Blue Zones: How to live to be a 100
Dan Buettner did a very interesting research on how to live a healthy and long life. He found out there are a few areas that he calls 'blue zones', where people live to be over a hundred years old in a measurably better way! Wow, who doesn't want that? Since my sweet grandmother lived to be 98 and I myself am half Costarican (one of the blue zones) I had hoped I was blessed with great genes that made me set for an awesome 100+ life. But...genes are only about 10% responsibe! So....what's the secret of the 'blue zoners'?
1. They move naturally
None of the people he interviewed went to the gym. None! Instead, their lives were naturally filled with movement. They gardened, worked on a farm, or walked to the vineyard down the mountain every day. Also, when they did 'exercise', it was only for fun. Whether it was dancing, playing with the kids, sailing or playing soccer, they purely did it out of enjoyment.
2. They have the 'right' outlook
Work to live, instead of living to work. Also, one of the most important things he found was a strong sense of purpose, having a reason to get out of bed each day and that makes you truly enthousiastic. And...no matter how busy the day is, always have at least one moment of peace and relaxation every day!
3. They eat wisely
Their diets were mainly plant-based, so a lot of vegetables and fruit were consumed. Meat and processed food were an exception! Moderation seemed to be a key word, many of them ate about 80% of what they initially wanted to eat. We have a saying that goes: the eyes are bigger than the stomach, which is so true! Instead of piling up the food on their plate, they took a little less. It takes a little while for the brain to realize the stomach is full, so I personally thought this was a very good idea. But don't think these ladies and gents were depriving themselves of some fun! A couple of glasses of red wine per day turned out be very common.
4. They belong to the 'right' tribe
A strong circle of family and friends, and a sense of belonging proved to be very critical. Often, the 100+ people lived with their children and grandchildren. It kept them young and gave them a sense of importance. Giving life advice to a grandchild is a win-win situation, good for everybody. For some guidance of their own, they turned to a higher power. They all had strong religious or spiritual belief system that made them resilient and grateful. Interesting stuff, right?
Watch the Ted talk video by Dan Buettner:
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To buy the book on Blue Zones by Dan Buettner on Amazon click HERE.
And for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Buettner
XOXO Maruja
OYL Library: Put Your Life on a Diet by Gregory Johnson
If you want to know what living in 140 square feet is like, read this book!
I just started reading it, and I found that the writer, Gregory Johnson, has a lot of the same ideas as we have at Organice Your Life®, on living an organized life. So that's why I would totally recommend this book!
Gregory was overweight, unhappy and not in the right place in his life. He started to detox his life and started living in a super small house of 140 square feet. He showers at the gym and only has the basic necessary things in his home (which turns out that you don't need that much really). Now he became more active, lost weight, and feels happier!
He believes that most people just work to be able to pay for their living expenses. They want to live in a big house that comes with costs, not because they really need it, but they want the space and the status. If you live in a smaller house, you have less expenses, less things to take care of, and then either you have more money in the end or you can work less, and then you have more time to spend with loved ones and friends....
It is an inspiring and interesting story. I wouldn't recommend living in 140 square feet, but Gregory does have a point, and you can learn a lot from his journey in finding out what works best for him!
About the author:
"Gregory Paul Johnson is the founder and Director of Resources for Life, an outreach and public interest organization based in Iowa City, Iowa. His study of Urban and Regional Planning with the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) included travel to several South American countries including Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Today, as a technology consultant, Gregory works for the University of Iowa as well as clients served by his consulting firm, the Technology Services Resource Group."
- Gregory Johnson and fiancee Makur Jain in front of their house
If you want more information on his house, click here. It is actually a really cute house and looks like it comes out of a fairy tale.
To Order Click here -->Put Your Life on a Diet by Gregory Johnson
Love, Lonneke
plastic vs. glass straw
I went to one of my favorite raw restaurants to grab some lunch, and I noticed that they are selling Glass Straws. And I thought 'WOW! A glass straw is an amazing solution for our plastic waste problem!' it is very small but still a big help!
