In this episode, I talked about the ins and the outs of Blue Zone living. This the unique demographic of youngsters living to 100 years of age and beyond. In the Netflix infoseries researched and presented by Dan Buettner, he revealed 5 of the top geographical locations in the world - Okinawa, Ikaria, Loma Linda, CA, Sardina and the Nicoya Peninsula in Cosa Rico.
A healthy lifespan is based on how we live daily, how we move daily, how we nourish our bodies and as science will throw in - genetics. So will shifting your gears to a more BZ lifestyle give you the edge to get to 100 or beyond? Only the universe knows the answer. Yet isn't worth making small changes each day to improve your healthy span?
Eating whole foods, 80 percent plant based. 10 servings of fruits and veggies daily. Cut the sugar to 25 grams or less, no processed foods. Coffee/Tea - no sweetners, sourdough or whole wheat bread (not the bread from the shelf), alcohol - red wine (1 to 2 4 ounce glasses a day) NOTE: new research from the CDC and NIH is ongoing. Lastly, leave a little room in the belly - don't fill the tank.
Movement - be NEAT. That is non-exercise activity time. Get back to doing more. Cutting grass, cleaning, washing the car, gardening, pacing when on the phone, walk to the next room instead of texting in the house. Keep up the regular exercise - just move more daily.
Downshift, destress - find quiet time. Give yourself permission to rest daily. Take that 20 minute nap - this can be a tough one for all of us grinding it out
Know Your Tribe - surround yourself with good people, create that friendship lifeline
Be part of a faith based community - not everyone is a church goer, but studies truly show that connecting to GOD creates hope, faith and joy.
Purpose - set a daily intention. Know your WHY? A reason to get up everyday. It can be as simple as helping someone, creating change at work, organizing the closets, supporting a friend or it can be as big as going back to school, learning to play an instrument or volunteering for a cause you believe in - what matters is that it brings YOU closer to YOU.
Family First - this is a biggie in the BZ environment, but I can attest, it isn't easy for many of us. So I leave you with this thought - take care of the children as they really are the innocent, the inspiring and they are the future. Also, care for aging parents. Be attentive, be kind, spend time together, laugh, create memories. Many times, their purpose is to be around the joy, the energy, the connection. We forget and we take it all for granted.
It isn't complex really, it's about being in the moment instead of getting through the moment quickly. It's about personal choices towards quality of life. I think we can all agree, getting back to basics of cooking, gathering, playing and relaxing doesn't seem to shabby in the scheme of things.