Jul 28, 2019
What is it about turning another year older that causes us to reflect and reassess our lives? I’ve just turned 53; today on Couch Talk, I’m talking about birthdays, reflection, and Blue Zones. Blue Zones are incredible locations across the world where the residents have a longer life expectancy.
Birthdays come with many mixed emotions. Sometimes you approach them with joy and happiness, other times you might look at them with grief and sadness. Not to mention how birthdays can be a totally different experience after losing someone you love. I like to think of birthdays after bereavement as a celebration and remembrance: it’s okay to feel happiness after someone leaves your life.
There are an incredible 9 things that contribute to a location being known as a Blue Zone. And while some of these things have to do with the natural location, most are the way we, as individuals and as communities, live, work, breath, and interact with each other.
People living in Blue Zones put more emphasis on physical movement, meaning they rely less on cars and more on their feet to transport them places. The inhabitants also feel fulfilled with their passions, making a point of living their lives fully.
Family is incredibly important in the Blue Zone. Their ancestors are honored annually, and there’s often multiple generations living closely together. There’s a real sense of love, support, and responsibility to aging relatives - and one I wish we would foster more here in America.
My Keto-Green diet plan is pretty much straight from the Blue Zones. There’s a huge emphasis on eating plant-based foods and limiting your meat intake. You can see this in the Mediterranean diet, as well, where vegetables and pulses are consumed regularly.
Lastly, building a sense of community is not only a wonderful thing to do, but it also helps you live longer. I’ve made a point to be a better neighbor this year, and for the rest of my years, and I can already tell it’s going to make a difference to my life.
What does celebrating your birthday mean to you? What is one thing you’re so glad about doing yesterday? How are you being a better neighbor?
In This Episode:
- How a bereavement can change your attitude towards birthdays and other special events
- What blue zones are
- Why you should move more naturally, without the use of technology
- What role passion has in your life
- How you can honor your ancestors to increase your longevity
- Where the blue zones of the world are
- Why eating more plants helps you live longer
- How belonging to a community can impact your life
- Why you should always put your family first and try to live closer together
- What happens when you become a good neighbor
Quotes:
“If we can let go of “what ifs”, “what could have been”, or what we thought we should have achieved by now, and we can reflect on the things that we do have, the things that we are grateful for, all the small things in our life. And that reflection can lead to longevity and quality of life overall.” (3:14)
“The world’s longest-lived people chose or were born into social circles that supported healthy behaviors.” (12:05)
“I know that evil happens when good people do not stand up and act. So there’s a time to stand up and to fight what is right and to face your enemy head-on. Doing so with grace, authenticity, consideration, and compassion is a challenge, but certainly one I’m up for.” (15:06)
Links
Check out Power 9: Reverse Engineering Longevity by Dan Buettner
Join the KetoGreen Community on Facebook
Buy The Hormone Fix