The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest
by Dan Buettner
Part of the Books I Love series
In the Books I Love series, I’ll share with you some of my favorite books. These will usually be nutrition books, but from time-to-time, you’ll find lifestyle books and novels within the theme of food and healthy living. I’ll be keeping the format short and sweet and in a simple easy-to-read list form. Hope this installment inspires you to pick up a copy of The Blue Zones!
None of the centenarians we met were ever on a diet, and none of them were obese.
Dan Buettner
Why I love this book…
- In a world of constantly changing nutrition recommendations, this book gives you a peek into what the world’s longest living people eat and have eaten for centuries. Having a stable approach to food in light of constantly changing recommendations is important.
- It is not a diet; it is a lifestyle. And while there is a focus on the food people in Blue Zones eat, there is also a focus on how they live with practical tips for how to implement these into your own life.
- The people in the book just make you happy. (Watch the Blue Zones limited series on Netflix if you just can’t get enough of them.)
- I love that Buettner’s approach is not that we are purposefully trying to be unhealthy, but more that our environments just aren’t set up to make living a healthy lifestyle easy. Once you know this, you can start to adjust your environment and approach. Simply being fully aware of the things around you that sabotage your health makes them easier to deal with.
Looking for a recipe that features many of the Blue Zones nutrition principles?
This recipe for Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken, Zucchini, and Tomatoes with Garlic White Bean Spread features beans, greens, fresh veggies plus chicken in a small reasonable portion.
Sources:
Buettner, Dan. The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. National Geographic, 2012.
