I read the book, The Blue Zone, which is outlines the habits of the longest living people in the world; the Sardinians, the Okinawans, the Seventh Day Adventists from Loma Linda, California, and the people from Costa Rica.
What follows is the key takeaways (commonalities) from all 4 groups of people: Enjoy!
- Keep Moving: Move naturally, walk daily stretch, dance, garden, whatever you enjoy, but keep moving every day. 💃🕺🏽
- Hara Hachi Bu: Which is a reminder to stop eating when your stomach is 80% full. Eat bigger earlier and less as the day goes on.
- Eat more plants: Eat 4 to 6 servings of veggies daily. Limit your meat consumption to 2x weekly, if at all. A portion of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, beans and nuts every day. And avoid processed foods and meats.
- Grapes of Life: The longest living people have a little bit of wine with their meals. Not American portions and not excessively. 🍇
- Purpose: Why do you get up in the morning? What are you passionate about? How you enjoy using your talents and what is truly important to you? Make new friends that stimulate you. If you are the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Learn something new. Never stop learning! Find a passion!
- Downshift: Reduce noise and chatter. Be early to avoid stress. Meditate and learn to appreciate silence. Relax more. Take naps.
- Belong: Be involved, explore a new tradition, get out and do things that you enjoy and don’t let things hold you back, it enhances your well-being. 👫👭👬
- Loved One’s First: Live in a smaller house to create togetherness, establish rituals, dinner times to foster togetherness, take vacations and celebrate holidays together. Being around family is very important. “We are not islands in time, but connected to something bigger” (ancestors and older generations) put family first – invest time in your family.
- Find the Right Tribe: Identify like-minded people to connect with that share similar interests and habits, be likable, don’t be grumpy. People don’t enjoy being around grumpy negative people. 🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♂️
Additionally, enjoy lots of laughter and some sunshine every day. Enjoy today and let go of yesterday. Create a peaceful ritual for yourself weekly. Volunteer. Have a plan de Vida (life plan) and listen, appreciate and be grateful always.
Perhaps you already live this way and if so, congratulations! If not, incorporating some of these habits could ensure you live until you are 💯years old. 💥
PEACE & LOVE to you!
I'm the Loud One 