Live Longer, Live Better
The Blue Zones Project
LIFE EXPECTANCY : YOU CAN ADD MORE YEARS
Life expectancy is 99.3 years. Your healthy life expectancy (aka the years free of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, other diseases) is 55.0. You can add up to 1.6 more years to your life. Yes you can add healthy years to your life by optimizing your lifestyle and environment. Below are some wellness news, nutrition tips and advice how to implement these recommendations.
WHOLE GRAINS VS REFINED GRAINS
What’s the difference between whole grains and refined grains? Whole grain foods include the entire grain kernel :the bran, germ, and endosperm. In refined grains, the bran and the germ have been milled out ( ex white bread, white rice ), meaning that those foods have a finer and lighter texture and longer shelf life, but they lack of fiber, iron and a number of B vitamins so important for you!
Today most Americans do not get the daily recommended servings of whole grains: 3- to 4-ounce . When at the grocery store reach out for whole grains ( bread) and whole wheat pasta, read labels, be proactive!
ENJOY FRUITS, THEY ARE SWEET, EASY TO EAT, TASTY AND COLORFUL!
Fruits are a fantastic source of minerals, vitamins, enzymes, packed with natural phytochemicals that help prevent a wide variety of ailments, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Here are a few tips to get more actual fruit in your meals :
- For breakfast add fresh fruits to your cereals, pancakes or even toasts.
- Squeeze some lemon or orange to add to your homemade dressing salad, add fresh fruit in your water or tea!
- Great kids afternoon snack is banana/ strawberry mixed with whole milk or plant milk.
EAT VEGGIES EVERY DAY…. IF POSSIBLE AT EVERY MEAL
It’s time to give veggies another chance. Some of you can relate veggies to bad meals served at your old cafeteria. But the same veggie prepared in a different way : may be roasted instead or cooked in plain water, with a different spice on, or a secret sauce/ dressing can change your diet!
The case for vegetables is clear: They are packed with nutrients, high in fiber, and low in sugar and calories. Furthermore Veggies help lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, and likely some cancers. Vegetables can also lower the risk of eye and digestive problems and mellow the effect on blood sugar that can keeps appetite in check.
My Morning juice : CARROT, CELERY, GINGER ROOT AND APPLE. So Fresh and so good!
CARROT JUICE BENEFITS
Carrots are packed with vitamin A, which is of importance to our health: proper vision, immune function, reproductive health, cell formation and cell communication. Carrot juice also contains antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin C, though at a minor capacity.
CELERY JUICE BENEFITS
Celery is not rare and also a great choice of leafy greens for your diet, thanks to its fat-free, nutrient-rich nature.
1 medium stalk of celery offers a decent amount of vitamin A, C, K and minerals such as sodium and potassium. Meaning, eating celery or drinking its juice, actually assists your blood clotting process and regulation of blood pressure. It is also an ample source of manganese, which is needed in the maintenance of brain and nerve function.
GINGER JUICE BENEFITS
First of all, ginger is straight-up amazing.
Second of all, symptoms of motion sickness, chemotherapy nausea, inflammation, pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting has been suggested to be well-managed with fresh or powdered ginger.
Final of all is the uniquely explosive aroma of this particular root (if you’re not into it yet, It will grow on you, I promise!) It certainly adds a factor of “zing” to our mixture.
APPLE JUICE BENEFITS
Apple is rich of antioxidants, contains phytochemicals which are believed to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma, etc. A pure miracle fruit.
Though, the sugar level in apples is somewhat high compared to other fruits. You can really tell by just having a taste. A medium size apple (about 182g) has roughly 19g of sugar. So if you are in a low sugar diet, i suggest you use half or a quarter of an apple instead of one whole.
Carrot Apple Celery Ginger Juice Recipe
Yield 1 glass
Ingredients
- 3 medium organic carrots
- 1/2 apple
- 4 ribs of celery
- ½ inch peeled fresh ginger or ¾ teaspoon of ground ginger (depends on taste)
Recipe
- Wash everything thoroughly
- Peel and cut the carrots, apple. Peel the ginger
- Pass all the ingredients though the juicer.
- Stir to mix the juice up.
- It is done! Enjoy the fresh, tasty orange zinger immediately
EAT LESS MEAT
Eating processed meats like bacon, ham and lunch meats can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, noting that red meats like beef and pork are “probably carcinogenic.”
