Healthy Living Blog: Our Europe Trip Recap: What We Tested, What we learned, and What We Can’t Stop Thinking About

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Have you ever come back from a trip to Europe and thought, why do I feel so different over there? Less bloated. More energized. Sleeping better. Digesting foods you’d normally avoid entirely. If that sounds familiar, you are absolutely not imagining it, and this episode of Midlife Conversations is going to explain exactly why.

Natalie Jill and her husband Brooks just returned from an almost two-week journey through Germany, Switzerland, Lake Como, and Piedmont, and what they brought back wasn’t just beautiful memories. It was a deeper understanding of how the food we eat, the environment we live in, and the pace we move through life are affecting our bodies in ways most of us haven’t connected yet. This episode is part travel diary, part health revelation, and completely worth your time if you’ve ever wondered why midlife health feels so much harder in America than it seems to elsewhere.

The Passport Crisis, Packing Light, and Getting There

Before the trip even started, there was a passport mystery that nearly derailed everything. Thanks to an Arizona DMV error that had listed Natalie’s sex incorrectly on her driver’s license, her passport had been temporarily pulled out of its usual fireproof-safe location months earlier and never returned. Cue a frantic late-night search the evening before departure.

The lesson? Know where your documents are. Always.

Once the passport was found and the trip was officially on, the couple had a system: carry-on only. After losing checked luggage on a previous Europe trip (including hormone patches, which Natalie describes as a rookie mistake she will never repeat), both committed to packing light. For Natalie, that means silk skirts, tank tops in every color, one pair of sneakers, one pair of flats, a jean jacket, and all supplements decanted into small travel bags. Brooks, with his military background, needed almost no convincing.

One practical note for anyone flying Lufthansa: they do weigh carry-on bags for economy passengers, and the limit is 8 kilograms (about 17.6 pounds). The couple also travels with an empty duffel bag for the return trip, in case they pick up anything along the way.

Frankfurt, Germany: EMF Testing and an Unexpected Science Experiment

Their first stop was Frankfurt, and it included something Natalie had been preparing for ten days prior: third-party biometric testing with Philip, founder of Leela Quantum and Quantum Upgrade. To establish a clean baseline, Natalie had stopped wearing all her Leela Quantum products and turned off her Quantum Upgrade subscription before leaving the States.

The testing used a clinical 256-channel EEG device operated by one of Europe’s top scientists in the area of EMF impact. The protocol was straightforward: establish a resting baseline, conduct a 30-minute 5G phone call with the phone held directly to the ear, and then repeat the same phone call with Quantum Upgrade activated.

Natalie developed a headache within five minutes of the first call. The data showed significant shifts in her limbic system, frontal and temporal regions, stress brainwaves, and HRV during that unprotected 5G exposure. When Quantum Upgrade was turned on, her HRV recovered and her brain activity returned toward baseline. Her HRV dropped 47% during the unprotected call and fully recovered with Quantum Upgrade active.

Brooks, who describes himself as skeptical of anything he can’t fully explain mechanistically, found himself convinced after watching the testing. What shifted his perspective was learning that the Quantum Upgrade system is connected to three large physical installations on three separate continents, making it feel less like a digital magic trick and more like something with actual infrastructure behind it. Natalie plans to bring Philip and the lead scientist back for a dedicated podcast episode to walk through the full data report.

For anyone sensitive to EMFs, this is worth paying attention to.

Stuttgart: A Quick Stop at the Porsche Museum

Because the Porsche factory and museum were directly on their route south, Brooks (a lifelong Porsche enthusiast with a bookshelf full of 300 to 800-page Porsche histories) got his bucket list stop. The museum includes a Michelin-starred restaurant. Unless you’re doing a European delivery pickup, it’s probably not worth a dedicated trip, but as a two-hour detour? Absolutely worth it for car people.

Constance, Switzerland Border: A Night on the Water

One night in Constance, a small town on the German-Swiss border, gave them a charming stopover. Natalie describes it as what you’d get if San Francisco and Encinitas, California had a baby. It sits right on the water, which was intentional on Brooks’s part, since he always tries to include water stops for Natalie. The Brazilian-owned boutique hotel was lovely, though the room had been aggressively perfumed to cover a previous guest’s smoking. Natalie noticed it immediately; Brooks barely registered it. Your mileage will vary.

Lake Lucerne, Switzerland: The Most Beautiful Place on Earth

Thirty-three years ago, a young Natalie did a backpacking trip through Europe right after college and fell completely in love with Lake Lucerne. The image of rolling green hills, Swiss Alps, and cows with bells stayed with her for decades. So when the itinerary brought them near Switzerland, she asked Brooks to take her back.

