I think it just is so obvious that America is so obsessed with weight, diets all the time, yet struggles with such high obesity rates and then you go to other countries and you don't see as many obese people at all.

I have been to Prague, Czech Republic and in their grocery stores they have everything very fresh - meats (they do eat cheeses), they have breads but alot of it is unsprouted fermented. They also drink a kind of drink called Kvass (as they do in Russia) which is a fermented drink that helps digestion because it is full of good bacteria that helps fight off infections, etc.

My sister lived in Brazil for a year on business and they are famous for their Churascos (spelling) huge barbecues where they roast a whole side of beef on a spit. They are just like Argentina in that they are famous for their cattle herds.

In the Carribean, on most of the islands I have been to (Cayman, Antigua, barbados, St. Martten, St. Lucia, St. Johns) they eat alot of seafood. In fact when I was in Cayman Islands, my weight dropped down way too low because practically all I wanted to eat was Shrimp, Prawns, Lobster - for every meal - I love it!!!

Canadians don'/t diet too much. When I was up in Whistler, Canada one winter we had dinner in one of the towns restaurants that was French Fondue style. We had cheese fondue with meat cubes and about 3 bottles of wine (for 4 people). I felt great!! No indigestion or anything. I think it had something to do with eating the cheese with the wine.

That's the other thing - traditional ways of combining foods have been lost in America - the old ways are the right ways because foods were paired together for good digestion and flavor etc. Here in the states - it's usually what is convenient from a box or whatever - awful.

Someday soon I want to go to Sweden to see where my grandparents came from and then also to France & Italy!!