The first thing I do when on holiday is to find the nearest fruit and veg market. When in Rome, I didn’t quite do as the Romans do. When our group eagerly escaped for sightseeing, I went looking for FRESH FOOD. Now why would I travel halfway round the world to do that??

There was a delicatessen not far from our hotel in Rome. The gorgeous variety of cheeses, bread, pasta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes fascinated me. I bought a baguette to have with my buffalo mozzarella and a small bottle of virgin olive oil to take back to my room – but alas, no fresh fruit. I just had to get grapefruit, orange and lemon to have the next morning. But where was the nearest market? No-one in the deli could speak English – but one of the customers could and drew me a map: the market was less than a kilometre away. 

Well, it was a sight to behold! Tables full of luscious fruits and garden-fresh vegetables. I just wanted to grab a bit of each and fill my basket … but we only had 2 more nights in Rome, so sadly, I was restricted to:

• 4 apples (as a snack) 
• 2 oranges and a lemon to juice before breakfast (yes, I did bring my citrus squeezer and used half of the lemon) 
• 2 plump carrots (to have before going to dinner)
• Fresh figs and pistachios for my tour group.

My cruise companions filed in around lunchtime. “Where were you? You went to a fruit market??” 

“Well, yes – and along the way I went inside a church, heard a male choir and was mesmerised by their voices. You should have come with me – and oh – I bought you this.”

I make it a point to chew the pith from my oranges after I squeeze the juice. The pith contains pectin – a valuable fibre. And I get more daily fibre from the crunch and raw goodness of the apples and carrots. Here’s solid evidence as to why this makes me feel so good:

“The food matrix and the fibre properties found in whole foods are mostly lost … when fruit or vegetables such as apples, oranges or carrots, are juiced. And adding fibre supplements does not reintroduce the lost structural food matrix properties found in unprocessed plant foods.”

Fontana, L. (2020). ‘The path to longevity: How to reach 100 with the health and stamina of a 40-year-old’, p.74. Hardie Grant Books: Richmond, Victoria.

So you see why my holiday accommodation is never far from a fresh food market. I choose not to drive and prefer to walk, take public transport or book ride-shares. The feel-good from my fruit-and-veg regime motivates me to socialise! I talk to people. In supermarkets, I’d say: “Hi, that looks so interesting – do you mind me asking what it is? Do you eat it raw or cooked?” And we chat away like old friends.

In a cab, I’d ask: “When did you start your shift today?” This initiates such spirited conversation, that I’m blown away. I learn more about the country this way than I would reading any travel guide. My ride was worth more than the fare!

As Peta Bee confirms in The Australian:

“Meeting people in any situation … is cognitively demanding. It requires us to think and react and make judgements, to remember things about people and to make jokes or internally assess responses, all of which exercises the brain.”

Bee, P. (2023, November 14). ‘Seven Ways to Boost your Brain and be a Cognitive Super-Ager’. The Australian. (Peta quotes Andrew Sommerlad, Assoc Prof of Psychiatry, University College London.)

Tips for an ENERGISED holiday

• Pack a $2 juicer, cling wrap or sandwich bags, a paring knife and a fork
• After check-in, unpack and get yourself to a fresh food market
• Buy oranges and/or grapefruit, carrots and a lemon or two; if you see local fruit you like, get some!
• On the way back to your hotel room, go to the breakfast buffet area and pick up a bowl and a plate 
• Empty your mini-bar and call housekeeping to collect the salty peanuts, alcohol and soda drinks. The fridge is now yours to fill – with healthy food
• Every morning, juice half your citrus, dilute with a full glass of water, and eat the pith
• Have a shower, have breakfast and grab an apple on your way out for the day – perfect between breakfast and lunch 
• For lunch and dinner, have anything that appeals to you (hopefully it’s nutritious!)
• Save your sweet treats to have at least 2 hours after all your main meals.

You’re welcome to join me on my next holiday – I promise you’ll not be constipated, tired or bored!!