Their first Lucerne stop was at Chateau Gooch, a castle perched on a hill above the city, accessible by a small private lift running up the mountainside. The views were stunning. They spent a full walking day exploring the town and the lakeside. That evening, a graduation party happening directly beneath their room turned what could have been an annoying situation into one of the best nights of the trip. The hotel sent up champagne as an apology for the noise, and Natalie and Brooks ended up on their balcony, watching the sunset and the moonrise, dancing along to the music from below. Natalie describes it as the most perfect way to experience a club: right next to your own bathroom, your own bed, and no one asking you to talk.

Lake Como, Italy: Boat Tours and a Beautiful Discovery

Lake Como exceeded expectations. The couple stayed at the Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, a town positioned at the junction of the lake’s Y-shape, with easy access to Bellagio and other villages by ferry. Brooks specifically chose Menaggio because unlike some lakeside hotels that leave guests stranded without walkable access to anything, Menaggio has shops, restaurants, and easy parking for their rental car.

The highlight was a private boat tour. Booked for two hours, extended to three once they were out on the water, it gave them sweeping views of the turquoise lake, lush green mountains, and the famous lakeside villas. Natalie strongly recommends budgeting for this experience if you visit. One humorous note: she quickly understood at the two-hour-forty-five-minute mark why most tours are booked for two hours. There are no restrooms on the boat.

An unexpected moment happened while waiting for the ferry back: Natalie ran into a first cousin she hadn’t seen in years, completely by chance, in the middle of Lake Como. Her cousin’s son recognized Brooks by his distinctive white-blond hair from a distance.

Piedmont, Italy: Slow Food, Ancient Wine, and a Hotel That Changed Brooks

From Lake Como, they drove south into Piedmont, the Italian wine region known for white truffles, hazelnuts, and the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita anywhere in the world. Brooks chose Villa Madonna, a vineyard property with only 18 rooms. Everything consumed there came from within a 15-to-20-mile radius. The bread was handmade. The cocktails were handmade. The fruits were in-season and from the property or nearby farms. The wine came from the vineyard itself.

Brooks fell in love. He would, by his own admission, like to live there permanently, grind their wheat, collect their eggs, and never leave.

What made it special beyond the food was the service. With only 18 guests at a time, the staff genuinely learned who you were. The kitchen always knew Natalie was celiac. Every meal, without prompting, gluten-free options were presented without hesitation.

Natalie, who thrives on novelty and movement, found her downtime in Piedmont productive in a different way. She spent hours researching topics that had been nagging at her, and one of the most illuminating was a question she hears constantly from her audience.

Why You Can Eat Bread and Pasta in Italy Without Issues

This is one of the most frequently asked questions in midlife health communities, and Natalie dug deep into the research while sitting in Piedmont with nothing but time and good wifi. Here is what she found, broken down simply:

  1. The wheat itself is different. The United States primarily grows hard red wheat, a variety with 13 to 15% gluten content, specifically because industrial baking machinery can process it faster. Italy and much of Europe use soft durum wheat, which has a lower gluten content of 9 to 11%. Your digestive system breaks it down more easily.
  2. Soil health has been depleted in the U.S. American mega-farms rely on monoculture agriculture, meaning the same crop grows in the same field year after year. This depletes the soil of minerals and nutrients. European farms, particularly in Italy, rotate crops regularly, preserving soil health. American farms also add synthetic fertilizers that are harder on the microbiome.
  3. Glyphosate. Roundup is still commonly used in U.S. agriculture, not only as an herbicide but as a pre-harvest drying agent that speeds crop processing. It directly irritates the gut lining. In Italy, glyphosate is heavily restricted or banned as a pre-harvest agent. Even farms that claim not to use it in the U.S. may have contamination from neighboring operations via runoff.
  4. Fermentation time. Traditional Italian bread is made with a slow fermentation process similar to sourdough, taking 24 to 48 hours to rise. American commercial bread is typically rushed to rise in under an hour using fast-acting yeast. The slow fermentation process effectively pre-digests the gluten before you ever take a bite.

If you have been told you are gluten-sensitive but you travel to Italy and eat pasta without issue, this is not placebo or vacation relaxation. The food genuinely is different.

The Digestive Enzyme Game-Changer for Travelers

Even with significantly higher food quality across the entire trip, Natalie and Brooks ate considerably more than they typically do at home. The solution they swear by: digestive enzymes at every single meal.

The brand they use and recommend is Masszymes. After age 35, your body naturally produces fewer digestive enzymes, which is part of why bloating, slow digestion, and food sensitivities become more common in midlife. Supplementing with enzymes helps your body break food down more efficiently, reducing bloating, improving nutrient absorption, and speeding elimination.

Natalie took up to six enzymes over the course of a long three-hour dinner, spacing them out as each course arrived. Brooks found them equally helpful, particularly on evenings when they had wine, which they essentially never drink at home. Both credit the enzymes with keeping them feeling well even on nights of four-course tasting menus with wine pairings.

The couple also used transdermal detox patches (worn over the liver) on nights when they’d eaten heavily or had alcohol. Natalie describes the effect as remarkable, particularly for the morning-after feeling that even light drinking produces when your body hasn’t processed alcohol in years.

