Part 2 of a series - Lots of spoilers

Have you seen the Netflix documentary series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zone?   Let me start out by saying that I DO NOT like food/health documentaries, I think food research, in general, is not great, it's a very young science and all people are different and metabolize food differently.  From working in a hospital setting for 10 years, I have seen firsthand that humans are not a control subject, there are inexplicable variances, and giving blanket statements about food and nutrition is very dangerous for the mental health of our society.  

Whew, anyway, yeah so I was prepared to hate this series.  I thought it was going to be preachy and judgey and focus on food and life hacks.  But it didn't.  It was a really pleasant surprise.  I mean I'm sure it is flawed, it is for entertainment after all but overall it was very generalized and all the 'secrets' the filmmaker, Dave Buettner, gave examples of how we can use them in our modern society.

Ok, full disclosure I have not researched Dave Buettner and his life or research, so if he turns out to be an asshole then I apologize in advance, but I'm just going to discuss these secrets.

Quick Synopsis: Dave goes to these 6 different communities around the world that have the highest population of centenarians, people over 100, and then looks at what these people/countries are doing to live so long and healthfully and then compares that to American standard and why Americans are not very healthy and not living as long.

Then he boils it down to these 4 categories that each of these communities has in common and then highlights 3 subcategories under each one.  

Before I break them down, because I do really agree with them, they definitely align with everything I have researched as a dietitian, in my intuitive eating certification, and also in my own personal research of other more holistic wellness plans, and it definitely aligns with my medicine woman internal calling of how I like to counsel and coach women to find health, so yeah I like it because it basically just says 'SARA YOU'VE BEEN RIGHT ALL ALONG!!' haha

Also, one last caveat, is that I want to present the examples as they were presented in the series, THEN I want to provide some suggestions on how YOU can add them into your real American Standard life, and how to add a little *magic* to it as well.

We'll start with just the first one today and then stay tuned for the next couple of parts.  And actually, I lied, there are more caveats, I just want you to read these over the next few days, don't actually think about having to take action.  When I get to the wrap up there will be a way to put these into motion that really aligns BEST with you and I'm not the one to tell you that so just sit on it for now.

LASTLY (I promise) the goal shouldn't be to live to 100 and to be 'better' and to use these suggestions as a way to hold it above others or to judge yourself against.  These suggestions are here to help anyone live with a little more ease.  To know that you're treating your body well so we can live as gracefully as possible, limit pain and discomfort, help keep our minds sharp, and have some fun as we age!

Alright, in no particular order, we're going to start with MOVE NATURALLY where they focused on walking, gardening, and doing things by hand.  These cultures they focused on had very minimal modern conveniences.  They walked up hills and long distances, they were sheep farmers, and they were making sourdough bread and handmade tortillas (lots of upper body strength), they were gardening and squatting and caring for something each day.  And in general, these people were just kind of moving slowly all day long, using a variety of their muscles, maintaining good grip strength, and balance.

They did cover this a bit in the series, but falls are one of the biggest set backs for healthy women as they age.  If someone falls and breaks a hip, knee, or shoulder, they have to be hospitalized and may need surgery and then a long rehab stint, then depression sets in, then they don't eat as well, then there's malnutrition and poor wound healing, and it can really take a huge toll, I have definitely seen that first hand and it's sad.  

So this daily movement, and not just working out but using your whole body to do things is going to keep you nimble and also help with bone density.  

Here are some examples:

  • picking up socks with your toes when you drop one so you're standing on one foot for a minute and balancing  
  • Dancing around your living room while you're vacuuming.  
  • Next time you make a baked good, use your hands to mix instead of the mixer
  • Close your minivan hatch or auto doors with your arms instead of the button
  • Go turn the TV on with your hand vs. the remote, like actually walk to the TV, every little bit helps
  • When you get something from a lower cupboard, squat vs. bending at the waist

I hope you're getting my point, just kind of thinking about using your whole body to do everyday tasks.  

So let's add some flair.

Our core is the most important part of this temple, our midsection and our back.  They focus on balance, so if we get a little unsteady those muscles help keep us upright.  So imagine in your stomach, a little flame, that maybe sits right behind your belly button.  And it's your job to feed this flame.  So whenever you do one of the suggestions above or something like it imagine that flame getting bigger.  And you can tell when you are all stiff and haven't moved well in a few days,  well that's just a signal to feed your flame today.  To get up and move and dance, hop on one foot, play twister with the kids, but just try to feel the flame everyday, every few hours would be ideal, but we'll figure out all that towards the end of this discussion.

For now, just find your flame, and start to notice how it moves with you.  And we'll build on from there.