Imagine living to one hundred (or even beyond) without experiencing debilitating ailments like arthritis, dementia, or heart disease, enabling you to thoroughly enjoy your golden years. In fact, there are centenarians all across the globe who are doing just that. Such is the subject of Dan Buettner’s book The Blue Zones: Secrets for Living Longer and Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Both provide an in-depth look at a handful of “blue zones,” places around the world where individuals typically live longer: Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; and Sardinia, Italy.
It’s not that these locations are magical hothouses where good health spontaneously sprouts; rather, it’s the healthy lifestyles their residents practice that extend their longevity. And, surprisingly, they’re relatively simple ones anyone can adopt. By tweaking our habits to mimic theirs, we, too, can perhaps look forward to blowing out our birthday candles for many years to come.
Blue-zone residents are active for most of the day—when they’re not walking around town, they’re pulling weeds from their gardens, cleaning their homes, preparing homemade food, or dancing with friends. Similarly, you can be healthier by finding ways to work more movement into your daily routine; studies show that a sedentary lifestyle can promote conditions like anxiety, depression, heart disease, and obesity. For instance, you could take your bike to work instead driving or park at the back of the lot when running errands. Even something as simple as getting up from your desk every hour to stretch your legs can get your blood moving, providing you with heath-improving benefits without the hassle of a dedicated workout.
Traditionally, folks who live in blue zones eat a 95 percent plant-based diet, enjoying mainly fruits, lentils, nuts, tofu, seeds, and vegetables. The Mediterranean diet favored by those in both Ikaria and Sardinia specifically incorporates healthy foods like legumes, olive oil, and fresh fish, while Okinawans avoid overeating by following hara hachi bu, a mindful eating practice that encourages ending a meal once your stomach feels 80 percent full.
Processed meats and other mass-produced foods aren’t as common in blue zones, either, but fish is prevalent, providing people here with abundant omega-3 fatty acids that benefit the heart. They also only eat about three eggs a week, don’t consume dairy products often, and don’t usually add sugar, a key player in diseases like heart disease and obesity, to their foods. Given the great benefits of this diet, it’s not surprising there’s already been more of a shift to it outside of blue zones—in fact, more Americans than ever are embracing healthier, plant-forward diets.
Family and community ties are an important focus in the world’s blue zones; residents make it a habit to socialize with loved ones and peers frequently. In Okinawa, individuals are even known to join a social group in childhood that they can then rely on throughout their entire lives, allowing them to receive continuous support and companionship and avoid loneliness, which can lead to depression. Grandparents also often live with their adult children or reside nearby to keep them connected with the many generations of their families. In the busyness of day-to-day life, keeping up with such connections isn’t always easy, but blue zoners prove that the deeper and more frequent your social engagement, the greater your health will benefit.
Life can be difficult sometimes, and the resulting negative feelings can greatly impact your well-being by leading to issues such as chronic inflammation, a condition linked to many diseases, including cancer. Those who live in blue zones use calming and renewing practices to help mitigate this stress. For instance, Okinawans are apt to employ the meditative exercise of tai chi and enjoy their island’s bright sunshine, relieving anxiety and reducing depression. Meanwhile, Nicoyans embrace having a personal plan de vida, or reason to live. Such a sense of purpose, whether to care for your family, support your community, or even simply tend to your garden, can reduce your worries and give you a motivating sense of purpose, thus helping you boost your longevity.
Maintaining your health doesn’t have to be difficult. If you can adopt some of these habits, you can potentially live a longer, happier life like the ones enjoyed by the centenarians of our world’s blue zones.
As temperatures rise, you may be looking forward to gathering your friends and family and enjoying some outdoor grilling. Take your upcoming cookouts to the next level by serving up deliciously flavored cauliflower steaks and a fresh, vibrant Mexican street corn salad.
Thick-cut slices of cauliflower are covered in a flavorful, homemade barbecue sauce before being seared, offering a healthy alternative that will leave everyone craving more.
Featuring grilled corn, a zesty dressing, fresh cilantro, and cotija cheese, this delightful dish is guaranteed to bring the fiesta to your next backyard get-together.
Though made without added sugar, the barbecue sauce in this recipe still has plenty of tang and sweetness from the reduced balsamic vinegar. Slather it on slices of cauliflower, then pop them on the grill for a delightful, healthier backyard treat.
Serves 4
Tip: This sauce is really good slathered on just about everything—tofu, vegetables, seitan, chicken, or seafood. It will keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Classic Mexican street corn is transformed into a fabulous side salad that makes the perfect complement to any main dish.
Serves 4
Tip: There’s no need to soak the corn in water before grilling—just place it directly on the grill!
Nothing ruins the enjoyment of a meal more than worrying if eating it will lead to a foodborne illness. Whether you’re whipping up a quick lunch for yourself, hosting a crowd, or firing up the grill, understanding the basics of temperature, hygiene, and storage can help ensure you’re serving delicious, anxiety-free meals.
