The month of May brought a lot of travel for me! Between rainy New England weekends, I escaped to sunny St. Tropez!

There’s nothing like traveling to Europe and having most of your chronic health symptoms almost completely disappear despite eating worse, sleeping less, and generally being out of a healthy routine…Am I right?

Here’s what I think are the biggest reasons for this…

1. STRESS

It’s cliche, but I can’t deny that my body (and many of my clients with chronic health issues) are extra physically sensitive to stress. This could look like extremely tight muscles, headaches/migraines, higher blood sugar, increased joint inflammation, skin flares (acne, rosacea, eczema, etc) or a change in bowel habits.

When we are in a state of chronic stress inflammation increases and our ability to heal decreases, leading to more symptoms.

If you deal with emotional and physical stressors (gut imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, mold, COVID, etc) your stress tolerance may be low. This means even small things can pose a big stress on your body.

For example, at home, I am very mindful of my food, exercise, supplements, and sleep to keep my body feeling its best. In France, I ate less balanced meals, ate foods like dairy that I usually avoid, drank some alcohol, and didn’t work out once. Yet in France, I felt the best I have in a while. I know stress was the biggest factor because as soon as I woke up after returning home and started working on my long to-do list, I felt familiar symptoms coming back.

3. Food Quality

The food quality is often better in Europe! Local foods are very prevalent in grocery stores, and there is a big focus on using fresh, minimally prepared ingredients. That being said, the food isn’t “perfect” in Europe. They still use seed oils, sugar, fried food, etc. Overall, the quality of food is better and has an impact on our health

That being said, here are some French inspired recipes to bring some of France back home:

1. Niçoise Salad by Downshiftology

My motto has always been “no sad salads”. When I say I’m having a salad for lunch, it’s not your boring pizza store salad. No, its a hearty and interesting salad like a niçoise salads. They are filled with protein and fiber. This winning combo makes a hearty salad that actually fills you up. Plus all the flavors and textures make for a very not-sad salad!

2. Chocolate Mousse by The Balanced Nutritionist

I love a good chocolate mousse and I tried an amazing chocolate mousse at the hotel I was staying at. Here’s a high protein version that will fit in better with my blood sugar balancing meals.

3. Gluten Free Crepes by Meaningful Eats

I just have to try this recipe! I am a horrible gluten free baker but I saw people eating sweet and savory crepes and have been craving one ever since. This recipe is relatively easy for a GF recipe and can be used with so many different fillings.

~ Tamara