(And Why It Might Be the Key to Better Digestion, Energy, and Mood) If you were raised in the U.S., you’ve probably heard this your whole life: “Don’t lie down after eating.” In American health culture, the rule is practically sacred. Lying down—or worse, napping—after a meal is considered a recipe for weight gain, acid …

Focaccia is one of Italy’s most beloved breads, cherished for its golden, crisp crust, airy yet chewy interior, and fragrant toppings of olive oil, herbs, and sea salt. Originating from Liguria, this versatile flatbread has been a staple of Italian cuisine for centuries, traditionally enjoyed as a street food, table bread, or savory snack. Its …

So my cholesterol went down eating butter and my doctor thinks I’m lying. Not just butter. French butter. The kind that costs €4 for 250 grams and comes wrapped in paper like it’s precious gold and honestly at those prices it basically is. I switched from “heart healthy” margarine to French butter for 30 days …

It’s not magic. It’s a pot of broth that makes the house feel normal again, and that’s sometimes the only “cure” you actually get. My mother-in-law doesn’t do dramatic wellness. She’s Spanish, practical, and allergic to anyone selling “immune support” in a pastel label. But she does have one Italian habit she picked up years …

You can have a fat balance sheet and still live a thin life. The spreadsheets say millionaire, the Tuesday says takeout at 9 p.m., two cars that never stop billing you, and a body that needs coffee to impersonate you. You do not live inside your balance sheet, you live inside your week. Once you …

In a world full of over-complicated recipes and endless ingredient lists, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is refreshingly simple and utterly perfect. This classic Neapolitan pasta dish proves that with just garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, and pasta, you can create something deeply flavorful, comforting, and timeless. It’s the kind of meal Italian nonnas make on …

And What It Reveals About Respect, Rhythm, and the Cultural Cost of Being “Casual” Americans abroad are rarely short on friendliness. They smile, they speak up, and they often come with good intentions.But in places like Spain and Italy, that’s not always enough. Because in both cultures — where daily life is built around social …

A Greek family we know here in Spain has a line they repeat like it’s household law: when someone starts sliding into that “I feel off” week, their village GP back home tells them to do the boring things first. Sleep. Fluids. A real meal. Walk a little. Stop pretending coffee is a food group. …

Open a cupboard in a European kitchen and the labels do half the thinking. Bottles say “extra virgin olive oil.” Biscuit packets list “vegetable oils (sunflower, rapeseed)” in plain print you do not need a microscope to read. You can decide what to cook based on a sentence. Two weeks of using that clarity as …

While Portugal and Spain grab headlines for their golden visas, several other European countries offer surprisingly accessible paths to residency. These emerging options often come with lower costs, faster processing, and fewer applicants in the queue. The dream of living in Europe cobblestone streets, café culture, affordable healthcare, and weekend trips to new countries is …

Last week, I watched my kid eat a plain yogurt in Spain like it was normal food. No cartoon. No fluorescent swirl. No “birthday cake” flavor pretending to be breakfast. Then I thought about what “yogurt” often means back in the U.S. It’s not dairy plus bacteria. It’s dessert wearing athleisure. That’s the quiet mind …

Because long-term travel shouldn’t require a mountain of paperwork. Long-term travel is the ultimate dream for many Americans, whether it’s working remotely in Europe, learning a new language in Latin America, or embracing a slow-paced beach life in Southeast Asia. But visa restrictions often cut those dreams short, forcing travelers to shuffle in and out …