Reality is that one in six Americans face the unpleasant experience of food poisoning every year. This is a staggering statistic, but the good news is that your fate is in your own hands. To safeguard yourself and your loved ones from illness, simply adopt these four essential strategies for proper food handling.
Clean
Both before and throughout the cooking process, thoroughly wash your hands with soapy water for at least twenty seconds, paying attention to the spaces between your fingers and beneath your nails. This is especially important to do after handling raw meat. Additionally, clean and sanitize all surfaces, cutting boards, and utensils after every use, and regularly run your dish towels through your washing machine’s hot cycle to eliminate bacteria.
Separate
Cross contamination is often the main culprit of food poisoning, so keep raw meats away from other foods at all times, even while grocery shopping. Always use separate cutting boards, utensils, and dishes for prep; if you have a limited number of tools, wash them in warm, soapy water before reusing them with different food groups.
Cook
Regardless of your cooking method—oven, stovetop, grill, or microwave—ensure your meat is cooked thoroughly by inserting a meat thermometer into the center of it. You can also use it to check other foods like casseroles or leftovers; refer to this guide from FoodSafety.gov to know what internal temperature to aim for with anything you’re cooking. Food should always be kept out of the “danger zone” of 40 to 140 degrees, so if you’re not serving immediately, keep dishes warm by using a chafing dish, warming tray, or slow cooker.
Chill
Improperly stored food poses a risk of rapid bacteria growth. Using an appliance thermometer, verify that your refrigerator is set at or below 40 degrees and your freezer at or below 0 degrees. To avoid the danger zone, promptly refrigerate cold groceries, unused ingredients, and leftover meals and store your eggs on lower shelves rather than the door, which will minimize their exposure to temperature fluctuations. Further, make sure to freeze meats by their use-by dates.
In addition to the basics above, there are several guidelines to follow when cooking for many people. Armed with this knowledge, you can confidently host a gathering of any size, serving up a delicious spread without compromising food safety.
Preserve perishable foods with proper cooling
If you plan to offer a buffet-style spread, it’s crucial to consider your timing; you’ll want to follow the FDA recommendation of letting perishable foods sit at room temperature for no more than two hours to keep them out of the danger zone. Given the challenge of predicting how long it will take you to prep the meal and begin serving it once people arrive, take precautions by storing cold items in the refrigerator or a cooler below 40 degrees until it’s time to eat. It may also be helpful to prepare smaller platters instead of larger ones to minimize the risk of food waste and spoilage; you can then easily replenish them as needed.
Keep warm foods at a safe temperature
Similarly, you’ll need to keep hot foods above 140 degrees to prevent bacteria growth if they’re going to be out longer than the advised two hours. Whether you’re utilizing chafing dishes, warming trays, or slow cookers, check in advance that they can sustain this higher temperature since many only operate within the range of 110 to 120 degrees.
Reheat foods properly
Catering for a crowd often means doing some food preparation in advance, whether that involves simply chopping ingredients or doing some actual cooking. For dishes that require reheating after being refrigerated, you’ll need to bring them to the minimum safe consumption temperature of at least 165 degrees before serving them. Avoid using chafing dishes, warming trays, or slow cookers to do so since these methods take too long to reheat precooked foods, increasing the risk of them lingering in the danger zone. Instead, go with the oven for optimal safety.
While grilling is still most popular in summertime, over 50 percent of Americans now reportedly engage in this activity year-round. Whether you’re firing up the grill for the first time since last year or it’s in your standard cooking rotation, it’s important to take the necessary precautions for a safe and delicious outdoor-dining experience.
Use caution when marinating your food
Before grilling, you may choose to marinate your meat to enhance its flavor. Most recipes recommend doing so in the refrigerator at 40 degrees or colder for several hours—never leave it out on the counter. If you’re also planning to use the marinade as a sauce, reserve a portion of it before adding the raw meat. If you forget, you could simply boil it to eliminate harmful bacteria before applying it to your food as it’s grilling.
Cook thoroughly and check temperatures
As always, you should ensure your meats are fully cooked before eating them. While browning is usually a reliable indicator of this for some cooking methods, it can be misleading when grilling because the high heat may quickly sear the surface while leaving the inside raw. Additionally, never partially grill and finish cooking later—this can increase the risk of bacteria growth and potential foodborne illnesses.
Smoke your food properly
The flavorful art of smoking involves slow cooking meat indirectly over a fire, utilizing specialized containers safe for high heat. There are a variety of smokers available to choose from, but avoid using unapproved cookware like galvanized steel cans since they can introduce chemical residues to your meat. The USDA also recommends using two thermometers for safety: one to check doneness and another to monitor the smoker’s air temperature, which should range between 250 and 300 degrees.
Prioritizing food safety is vital for your well-being and the health of those around you. By grasping and adhering to fundamental practices, you can feel confident that your food is prepared as safely as possible while still being utterly delicious.
For more info, visit foodsafety.gov
In honor of Oral Health Month, it’s time to review your dental-health knowledge. You likely know the universal recommendations that have been drilled into everyone since childhood: floss daily, brush your teeth at least twice a day, and see a dentist at least twice a year.
