Why Costa Rica is a Healthier Place to Live and Visit 

Costa Rica has long been hailed as one of the healthier place to live in the world with impressive longevity and good quality of life being two of the country’s most coveted attributes. But what are the reasons which make Costa Rica a healthier place to live? Why is it that even if this is considered a still-developing country, do people enjoy such high levels of good health?

We explore the reasons that make Costa Rica an exceptionally healthy place to live and show you that even on a short visit you can soak up some of its superb benefits.

Natural Superfoods Abound

When it comes to highly nutritious superfoods, the kind that are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, Costa Rica is an absolute goldmine. The foods which are on everyone’s lips nowadays – from coconuts to noni fruit and raw cacao, the golden ingredients which we know to be good for us grow in Costa Rica naturally, are sun-kissed and as organic as it comes. In such a highly agricultural nation, where the cuisine is based on fresh tropical vegetables and fruit – and very little meat – the healthy diet, and occasional culinary indulgence, is a way of life and one of the most delightful aspects of a Costa Rica vacation.

An Ideal Climate with Plenty of Sunshine

Vitamin D, the Holy Grail of just about everyone; that one vitamin which strengthens our bones and nurtures our well-being. The sun has it…and Costa Rica has plenty of sun! Not only does Costa Rica’s idyllic climate help in the fight against Vitamin D deficiency, but the abundance of good weather and sunny skies has an untold beneficial effect on people’s mood and happiness levels. Costa Rica’s dreamy climate is one of the reasons many foreigners make the move to a healthier place to live after retirement. With warmer temperatures, aches and pains are mitigated and life becomes infinitely more enjoyable. If you’re not convinced, try swapping your cold and dreary end of year vacation at home with a fantastic week-long Costa Rica escape. You’ll never doubt again.

Healthier Place to Live

Pura Vida, the Costa Rican mantra, epitomizes a culture of laid-back and relaxed living. Of all the intangible benefits of Costa Rica living this would have to be the most health-beneficial of all. Experts have long agreed that a lack of stress, happiness and optimism are three immensely important ingredients for a long and happy life. Some say they are even more important than genetics. Luckily for those living in Costa Rica, stress-free living comes with the territory and is a natural inherent characteristic of the local culture. People don’t rush here, because nothing is rushed. Life is enjoyed to the fullest, as are meals and time spent with loved ones, with the emphasis very much on ‘living’ rather than ‘existing’. At times, expat retirees find the transition from hectic city life to laid-back country life a little disconcerting. They find they have so much spare time that they don’t know what to do with themselves! But soon enough, they make friends, they develop hobbies (more on this below) and find alternative and much more relaxing ways to spend their days.

Outdoor Life = Happy and Healthy Life

Stress-free and active? Now there’s a recipe for success!

Those hobbies most expats develop have to do with Costa Rica’s array of outdoor activities. Hiking, cycling, surfing, kayaking: you name it, and if it requires you to enjoy the great outdoors, then in Costa Rica you will find it. For longevity, exercise need not be strenuous, but it should be enjoyable and constant, something which locals understand all too well. Costa Rica is home to some of the longest-living people in the world (most probably because they do not spend their life in front of the TV) especially in the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s so-called ‘Blue Zones’, where a great percentage of the population lives well beyond 90 years of age. Costa Rica’s obsession with outdoor fun is what makes it one of the best adventure vacation destinations on the planet, where the emphasis is very much on fun in the sun, surf and sand, and where people find it a healthier place to live.

A Loving and Welcoming Community Feel

In many ways, Costa Rica can be considered an ‘old-fashioned’ country, where a sense of family and community belonging is still very much high in the list of life-priorities. A feeling of belonging is arguably one of the country’s most attractive attributes and a pivotal reason cited by many foreigners who move here, especially those with no family back home. They share meals and festivities with neighbors and help plan local fiestas, they go for hikes and then enjoy a chat and a regroup in a thermal spa. How can any day spent like that be stressful?

If living in Costa Rica is sounding a little bit dreamy then rest assured that yes…it really is! Luckily, you can take advantage of all the best bits even on a short, one-week adventure trip. Indulge in the excellent fresh food, enjoy the great outdoors, have plenty of fun in the country’s forests, mountains and beaches and don’t forget to include a visit to one of best rejuvenating retreats when visiting.