Think about how much garbage already exists on our planet and plus every time you purchase your smoothie or juice, you use one of those plastic straws. 5 minutes later - its all in the trash. And like this everyday!
Well, now you can buy only one glass straw and carry it around with you. It's made of high quality glass and will last forever.
- a glass straw doesn't leak toxins into your food as you drink
- each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill
- one glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straw
There is a great one by Glass Dharma for sale on Amazon.
Love, Valentina
Stir Fry Tea Oil
I recently read Valentina's post about canola oil, and I decided to never use it again for cooking or baking! But what do I use then? I know that using Extra Virgin Olive Oil is not good either, so what else is out there?
When I went to Sur La Table to buy me Le Creuset pans, I found an cooking oil I have never heard of before:
Stir Fry Tea Oil by The Republic of Tea.
It said it is USDA Organic, AND Trans Fat Free so I decided to buy it and try it!
The Republic of Tea website says:
"Cold-Pressed, Extra Virgin, and USDA Certified Organic. Tea seeds from the Camellia (tea plant) are cold-pressed to produce this exquisite and healthful organic oil. Sauté seafood, poultry or meat, toss into pasta or vegetables, use as a base for marinades, dips, dressings, sauces, or drizzle into stir-fry."
And here is another review by Organic Authority!
Well, now after a few times using it, I can see it seems very light, works well, and makes the food I stir fry keep their own flavor. So I like it, and will continue using it. What do you think about Tea Oil?
You can order it on Amazon now!
OYL healthy drink tasting!
Antoniette (our newest OYL contributor) and I, did a healthy drink tasting at Wholefoods with a few drinks we found. We noticed there are so many new health drinks on the market! We wondered: how do they taste, which are the "healthiest" in our opinion, and which ones are our favorites? There wasn't really a bad drink we tried, but below are the 5 ones that made our cut.
Coconut water.
There are so many more coconut brands that are available now at Wholefoods. But we like Harmless Harvest 100% raw coconutwater. They say they are "raw" and not processed. Sounded interesting! We really liked the taste of freshness, it was tasting maybe a bit more like coconut water straight from fresh coconuts. Cute little bottle, but a little too little for me I love me some coconut water!
Probiotics.
We also tried Kevitacoconut probioticdrink, and that was very interesting. It taste like coconut water far away, but a bit more watery, with a fizz to it. probiotics are supposed to be very good for the health of your intestines. Some swear by it.I thought it was nice but not my favorite. Organic, vegan,diary, gluten- and soy free, made in California.
Health drinks.
Mama Chia "Seed your Soul". This drink gives you a funny feeling in your mouth, but taste great! I actually loved the feeling of the chia seeds in my mouth.Antoniette even bought more of it after our tasting. Chia seeds are considered Superfoods, because they contain a lot of nutrients, like antioxidants, Omega-3, fibers. Found by Janie Hoffman in San Diego, this drink is also gluten free & vegan, pasteurized, . USDA organic.
Energy drinks.
We sometimes need a pick-me-up during the day of course! I tried Sambazonall natural Amazon Energy Jungle Love drink. It has 140 calories, 80mg natural caffeine and 460% vitamin C from acerola, he flavor was Acai passionfruit. Acai is an amazing purple berry from the Amazon. Other ingredients to bring you up include maca, guarana, yerba mate, guarana, catuaba. All USDA organic. I like this one a lot!
Super food drinks.
Cell-Nique. This drink some like the taste, some don't. It contains 31 Superfoods. And it is low glycerin, gluten free, vegan protein. It is supposed to energize, alkaline and detox your body, and it's low in calories too! You should shake this drink before drinking to mix the drink well and get all the benefits. I like the colors of the design of this brand's bottles!
So tell me now: What's your favorite drink to quench your thirst?
p.s. buy Antoniette's latest single: "Void of a Legend" here.