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What’s the point of reaching your 80th birthday if you can’t blow out candles unassisted, can’t dance with your family, or even dress yourself?
The human life span is rapidly increasing, but so are the odds of developing multiple chronic health conditions as you age. In 2012, 60 percent of older adults reported having two or more chronic conditions; conditions like heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, and cancer. Even if these conditions are “managed,” they can drain your wallet, rob you of your vitality, and lower your quality of life.
This begs the question, is it even possible to reach old age and still be healthy? The answer is, absolutely! Blue Zones are the five places around the world where individuals are recorded to consistently live over 100 years of age, and retain their quality of life. There are fewer instances of preventable diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A team of demographers, scientists, and anthropologists discovered nine commonalities among the Blue Zones, which they call the Power 9.
The nine lifestyle choices focus on daily movement, a healthy plant-rich diet, belonging to a community, and living with purpose. Dan Buettner, a researcher who led the team that studied the Blue Zones, emphasizes that 90 percent of longevity has to do with your lifestyle, while the other 10 percent or less is based on your genetics. Furthermore, there is a huge emphasis on community and belonging.
You don’t need to live in a Blue Zone to reap the benefits of the Power 9.
We need to be consuming more anti-inflammatory foods. Our goal is lower omega-6 fatty acid intake while increasing omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. “What’s interesting is that you don’t really realize where these fats come from and how many are in your diet. Years ago I bought a can of tuna thinking it was going to be healthy. I looked at the label and saw the second ingredient was soy. So, you can’t get away from this stuff.”
Cattle eat large amounts of corn and soy, which upsets and inflames their gut, so antacids comprise a major portion of their feed as well. The negative effects of this type of diet are passed down to the consumer when they eat the meat. Same goes for chicken and eggs “Most stores are starting to carry omega-3 eggs now. The hens are fed flaxseed, seeds, nuts, bugs, and grass which is what they would typically eat. We just need to make an extra effort to find what previous generations used to consume.”
Stay Healthy My Friends....
