The Day The Blue Zones Called

Imagine my delight when the managing editor at Blue Zones central reached out to me regarding The Mindful Vegan.  They had fallen in love with the book, and were particularly interested in sharing an excerpt from Day Seventeen in The Mindful Vegan which is titled Moods and Foods.  Might I be interested, they asked, in working with them to bring this message to the Blue Zones community?

Of course I was thrilled with this honor and connection, and responded with enthusiasm – leading to this article on the Blue Zones website that I link you to today, that starts out like this:

If you are presently piling plenty of colorful plants on your plate, you are already at a better mood advantage. Research tells us that plant-based diets are associated with healthier mood states. The more fruits and vegetables people eat, the happier, less depressed, and more satisfied they are with their lives. Today, we’ll focus on how, grounded in your biochemistry, eating more plants and eliminating animals and their products from your diet creates greater mental well-being and resilience.

Click HERE to read the full article on the Blue Zones website.

Blue Zones Also Features My Kitchari Recipe from The Mindful Vegan

It gets even better.  Team Blue Zones also asked if they could feature one of my recipes in The Mindful Vegan book.  Specifically, they asked for Kitchari (in Salads and Savory Main Dishes) on page 258.  Much to my delight, they posted a beautiful photograph of the Blue Zones rendition of Kitchari:

Have You Heard of the Blue Zones’ Nine Secrets of a Long Life?

Just in case the Blue Zones message is new to you, or you would like a refresher course, here is the concept in a nutshell.

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and his team (including National Geographic) studied the world’s “Blue Zones,” communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. What they discovered was that there are nine diet and lifestyle habits the people of the Blue Zones have in common – practices that keep them spry past age one hundred.

Though eating habits are central themes in the Blue Zones regions, they aren’t the entire picture. Consistent with the messages in The Mindful Vegan and the transformation trilogy, the research shows that diets don’t work, but the lifestyle habits consistent with those people practice in the Blue Zones, does. It should come as no surprise that making changes in lifestyle and environment – in addition to daily menus – is what helps you live longer, better. Walking and moving naturally, having methods to downshift daily, spending time with friends and family,  and having purpose are all essential, too. A series of books by Dan Buettner about life in the Blue Zones has been published

Watch for more collaboration between yours truly, The Mindful Vegan, The Plant-Based Journey, and Blue Zones!

May you be happy and healthy!