My Trip to Spain (Part 3 of 3)--More Observations on Spanish Life

Wednesday, March 12

Incredibly, all the bars and restaurants are full of cigarette smoke. Young Spaniards puff away at an alarming rate, oblivious to the dangers. Passive smoke is just not yet a concept over there. Anti-smoking crusader Mayor Bloomberg wouldn't stand a chance of getting elected mayor of Madrid.

Occasional joggers can be seen around the Parque del Retiro, Madrid's big open space. But at times I wondered if most of them weren't Americans. Jogging seems un-Spanish, with all the walking people do to get around. And the cobble stoned streets are hilly, giving you a good workout.

Because many of Spain's towns have medieval street plans, especially heritage places like Toledo and Segovia, you can easily walk 100 feet and find yourself completely lost, even with a street map in your hands. Unless you take guided tours, much of the time you will spend in Spain involves "orienteering".

Vitamins? I found health food stores with natural products, even herbal formulas, but in my entire week in Spain I did not see one bottle of supplements for sale. Maybe the vitamin revolution hasn't crested here. Give it some time.

A travel tip: Adjusting to a new time zone can be rough, and I found Advanced Sleep Support, a product I developed in conjunction with the Vitamin Shoppe as part of our new MD Select collaboration, to be excellent for knocking me out during my overnight trans-Atlantic plane flight, and for reinforcing sleep in a Madrid apartment where the sounds of late night revelers continually wafted up to my balcony.

My rudimentary Spanish got me through most situations, but I'm pleased to announce that future broadcasts of Health Talk will be in my native tongue, English.

Next: I'll tackle the recent headlines that erroneously claim "Vitamin E Causes Cancer". Hasta luego!