Americans have been left stunned upon seeing their health issues ‘disappear’ after moving to southern Spain.
Dozens of US residents said they had seen their blood pressure plummet, allergies disappear and their weight drop significantly after making the move to Andalucia.
Their responses came to a question asked by expat Tammy Bowers, who wrote on a Facebook forum: ‘Out of curiosity how many of my fellow expats have noticed significant changes In their heath since living here and what?’
Terri Winter shared a photo of her smart watch, showing how her blood pressure had dropped to 119.
She said: ‘I had been to the doctor’s office in the US twice since November. The first time the day after the election and once more for visa paperwork. Both times my blood pressure was over 150.
‘I have never had high blood pressure. They kept telling me I should be on medication, but I knew it would go down if I could just get out of there! Here’s a picture of it three days ago when I got here. Enough said.’
Valerie Lynch, who moved to Murcia, which neighbours Andalucia, said: ‘My husband who had been on cholesterol and blood pressure meds for decades is now totally off them.
‘Both of us lost significant weight because the foods we eat aren’t pumped full of chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones.
‘We have never been a fan of fast food places, and don’t frequent them here in Spain either.’
Colleen Kennedy, who moved to Malaga last year, said: ‘The lifestyle over the last 15 months living in Spain has allowed my nervous system to de-stress and heal bringing greater emotional regulation to my nervous system. I lived very differently in the US.
‘I now walk and bike everywhere just to go about my day. I also can afford to go to four dance classes a week now which increased my activity too. And I often walk for exercise here along the boardwalk by the sea.
‘Where as in California I drove a car everywhere and then walked for exercise at the beach. Everything was fast pace in California and more stressful, here isn’t like that.’
She added: ‘I find produce is fresher here, and lasts longer too. I think the nutrients are higher in fresher produce, which can heal ones body and supports emotional and physical health.
‘It’s farm to table instead of sitting in some cooler for weeks before coming to market. And the nutritionally denser produce is easily available everywhere here, not just in a farmers markets like in California.
‘My body feels more calm overall here, and it’s due to the overall pace of life here in the general public and culture. That means interaction with everyone here in Spain isn’t fast paced or stressful because people are more patient and not ready to snap at you. So, all human interaction here is more chill… It’s quite magical really.’
Meanwhile, Mical Ash said she had only been living in Almeria for a few days and noticed the difference.
She explained: ‘I can tell you I was gluten sensitive in the states, the past six years I could barely eat anything without it sending me to the bathroom immediately – I have had 0 issues with gluten here.
‘I can enjoy what we’re eating without fear of not making it home or to a bathroom in time. We’ve also already been walking more and we can feel it… the food flavour here is so much more flavourful than the States and we’ve noticed because of that we’ve already started to eat less.
‘I’m excited about food and I have never been excited about food. It’s always been a chore and I only looked at food as life support.’
Another expat said: ‘I’ve had stomach issues my entire life and they have all but disappeared since living here. I don’t know why, although I have plenty of theories. I genuinely feel like a new person.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
