blog
Sheerluxe.com Spotlight: Healthy Life Lessons From The Blue Zones
Sep
Image source : https://sheerluxe.com/life/health-wellness/how-live-longer
There are five places in the world where people live the longest and healthiest lives – known as Blue Zones, you can find them in California, Costa Rica, Greece, Japan and Italy. These places might be far apart, but research shows the people who live in them share some common lifestyle habits, which we can all learn from and incorporate into our own lives…
Eat More Plants
“The typical Western diet is very much at odds with the way the Blue Zone inhabitants eat. First, their diet is plant heavy – some studies suggest up to 95% of their diet is plant based. Cooking from scratch, Blue Zone inhabitants eat diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains. These foods are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which are associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. They’re also fantastic for gut health. Think of plants as the star of the show, not a side dish, to reap vast health benefits. Nothing goes to waste, either – produce is eaten fresh, but also dried or pickled to save for the months when it’s out of season. Try to cook with plant-based oils, such as olive oil, rather than animal-based fats. Quality olive oil is linked to reduced cholesterol.” – Clarissa Lenherr, nutritionist
Choose Sourdough
“Carbohydrates may get a bad rap in the UK, but in the Blue Zones bread features heavily in the diet. A meta-analysis by Buettner across all five Blue Zones found their carbs mostly come in the form of beans, fruit and vegetables, as well as wholegrain and sourdough bread, rather than breads leavened with yeast. Most commercially available breads here in the UK are made with bleached white flour, which quickly converts into sugar and spikes insulin levels. In Ikaria and Sardinia, bread is made from a variety of whole grains, such as wheat, rye and barley, each of which offers a wide spectrum of nutrients. Traditionally made sourdough bread also has a lower GI.” – Dr Maroof Harghandiwal, GP & healthy ageing specialist at ZEN Healthcare
Think Quality, Not Quantity
“Blue Zone inhabitants naturally tend to consume fewer ingredients and their diet is free from emulsifiers …
Cryotherapy