Best places to live a Healthy life?

[Kon]

Seeing as I'll be entering my adult years, this has got me thinking about where are the best places to live a healthy life.

Any comments/opinions/information would be greatly appreciated.

Also wouldn't mind details about where it is unhealthy living, but i'd rather focus on the healthy things..

for example; where are great places which offer alot of good/healthy food choices and such.

[Last of the Sane]

Northwestern europe, Scandinavia, Canada, New Zealand... I've been thinking about this too, but since I'm still studying I don't have to decide yet..

[offense74]

I would say Spain, Italy, Greece, Thailand because of the climate.

[andgbr]

what you mean healthy? diet or environment? or both?

 

well, besides that, you could also go to those places already posted above...

and some other places in Europe.. ( Europe rocks! )

[Kathryn]

A tropical island! You'd have fresh food all year round, which makes being a raw fooder so much easier.

Of course, tropical islands are probably either overrun by tourists these days, or isolated and full of disease-carrying mosquitos!

[Guest]

I would say the cleanest area would be in Scandanivia as well but the best food would come from non-third world tropical islands that have reasonable environmental laws...like Guam, Fiji, Hawaii, and maybe some of the more wealthy French territories in the Caribean

[Trev]

For me, somewhere a lot warmer than even West Coast Canada! My parents, both vegans, recently bought a chunk of land in Costa Rica to retire on. They've got a small orchard on it, and they said it was easy to get more fresh, organic tropical fruit than you could ever eat. They're even growing cashew trees. CR isn't for me, I don't think, but it's an idea. Australia might be another country to think about - I know I have (wife's an aussie by nationality).

[Kon]

interesting responses..

I was offered a job in barcelona, spain recently, but I never pursued it. Good reason to reconsider it..? I'm living in the united states near lake michigan, and It makes me nervous thinking about going outside the country, mostly because I have not traveled much if anywhere before. I would be interested hearing if there are any good healthy places in the u.s. but perhaps there isnt?

What about a climate makes it a healthy place? I'm also interested in the ease of finding good food, cuz where I am, it is very difficult it seems.

[Trev]

I find cold climates keep me indoors and make me just wanna hibernate. This is what brought me out west from Toronto, Ontario 8 years ago. I can be more active all year round in Vancouver.

 

As for healthy, vegan-friendly places in the states... A few hours in Portland, OR has got me itching to go back there and really see what's there... And a recent trip to San Francisco also proved quite healthy - vegan food was everywhere and the climate is pretty good. I think climate's important, but then, I don't like the cold. Hotter the better.

 

I'm sure some of the forum members in the above mentioned cities could tell you more! If I was a US citizen, I'd live in the Bay area, CA! Of course, I do have relatives in L.A.... Hmmm, how to get green card...

 

And if I got offered a job in Barcelona, I'd be on the next flight there! Don't be afraid of travel! Do some googling about living/working in Spain - might be worth a try!

[SmartMonkey Ani]

i'd think someplace near the equator, especially for my raw food diet

someplace with sun, warmth, lots of organic local fruits and veggies

 

i'd love to live in thailand or central america

[andgbr]

Brazil!

 

But the north area, close to amazon and with a really wet environment, in a small city, a really cheap place to live, the only problem is that you won't find a job easily in those places.. but still a great place for retirement. =D they've got all kinds of veggies and fruits, açaí and so on, and fruits that people in other countries don't even know that exist..

[loveliberate]

Hiya Kon,

 

This is a very interesting question - thanks for posting it here for us all to consider & discuss! I've done (& still do!) a lot of thought & research about the "best places to live & really I think this is largely personal. Folks could probably offer better answers if we knew more about you, your interests & what exactly you are looking for in a place.

 

Generally, my personal top picks / areas of interest right now are, in no particular order:

- Cascadia (think Oregon, Washington & Britsh Columbia + a lil' bit of adjoining area's)

- New Zealand

- Argentina

- Costa Rica

- Southern Europe: Switzerland, Southern France & Northern Italy - Spain is definitely interesting too!

 

As for climate, I think humans would ideally be mostly nomadic & stick to area's where the weather was moderate enough to not need artificial heating or cooling & which provides plenty of fruits, berries & deep green leafy's to eat.

 

 

 

Trev,

Why do ya say "CR isn't for me"?

[andgbr]

the only problem about some of these exotic places is that you don't get the chance to fight for stuff like AR, or at least be around people interested in the area..

[Trev]

Trev,

Why do ya say "CR isn't for me"?

 

I'm kind of a city guy, I mean, I love the woods and the mountains, but where I live, they're right behind my house in the city. Costa Rica just doesn't make sense for me at this point in my life, I still have a lot of things I want to accomplish and I just don't think they could be done from there. It rains there a lot. There's lots of bugs. I've heard some nasty things about the crime (particularily in San Jose), and I think the political ineptitude there would drive me into the jungle never to return. The environment there is under serious attack and they don't have the means to fight it. I'm trying to do my part here in Canada, where we give the environment a good thrashing as well, but I gotta pick my battles. For my parents, it makes a bit more sense - they've lived and travelled all over the world, from the middle east to Mexico, and they just want to look at birds and eat fruit. Altho, I have expressed my concerns for CR as a place for the aged (healthcare and support etc) but my parents are stubborn and they'll do what they want to do. I'll go visit and see what it's all about first hand, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't move there.

