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Rethink your personal eating culture

By Ron Stone, Ms, Mba 5 min read
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Ron Stone, MS, MBA

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Ron Stone

Truth is, no one can tell you exactly what you should eat, or how much you should exercise. All anyone can do is either site “scientific” evidence of this or that, or tell you what works for them. Now, don’t get me wrong, that information can be very valuable, as we are all the same animal species: stands to reason we would all have at least some common ground. I think that is the place to start: looking at what might be “universally” true for our species.

Well, as it turns out, some researchers have done just that. Recently, it was Dan Buettner, in his book “Blue Zones,” who reported on lessons learned from traveling the world and studying centenarians (persons living over 100 years). There are a number of recorded talks by him on Youtube.

While it is a good bet that if your ancestors lived long lives, you are more likely to do the same, and if your ancestors died early on average, then you may have a tendency to do the same. That said, the astounding conclusion of the Blue Zones report is that these genetic factors are estimated at a mere 25 percent, leaving behavioral choices 75 percent of the formula. In other words, we have 75 percent control to extend our lives to reach our “biological limit.”

An unexpected find in the Blue Zones is that “social connections” play a significant role in predicting health and longevity. It is recommended to perhaps join “meet up” groups in your area, book clubs, adult education classes, etc. Anything that increases the individual sense of belonging to the larger community contributes in this area.

Another unusual recommendation is people feel they are living lives which are “interesting or worthwhile.” This, of course, means something different for everyone. For some, it might be within their career, and for others, it may be volunteer work, or following some artistic passion. It might also mean simply raising a healthy family.

You may have heard of “stress management” at some point. But I bet you didn’t know that “a belly-laugh a day might help keep the doctor away.” It seems people who on average live long and healthy have the habit of laughing at stressful situations, especially in groups, which of course increases that important social connectivity. One that will not surprise you is that the centenarians tend to be physically active most days of the week. Our office worker sedentary culture is long known as one of the risk factors for heart disease. This does not mean trips to the gym necessarily. It could mean working in the yard, gardening, or taking brisk walks in the evening. It may astound you to calculate how little you may move around if you work a white-collar job. Even some blue-collar workers can be sedentary if they drive equipment or truck all day for instance. In term of health benefit, Buettner concludes work should be “neither stressful nor strenuous,” but should include physical activity. Maybe take the opportunity to walk to lunch, or take the stairs over the elevator. Of course, the more walking you can do, the better. The study suggests 30 to 60 minutes a day walking is ideal. In fact, anatomical study of the human body shows that we were meant for walking as our main activity. We are efficient at it, because it is essentially “controlled falling.” We actually put forth very little energy expenditure to walk: more, of course, when walking up hill.

Another revelation for longevity is taking care of others. One centenarian interviewed, named Kamada Nakazato, said that one of the keys to her long life “comes from not worrying so much about your own problems. Sometimes you can best take care of yourself by taking care of others.” I have heard this said before from other writers in the health field. To me it emphasizes the principle implied in the Law of Attraction, that the secret to getting what we want is first giving it! This selfless service to others, also professed in many major religions, is said to come back tenfold to the person who gives without thought of personal gain.

So how about the diet of these Blue Zone centenarians? It is plant-based across the board. No, they are not normally “vegan,” but they consume very little meat: usually reserved for rare special occasions. We are talking meat – not dairy. Meat is unprocessed, unlike dairy which is highly processed (unless it is raw). You can bet their meats are without added hormones, and the animals are either wild, or pastured. There are no diets of grain-fed animals in these zones. There is a really interesting story of Seventh Day Adventists in California, who are reputed to have the longest life expectancy in the country. Not surprisingly, they eat a vegetarian diet. They feel if one must eat meat, it should be in small portions as a side dish only.

A common thread amongst these long-lived people was a focus on the present. Living in the now. This means not dwelling on or regretting the past. This is partly achieved through meditation – a very common practice in many of the most spiritual societies throughout history. This is a big part of the stress management.

So if these excerpts are intriguing to you, I would recommend picking up “The Blue Zones” for yourself. It is hard to argue with the common success of those who measurably live longer, and with vitality than the rest of us.

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