But good oral health extends beyond these basics. How you live your life can drastically impact your pearly whites and the sensitive tissues surrounding them, even if you follow the typical advice to a T. Worse, some all-too-common misconceptions about everyday care may lead you to do more harm than good. Learn the true facts behind some serious dental myths to develop greater wellness practices.
You may be in the habit of reaching for these postmeal staples that often come alongside a restaurant check. However, it may be time to start saying no to them; as it turns out, they can increase your risk of periodontal damage. Poking and prodding along the gumline after meals may cause this soft tissue to recede and expose the sensitive tooth roots they are meant to protect. Even more, those who habitually chew on toothpicks could damage their dental enamel, thereby increasing their risk of cavities. But you don’t have to roam the world with a quintessentially embarrassing piece of spinach in your teeth—just opt for flossing after meals as a safe alternative.
What about the other complimentary offering with your restaurant bill: after-dinner mints? While they may be named after a healthy and refreshing herb, even natural “mints” can round out your mealtime with unnecessary doses of sugar. In other words, breath mints are essentially candies that, like any other sweets, increase your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
The reason sugar poses a threat is because harmful bacteria feed on it, releasing acids that can deteriorate the protective enamel on your teeth. Ironically, such dental damage could wind up making your breath consistently worse over time.
While sugar-free mints exist, the safest balm for bad breath is that old standby: brushing your teeth and tongue. The chemicals in the food you eat may soften your enamel temporarily, though, so wait thirty minutes after your meal before brushing away offensive odors.
Germs may contribute to numerous oral-health woes, including gingivitis, cavities, and bad breath, but there are certain bacteria that are actually good for your mouth. Some allied microbes can help prevent oral diseases—and even fight the harmful bacteria we’ve been taught to fear.
“Over twenty billion helpful bacteria . . . can be found in dental plaque, in saliva, and on the tongue, throat, tonsils, and cheeks,” cosmetic dentist Michael Kosdon, DDS, says in Real Simple. “Most of this bacteria (99 percent) lives in total harmony with us and protects us from other harmful pathogens.” While ongoing research is continuing to shape our understanding of how this complex biome supplements our whole-body health, scientists have identified some helpful microscopic companions—including Streptococcus salivarius, which reduces inflammation—and ones that, surprisingly, may help prevent issues beyond the mouth, such as type 2 diabetes and stroke.
To maintain good oral bacteria, avoid using antibacterial mouthwash, and talk to your doctor or dentist if they want to prescribe you chlorhexidine, an oral rinse that could disrupt healthy organisms. If possible, opt for a fluoride rinse instead, which targets harmful bacteria without upsetting your balanced biome.
Make no mistake—a diet high in sugary treats is about as bad for your oral health as it is for your cardiovascular health. However, saying no to dessert (or breath mints) isn’t necessarily an immediate recipe for good teeth. In fact, there are many foods that can harm the delicate chemical balance around your pearly whites, including less-obvious sources of sugar: alcohol, processed meals, and starchy foods made with flour, potatoes, or corn all break down into sugars in your mouth. Meanwhile, acidic foods like oranges and lemons, which offer healthy quantities of immunity-boosting vitamins, also contain harsh chemicals capable of eroding tooth enamel. And artificial sweeteners aren’t necessarily safer either; many substitute natural sugars with acidic chemicals.
To prolong your oral health, reduce your consumption of these potentially harmful foods and beverages as much as you can, enjoying safer, nutrient-rich alternatives such as raw vegetables, nonacidic fruits, and dairy. If you do happen to indulge in a tooth-abrasive treat, simply brush thirty minutes afterward. (What if you already brushed that day? Do it again—your teeth can safely handle up to three brushing sessions per day.) At the very least, swish your mouth with water to give your teeth a helpful rinse.
Dentists are among the most feared professionals, and the word “dentist” alone may inspire goosebumps in some folks. But you don’t need to choose between potentially agonizing appointments and a harmful buildup of plaque. Enter sedation dentistry, or the use of mild or moderate sedatives like nitrous oxide to help you feel at ease during uncomfortable dental procedures.
While dentists commonly administer sedation for more invasive treatments like tooth removal and gum surgeries, it may also be offered in moderate doses for simple preventative cleanings. Just be aware that you may experience some side effects, such as temporary drowsiness or dry mouth after your appointment ends, and your insurance provider may not cover nonessential anesthesia. If you have dental anxiety, talk to your dentist about solutions (as well as the associated potential risks) or search for sedation dentistry services in your area to ensure you can complete your recommended two exams per year.
Having a healthy mouth ultimately depends on adhering to good brushing, flossing, and rinsing practices, being mindful about your diet, and seeing a dentist regularly for personalized care—even if you need some mild sedatives to do so. By arming yourself with clearer knowledge, you can improve your everyday habits to ensure your teeth and gums stay strong, comfortable, and healthy for as long as possible.
