration of wellness businesses and eco tourism, so it’s not surprising that one of the healthiest towns resides here. Nosara first became a popular destination decades ago when the Nosara Yoga Institute opened its doors and began the yoga revolution in Costa Rica.

Today expats enjoy an incredibly healthy lifestyle. There is an abundance of physical activities like stand up paddleboarding, kick boxing, pilates, yoga, and even stand up paddleboard yoga.

Raw cafes, juice bars, and even an organic grocery store are available to keep residents from missing their former lives of shopping at Whole Foods. You can order from the community farm cooperative, frequent the farmer’s market, or stop by the organic grocer any day of the week for organic produce.

Being healthy abroad is easier than many people realize. Towns with health-focused expat communities tend to have healthy options already, but if you find the town you want to relocate to is missing something perhaps that’s your opportunity to open your own wellness business.