[andesuma]

Grow your own food, and live in the middle of nowhere.

 

Toxin free living

[Odidnetne]

Wherever you enjoy the scenery is healthy enough.

[loveliberate]

andgbr,

 

What do ya define as "exotic places" & why wouldn't you "get the chance to fight for stuff like AR, or at least be around people interested in the area.."? Also where are you from / living now?

 

All of the places I mentioned have AR/AL & Vegan stuff happening. If you moved to an area that didn't have the stuff you want to be involved with going on already, you could always help make it happen!

 

 

Trev,

Thanks for the reply - I understand your concerns with Costa Rica & that it may not be the place for you, me or whoever. That said, it is an amazing place with many, many great things going for it so I want to reply to what you wrote with some of the many good things about the place.

 

By Central &/or Latin American standards, CR is an excellent place to live. It's in the top 10% or so of the world in terms of its standard of living. San Jose, CR is definitely a city & like Vancouver, it has world-class woods + mountains that you can see right from downtown. It does rain a lot there but its a lot warmer than here in Cascadia.

 

Lots of bugs? Sure, but what would you expect from a country that contains approx. 5% of the worlds biodiversity. I've heard lots of bad things about the crime in Vancouver, esp. drug related & esp. around East Hastings & out in Surrey. The environment in CR is definitely under attack, just like it is here in Cascadia & almost everywhere else in this world. But CR's has given protective designation to about 27% of their land - how many countries can claim that?

 

Costa Rica has nationalized health care that non-citizens can buy into as well as excellent private doctors & hospitals. Many CR medical professionals have trained in the US, Canada &/or Europe. Heck, quite a few folks travel there just to get medical treatment!

 

Perfect? No... but pretty darn good comparitively!

Edited January 5, 2007 by loveliberate

[Kon]

what is AR/AL ?

[Trev]

what is AR/AL ?

 

Animal Rights/Animal Liberation

 

 

loveliberate: I was a bit negative about CR, I don't hate the place or anything. A lot of the bad stuff I read from supposed Costa Ricans, who may have been frustrated with their own situations in CR. The only central American country I've been to is Honduras. It was pretty poor. I'm pretty sure San Jose's crime rate is much worse than Vancouver and Surrey's - our crimerate gets a lot of press because in relation to most of Canada it's really bad and very much right out in the public. It's not dangerous for tourists or anyone not involved the drug industry, whereas I've heard that tourists are often targeted in CR. That's what I was getting at with the crime. Don't get me wrong - I'll go visit my folks down there and see it for myself, I just know I wouldn't want to live there. Good to know about their healthcare - I was a bit worried for my parents, even though they've read Healthy at 100 . And I've heard many people go there for cheap plastic surgery. I'd never call Vancouver or Canada perfect! Too darn cold for me!

[loveliberate]

Heya Trev,

 

I've definitely heard some frustrating things about CR too, particularly about governmental hassles. I haven't been there yet myself but hope to visit someday. I think about it a lot when Cascadia has been chilly & wet for several months on end...

 

I'd expect crime in San Jose to be worse than in Vancouver - it's a larger city with a lot more poverty & social inequality. That occasionally some folks end up robbing a few gringo's (who quite often flaunt or otherwise act stupidly their cash) is pretty predictable... From what I've read it's pretty easy to minimize your risk with common sense precautions.

 

I was told that cars with US or even just out-of-province plates are often targetted for break-in's &/or car-theft, particularly in Surrey. From what I've read, that's also the main risk visitor's face in CR.

[Trev]

I was told that cars with US or even just out-of-province plates are often targetted for break-in's &/or car-theft, particularly in Surrey. From what I've read, that's also the main risk visitor's face in CR.

 

Actually, all cars, regardless of the plate, are targets. And not just in Surrey - pretty much all over the lower mainland, even in upscale West Vancouver. You just don't leave anything in your car ever and you're usually fine.

[Guest]

Actually car theives rarely need to look at much of anything to target since so many people leave keys in their cars. I know since I was in the business many years back. You'd be suprised how many people with nice cars leave keys in the ignition, on seats or dangling down from their sun visors in the case of cars with touch codes.

[Trev]

Actually car theives rarely need to look at much of anything to target since so many people leave keys in their cars. I know since I was in the business many years back. You'd be suprised how many people with nice cars leave keys in the ignition, on seats or dangling down from their sun visors in the case of cars with touch codes.

 

You used to steal cars?

[Guest]

I took a few but I definately stole my share of car stereos...this all stopped when I was 15 thank goodness

[Trev]

I took a few but I definately stole my share of car stereos...this all stopped when I was 15 thank goodness