Expat Life

When you go on vacation, do you leave your “diet” at home? When you hear the word “diet” do you automatically think, “weight loss”?  Words matter, and how you interpret diet can definitely make a difference in how you manage your weight, and ultimately, your health....

(Author's note: I wrote this story and took the photograph sixteen months ago after being in Ecuador for only a few weeks.) Seventy feet below where I live in Cuenca is a school. In the morning, the children come very early, about 6:30. They attend in three shifts,...

I apologize in advance for the rant but today I’m just fed up.  Sometimes I can’t help myself.  From least worst to worst worst foods ever manufactured, here are the four manufactured foods that have no place in a healthy diet. #4: Ramen noodles Recently, while...

When meeting with new clients, I always ask them to fill out a questionnaire that details some important facts, including past medical history, and diet and activity history. My new client ‘Don’ was seeing me for weight loss: he had high blood pressure and borderline...

I had seen her around El Centro a few times. It was usually east of Calle Hermano Miguel and north of Calle Simon Bolivar. She looked pretty beat down. I kept thinking about her, worrying about her well-being, wondering about her life here in Cuenca. Sometimes I don’t...

I think I am up to writing another note – it's about time, I tell myself. I see in my January note that I was coming out of my funk but it took two months for the next note and now another three months have gone by. The thought and intent would pop up from time to...

You are what you eat, but sometimes no matter how well you eat, you may experience heartburn. What is the difference between heartburn and GERD? Like so many other diseases, health experts link GERD (gastroesophageal reflux) in part to diet, but most certainly the...

By Rob Gray In an effort at Gran Roca farm to grow the Best Food Ever, we have set a high bar in committing to the goal of sustainable, year around production of world class food for consumption here in Ecuador. We have taken much of our guidance from the teachings of...

Text and photos by John Keeble It's easy to blow hot and cold about Ecuador – they are both fantastic. And, if you are energetic enough, you can catch both in a day: the equatorial heat of the deserted beaches and the chill of the Andes. I took the slow way, enjoying...

New research from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association shows that although 35% of Americans experience warning symptoms of a stroke, only 3% seek immediate medical attention. And ignoring any symptoms can be deadly. Maybe you’ve heard of a ‘TIA’?...

Mid-afternoon, a couple of weeks or so ago, found me strolling near Mercado Diez de Agosto in Cuenca. I’ve shopped there on numerous occasions and was parched, so in and upstairs I went for something to slake my thirst. As the cold glass full of fresh squeezed...

Avocados are one of the most healthful foods on earth, but should you eat them daily? After all, eating too much of this fatty fruit could result in weight gain, right? But what if the research showed that eating avocados helps control both your weight, as well as...

By Kris Fischer I look to my left. A bus careening on two wheels and belching diesel fumes bears down on me. I leap backwards just in time. My fellow pedestrians who have stayed safely curbside look at me with raised eyebrows as if to say, "Silly gringa! She really...

After writing my column on juicing a couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a reader asking why, if raw kale is purported to be so healthy, was I against drinking it. Another reader had a question about the word “blenderizing.”  In fact, she wrote, “do you mean...

Ángeles are a popular theme within the social structure of Ecuador. Catholicism reigns in this small South American country. There are paintings and statuary, carvings, drawings and reliefs of ángeles everywhere. Most of these are depicted in the traditional manner,...

By Deke Castleman “It tastes like chicken” is such a common expression that it has almost become a self-fulfilling prophesy: Any uncommon meat is now compared to the bland standard of this particular poultry. Rabbit, quail, ostrich, goose, pigeon, ptarmigan, frog,...

By Margaret Winter Looking for Cuenca's best nightlife? You'll find it at the Jazz Society Cafe. It's a little miracle to find a jazz club of this caliber in the Andes, with world-class performers in a venue that’s got the warm, intimate vibe of an authentic New York...

A year has passed since I posted another version of this column in CuencaHighLife.com. The more things change, the more they stay the same. But, what’s changed?  Time. A year has passed. What has stayed the same? Unfortunately, everything. The same individuals are...

By Chris Clarke This is the first of two articles about Ecuador through the eyes of a writer living in Costa Rica. The second will compare the similar economic and political problems of the two countries. It is a short flight to Quito from San Jose. Presently, you...

Last week, my column detailed the impressive increase in life expectancy around the globe. As reported in the National Institute on Aging, “The dramatic increase in average life expectancy during the 20th century ranks as one of society’s greatest achievements....