The other day I was watching a Ted talk, on my computer. This particular Ted talk was presented in front of a live audition in 2009.. For those that have never watched a Ted talk, the concept is, people apply to give a presentation on an idea. Usually each Ted talk forum has an overall topic to which people will address the overall topic with their idea. I know they hold Ted talks in Toronto and in fact there is one coming up this fall.
The Ted talk I was watching was on the common factors that produce longevity throughout the world. Thus those would be some good healthy habits.
A group of researchers went around the world and picked out the blue zone. The blue zone is an area with a higher than average longevity. In this Ted talk the research was focused on 3 areas. One was in California, Sardinia and Okinawa. Out of these very different areas people lived to be over 100, happy, healthy and full of life.
I’d like to share my favourite common factors that I noticed with these 3 groups of people.
- Age meant you had wisdom and with that wisdom you had something to share and teach the younger generations. In all three communities the aged were respected and valued. There were no nursing homes because these people were healthy and didn’t need to be looked after. In general the aged lived with family members to teach the younger generations. They were not looked upon as a burden but as valuable members of the family.
- The main food intake was plant based but not strictly plant based. My favourite was Sardinia where they make their own bread from the wheat they grow. As well they make their own cheese and red wine. The bread, cheese and wine all had high nutrients in them and yes the bread, cheese and wine were a daily staple. In California they were stricter with their food intake and mainly had fruit, vegetables, seed and legumes, no animal products.
- No one retired. I know some people all they live for is to retire but not in these 3 places. One gentleman in his late 90’s is still performing open heart surgery. The idea of not retiring is that you live each day with a purpose. You have a reason to get up every day. The community of Okinawa even had a special name for the idea of living with purpose, I wouldn’t have a clue how to spell it. Many people work for 30 or 40 years of their life and then after they retire they pass away. No real cause of death. In my opinion you have to have a purpose and watching TV or playing golf is not a purpose. You can have those activities in your life but you have to have a purpose. Not only did the people in this community not retire, but they also volunteered. They gave of their time.
- Prayer. Each of the communities were just that, communities. The older generation were not lonely or alone, they had a sense of belonging. Each of these communities had times they gathered in prayer on a regular basis. They gathered together. They took time away from their day to day activity and purposefully joined together. They prayed and rested, no working.
It’s possible to live long and healthy.
Diane Elms D.H.M.H.S., CCI, CCII, Specializing in Drugless Cancer Care, 2006 Iridologist of the Year, if you have any health related questions contact diane@choicesforhealthandharmony.com or 905 768 0848.