More Blue Zone Stuff – 6 Benefits of Spending Time with Grandchildren

After a session at the Y with the resistance machines I stopped at a grocery store to pick up some cabbage for the slaw topping for black bean tacos. See Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Honey-Lime Cabbage Slaw. Myron was working that day so I had to stop and visit. Myron is an Old Guy who works at the store 1-2 days a week handing out samples. Somewhere in the conversation I mentioned I would be turning 70 in a few months and that I was for sure older than he (nod, nod, wink, wink).

“Oh no you’re not. I’m going to be 80 in a few months.”

“You look great. You must be one of those vegans!”

Myron got a good laugh out of that comment. His face got serious for a moment. Then he said,

“No, not me. I’m not vegan. And I happen to be addicted to chocolate peanut butter cups.”

“Must be the anti-oxidants in the chocolate and protein in the peanut butter.”

It’s always interesting to discover how some of us tend to thrive in our later years.

Chocolate peanut butter cups! I forgot to mention to this spry near 80 year old that the most popular brand of his addiction now makes a vegan version.

Sorry, I got off topic. Here’s the link to more Blue Zone Stuff.

6 Benefits of Spending Time with Grandchildren https://www.bluezones.com/2024/08/6-benefits-of-spending-time-with-grandchildren/

Myron also square dances and watches his grandchildren several days a week.

I’m not about to begin square dancing but more chocolate peanut butter cups sounds pretty good to me.

March 9, 2024March 11, 2024

More on Blue Zones and a Diet You Probably Never Heard Of

Food is another key component of healthy living in blue zones, says Buettner. People there tend to consume unprocessed foods, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables—often following traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations. That style of eating is good for heart and cognitive health, says Linda Hershey, MD, PhD, FAAN, professor of neurology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. “Numerous high-quality studies support the benefits of the MIND, DASH, and Mediterranean diets, which emphasize green leafy vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, fish, poultry, oil, and whole grains, and discourage fried food, processed meat, snack foods, and sweets,” Dr. Hershey says.
“Blue Zones” Author Dan Buettner Shares the Secrets to a Long and Healthy Life — https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/author-dan-buettner-shares-secrets-to-long-healthy-life

Just Another Diet You Probably Never Heard Of

Researchers used the portfolio diet score to rank the participants’ consumption of plant proteins, nuts and seeds, viscous fiber, phytosterols and plant sources of monounsaturated fatty acids. After up to 30 years of follow-up, those with the highest portfolio diet score had a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke compared to those with the lowest score. The findings were published Wednesday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

“We’re always looking at ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, and one effective way to do that is to lower blood cholesterol levels, particularly LDL cholesterol,” said Dr. Kristina Petersen, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Petersen, who was not involved in the research, is well-versed in how diets can affect heart health. She co-authored an AHA scientific statement published in April that scored 10 popular diets for their heart-health benefits. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – or DASH – diet was the only eating pattern to get a perfect score, with the Mediterranean and pescetarian diets rounding out the top three. The portfolio diet was excluded from the assessment “because it’s not particularly common,” she said.
Ever heard of the portfolio diet? — https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/10/25/ever-heard-of-the-portfolio-diet-it-may-lower-risk-for-heart-disease-and-stroke

February 4, 2024

There’s Another Blue Zone in the US

The Blue Zone

“It’s really what they’re not doing. They’re not doing anything consciously, and there’s where we get it wrong,” Buettner said. “We think we can resolve to get on the right diet, the right exercise program, supplement plan, superfoods, and get healthier. But it never works.”

Buettner said that the “superagers” are often walking outside, having spontaneous conversations with the people they bump into, having a smaller dinner, and eating mostly a whole food, plant-centric diet.
A look inside the United States’ first-ever certified “Blue Zone” located in Minnesota — https://foodfactsandfads.com/2024/02/04/6306/

Remember, Eat More Plants.

Also Research Reveals One Simple Habit That Promotes Longevity AND Provides Extra Income in Retirement

July 1, 2023

Research Reveals One Simple Habit That Promotes Longevity AND Provides Extra Income in Retirement

Many thanks to OlRedHair at https://olredhair.wordpress.com/ for the CNN link.

Studies point to the health benefits of beans, backing up what people in blue zones have long known, Buettner said. The soluble fiber in beans can cut cholesterol and help prevent type 2 diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar. A 2001 study found eating beans four times a week cut heart disease by 22%. A 2004 study found people lived approximately eight more years for every 20-gram intake of legumes — that’s about an ounce.
Eating this food may be a reason why some people live to 100 — https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/29/health/beans-longevity-blue-zone-wellness

Beans are cheap and good for you.

December 15, 2021

Beans for Breakfast

Beans, including fava, black, soy, and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets.
9 Habits That The World’s Healthiest & Longest-Lived People Share — https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/habits-that-worlds-longest-lived-people-share

I needed a catchy title to draw your attention to this interesting short article by Dan Buettner. Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author. I actually do most of the nine habits already.

And I really did have beans for breakfast this morning.

I really do own this cookbook too.

I really need to write down some of the dishes I’ve been making lately.

June 14, 2015

A Longevity Diet? Learning From the Blue Zones | Senior Planet

Summary:

high carbohydrate diet centered on whole grains
beans
eat less
eat more earlier in the day, less at night
drink alcohol
socialize

In my 20’s I was vegetarian for about a year and a half. I managed to drive everyone around me crazy with my soapbox rants about how eating fast food burgers were the root cause of rain forest clearing for livestock grazing in Central America. I’ve mellowed with age and no longer rant endlessly about the health benefits of a plant based diet. I eat almost anything I want, just more of some things and a lot less of other things. On a weekly basis, approximately two thirds of my meals are meatless. Bean burritos are a staple, along with homemade bean soups and hummus. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, some good craft beer. I eat differently than I did growing up. But I guess that’s obvious given my history of losing over 200 pounds.

Good article and audio. Check it out.

via A Longevity Diet? Learning From the Blue Zones | Senior Planet.