I've learned a lot from this research-heavy trip and one thing that particularly applies to preparedness is traditional food.

Sure, they've got modern bistros in Sofia and spicy Thai bowls in Bucharest, but my goal is not to be "fancy" – it's to eat what local folks eat. So I focus on traditional restaurants, farmer's markets, bakeries, and the like to stay fed. And if you pay attention when you do this, there's a lot you can learn from traditional diets.

I always lose weight when I spend time in Europe. Part of it is probably due to the walking – I don't have a car here, and my feet are my transportation. But the other part is the healthy, balanced local cuisine that isn't soaked in glyphosate or tainted with genetic science. I notice an immediate difference in how my joints feel and in my energy levels. And this is all without restricting food or cutting out entire dietary groups. It's simply eating normal food like a normal person.