The Naked Day in Germany (Yes, Really)

Frankfurt’s Vitale Hotel sits adjacent to a “Therm Lounge,” a German wellness spa. Brooks went to investigate what appeared to be a pool and jacuzzi situation. What he encountered was something considerably more German: a co-ed, clothing-optional outdoor area where nudity is entirely normal, legally protected, and completely unremarkable to local families.

Germany has a cultural tradition going back generations that includes nude sunbathing in parks, by lakes, and at certain spas. What struck Brooks most was not the nudity itself but the absence of self-consciousness around it. Children played near adults without giggling or pointing. Adults went about their business without making it a thing. It was, as he put it, just… normal.

Natalie attended once, in a bathrobe, and confirmed it is not for her. Brooks went three times. The contrast in cultural attitudes toward bodies, particularly in midlife, is worth noting given how much shame and self-consciousness the Natalie Jill community works to move through.

Selisberg, Switzerland: The View That Stopped Time

On their way back toward Frankfurt, Natalie and Brooks made a second stop in the Lake Lucerne area, this time staying in a remote hillside village called Selisberg. The hotel was modest, maybe a two-star. Natalie did not care.

The view from their room looked out over the lake, across to the Alps, with snowcaps visible and water so blue it appeared digitally enhanced. It does not look like that in real life. It just looks that way because Switzerland is genuinely that beautiful.

They drove over the Swiss Alps on the way, climbing through winding mountain roads until they reached an altitude where snow still covered the ground and large, bell-wearing black-and-white-and-brown cows grazed on impossibly green hillsides. Natalie, by her own description, became “like a little kid.” Brooks pulled over multiple times.

Natalie names Selisberg as one of the top three moments of the entire trip. She would return for at least an extra day if given the chance.

A Health Detour: The T3 That Got Left Behind

Somewhere between Piedmont and the drive north, Natalie realized she had left her T3 thyroid hormone at Villa Madonna. For those unfamiliar, T3 is a thyroid medication that has been life-changing for Natalie after years of undiagnosed low thyroid. Going without it for even a couple of days affects mood, energy, and mental clarity noticeably.

This is worth mentioning not just as a funny travel story but as a practical reminder: if you take hormone replacements or thyroid medication, those go in your personal item. Not in a bag that stays with your luggage. With you. Always.

Basel: Big Pharma’s City and the Best Hamburger of Natalie’s Life

Their last stop before heading back to Frankfurt was Basel, Switzerland, which sits right on the German border. Natalie had expected something similar to the rest of Switzerland. What she found felt different: more industrial, less charming, and noticeably lacking the historic architecture that characterizes most Swiss and German cities.

After some research, she found out why. Basel is home to several major pharmaceutical companies and has undergone significant development that removed much of its older architectural character. It felt, in her words, like a dirty city with nothing that impressed her.

The one exception: a hamburger from a random restaurant they found after navigating gluten-free options across several menus. Natalie, who did not eat red meat for 42 years, has now been converted. That burger may have been the best she has ever had.

What Europe Teaches You About Quality of Life

Natalie closes the episode with an observation that goes beyond food and hormones. Across every country they visited, she noticed the same throughline: people are less rushed, more present, more focused on the story behind what they are eating and drinking, more willing to sit with a meal for two or three hours without checking phones or rushing to the next thing.

The slow food movement started in Piedmont for a reason. The aperitivo culture, where a light bite and a drink lead gently into a long dinner, exists because eating is not treated as something to get through. It is part of the day that deserves its own time and attention.

American culture has optimized for speed and volume at the cost of experience and digestion. The oversized portions, the rushed rises in commercial bread, the synthetic fertilizers in the soil, and the hurried meals are not unrelated. They are part of the same system, and that system is making midlife harder than it needs to be.

Traveling to Europe will not solve everything. But paying attention to what changes when you are there, and asking why, is exactly the kind of health detective work this community is built around.

Practical Takeaways for Your Own Travel (and Your Daily Life)

If you are planning a Europe trip or just want to apply what Natalie and Brooks learned:

  • Bring digestive enzymes to every meal, especially if you are eating more than usual or having wine. Masszymes is the brand they use.
  • Put your medications and hormone patches in your personal item, not your checked or carry-on luggage.
  • Carry-on only if you can manage it. It genuinely changes the travel experience.
  • If you are sensitive to EMFs, look into Leela Quantum and Quantum Upgrade. Natalie has third-party testing data that convinced even her skeptical husband.
  • When you feel better eating bread or pasta in Europe, it is not your imagination. The wheat, the soil, the fermentation process, and the absence of glyphosate are all different.
  • Slow down at meals when you can. Enzymes help. Presence helps more.

 

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The contents of the Midlife Conversations podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider. Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links mentioned on this podcast.

 

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