Inspiration: woman's world magazine

As I've mentioned before- I love magazines. I read every magazine I can get my hands on because I know there is SOMETHING in there that will be of value to me. A recipe, a quote, a thought spoken by a designer. But, every time there is a new issue of Woman's World out, I throw one at LML and smile. When he asks what, I say gimme. He laughs at my magazine obsession.

In Woman's World magazine (article excerpt below from 12/14/09), there is always an article about health tips from around the world. (World's Healthiest Women) and this month there was an excerpt about Greece. Lower your bloog pressure by slowing down. It says the following:
"Greek people's calmer lifestyle is a big reason why they're 96% less likely to have high blood pressure than Americans! Chronic stress leads to high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which constricts the blood vessels and raises blood pressure, says Steven Jonas, M.D., author of 30 Secrets of the World's Healthiest Cuisinees. Relaxing can reduce your cortisol levels by 10%, lowering your systolic bloof pressure by up to 30 points."

No offense to Woman's World and Steven Jonas...but if you've ever travelled to Greece, you have known this. The lifestyle there is not as it is here. There, they work to live. Here in America, we live to work. Greeks enjoy their coffee in the morning, break from work for a siesta mid-day, and go back to work in the afternoons. Siesta is when they (we) recharge for the happenings of the nighttime. Greeks are always getting together with their friends, family...going out to eat, checking out new places, going over new ideas and gossip.

It's what keeps us (Greeks) young.

So Mr. MD Steven Jonas- sorry. Us Greeks knew all about relaxing and our healthy lifestyle way before you did. What other reason would be for us to be labeled as leisurely, happy and healthy folk?

It also could be a reason why we're still going strong- we are one of the world's oldest cultures. Is the secret in our diet, lifestyle, education, likes and dislikes?

You be the judge :)

(and please don't have high blood pressure...blogging is a good way to ease stress!)

Love,

MG