Living in another country is very rewarding and can be a fantastic learning experience. Learning a new language and culture are enriching experiences that will also help you learn about yourself and grow as a person. There is a lot that goes into the logistics of living abroad so you can be able to take advantage of everything it has to offer.
You’ll have to figure out how to store your things and secure visas to be able to get organized for the move. An issue that tends to get overlooked is staying safe while living in another country. You may not think things will be much different, but between the food, water, and culture being different your health can end up being a challenge. In this article, we will go over what it takes to stay healthy while living abroad.
1 – Get the right insurance
For a while, you will not be able to join the public health system. This is reserved for citizens and residents so you will need to have your own insurance for UK expats abroad while you wait to become a resident and qualify for the public insurance option. This will give you protection so you are not without any recourse if you do get suddenly ill or have an accident.
It is important to check the coverage of the policy you are interested in since you will also want to be able to see private doctors for routine checkups and problems that may not be an emergency. This is how you stay healthy when you can proactively deal with your health instead of always reacting when you are already ill. Prevention is always the best medicine.
2 – Eat right
Diet is very important to your overall health so eating right is essential. This can be an issue when you are in a foreign country. You may not know how to cook the local ingredients or understand what they are, to begin with. Expats often fall into the trap of eating out a lot as a result. This often involves eating lots of meat and carbs and not nearly enough vegetables.
It is important to try to eat a balanced diet so take some time to understand the local ingredients so you can cook the foods you are used to eating. You can take a market tour with a local so you can get an idea of what the ingredients are and what you can do with them.
Make sure to be eating a lot of vegetables and fruit so you are getting a balanced diet. Follow some of the food customs there as they will have the diet sorted out the best.
3 – Get plenty of exercise
Even if you are eating right you need to do more to boost your immune system so you are not getting sick often. A strong immune system often comes from exercising so your body is sending nutrients to every part of the body. Make sure to be getting plenty of exercise on a daily basis.
Getting to know the area where you live is best done on foot so walk around everywhere. You will be getting exercise while also learning about what your neighborhood has to offer.
Join a gym to go for a deeper and more intense workout so you are building up strength and keeping your body fit. You may want to hire a trainer for a little while to make sure that you are getting the most out of your workout.
4 – Try to not get stressed
Living abroad is exciting and rewarding but it can also be anxiety inducing. You will be faced with a lot of frustrations due to language and cultural differences. Things that often would be fast in your home country take way longer than you expect them to in your new country. Then there is the loneliness that you feel when you are an outsider.
This leads to stress and that leads to a weaker immune system. If you want to stay healthy you will need to find ways to beat away stress. Start by doing things like meditating and yoga so you can keep your mind calm and face problems with ease.
You should also make sure to be getting enough rest since sleep helps to lower your cortisol levels which is how stress affects your overall health. Use a white noise machine to avoid distractions at night if your neighborhood is noisy. Putting yourself on a sleep schedule and sticking to it helps as well.
There are even lots of essential oils that will help calm your mind so look into diffusers and bath bombs that release scents such as lavender to destress and unwind.
