Creating Your Own Blue Zone – Food Guidelines for Longevity

In this episode of the Blue Zones Book Club podcast, Amanda, Laura, and Kendra dive into practical ways to create your own Blue Zone with a focus on nutrition and lifestyle. They discuss key habits and food guidelines that help people in Blue Zones around the world live longer, healthier lives. From adopting a plant-based diet to eating less processed foods, the hosts share tips based on research from *The Blue Zones: Secrets for Living Longer* by Dan Buettner. Learn how small, intentional changes to your diet can promote health and longevity, inspired by the habits of Blue Zone communities.

Key Topics Covered:
- Blue Zones Recap: What are Blue Zones, and why do people in these regions live longer, healthier lives?
- Food Guidelines: Recommendations from Blue Zones, including eating a 95% plant-based diet, choosing whole grains, and reducing sugar intake.
- Beans, Nuts, and Dairy: Why beans and nuts are staples in Blue Zones, and how reducing dairy may benefit your health.
- Eating Less Meat: The importance of eating meat sparingly and choosing fresh, unprocessed cuts.
- Healthy Bread Choices: The benefits of sourdough and whole-grain bread over highly processed options.
- Drinking Habits: How people in Blue Zones stick to coffee, tea, water, and wine—and why sugary drinks don’t make the list.
- Bonus Tips: Stock up on frozen veggies, snack on nuts, slash sugar, and make whole foods a part of your daily routine.

Notable Quotes:
- “The goal isn’t to kill the joy of eating but to crowd out the junk from our diets.”
- “People in Blue Zones tend to eat 20% less than Americans and make better food choices.”
- “Keep fruits and veggies on hand, even frozen if fresh isn’t available.”

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- Are you attending ACEP in Las Vegas this September? Join us at our networking event at the Libertine Social Lounge in the Mandalay Bay on Monday, September 30th from 5-7 p.m. Click the link in the show notes to reserve your spot—tickets are limited!

Thank You to Our Sponsor:
A special thanks to our gold sponsor, Brault, for supporting this episode. Brault offers scalable services to support emergency medicine practices, from revenue cycle management to practice growth strategies—all under one umbrella.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Blue Zones Books

Link to Networking Event