Looking for ways to eat less meat, a good tip is to treat meat more like a side dish, not the main one. Try to implemente Meatless Monday as a start and see how you can involve toward less meat.
RAISE A GLASS OF …… RED WINE
A analyse shows that more than 100 prospective studies suggest that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk of heart ailments and death from heart disease.
A daily drink is associated with greater longevity. We also know that consistency and moderation seem to be key. Some of the benefit of moderate drinking may be related to the fact that a glass of wine or sake is commonly shared with friends and family – and that social interaction is key to longevity.
No more than two drinks for men and one for women per day.
FORGET JUNK FOOD
Of course junk food is cheap, convenient, tasty but is also full of calories from bad refined sugars and artery-clogging fats, loaded with sodium and lacking anything of nutritional value, including fiber, vitamins and minerals. A pure disaster for your health!
Eating these foods can lead to any number of ailments, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and many types of cancer.
Cutting junk food out of your diet may not be as hard as you think. You need some organization, buying in advance ingredients and a good system of small plastic free container that keep your food fresh. If you live in a warm climate, invest in a small insulate bag and add ice pack, it will keep your food fresh, small wide mouth thermos are great too!
Here is my favorite list:
- Fresh fruit pre-cut/ peeled + nuts butter
- any whole raw nuts
- cucumber slices
- pieces of cheese
- celery
- dark chocolate
- natural popcorn
- roasted spiced garbanzo ( recipe here soon)
- rice cake
- veggie wrap (recipe here soon)
- hummus with cracker or celery or carrot
- homemade energy balls ( recipe here soon)
BE FRIENDLY, BE NICE, BE TRUE TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS
Some studies shows that strong friendships may lead to a longer and happier life. Do not try to impress your friends or family. Be yourself and search for people true to themselves too. Toxic, selfish or ego people are not always the best people for an healthy friendship.
The lesson? Nurture the friendships you have, especially the ones with healthy, happy people.
HAVE FAITH
The one Blue Zone that is located in the US is in California: Loma Linda. This community includes a cluster of Seventh Day Adventists. Much of their lifestyle (healthier plant-based diets, no smoking, pursuit of a strong sense of purpose) are likely contributors to their longevity.
But it’s also likely that routinely gathering together in faith leads to their longer lives.
Attending a religious service can foster what scientists call a “social integration.” Building a strong social network of both family and friends has been shown to foster good mental and physical health.
DON’T IGNORE IT
Do you know that depression can be even more damaging to health than chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes and arthritis.
What to do?
- If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from depression, don’t ignore it – get immediate medical help. A wide variety of treatments are available: therapy or medications, and health care professionals can help you decide what’s best for you.
- Pay attention to your diet. People deficient in folic acid have higher risk of depression. Good sources of folate are green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, grains and legumes.
- Exercise. If you are depressed, exercising might seem like the last thing you want to do, but it could make a big difference,
- Lean on your friends and family. A strong support network is key to recovering from depression – and reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness.
- Have faith. People who are more religious are at lower risk of depression than those who are not spiritual.
ANXIETY AND STRESS
We’ve all our moments of stress and anxiety. These are scary moments. You can’t breathe sometimes. And in our busy fast-moving world, sometimes we feel it routinely, along with the ill-health effects that stress creates. It never ends.
The good news is that a number of healthy habits can help you handle stress, from exercise and eating right to sleeping more and spending time with friends.
IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE, GET A NEW ATTITUDE
Anger can unfortunately surface in many places – in line at a coffee shop, in a busy parking lot, or in traffic or from frustration over an issue at work with your boss or at home with your loved ones.
Anger is a normal human emotion, but coping with it effectively is key to your health.Did you know it can put you at higher risk for ailments from high blood pressure to heart disease?
So finding the right coping strategies can both smooth out your days and improve your longevity. One of the best strategy? For one week, note the events and situations in your life that trigger a negative physical, mental or emotional response. Then seriously consider: What could you do differently next time to make yourself feel better about these events? This can change your life forever, and reflect on your life is always so important.
So are you ready to join this amazing project?
Please share with me any of the changes you have done in your life to be healthier and happier?
source :
https://www.bluezones.com/
