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Kindle Notes & Highlights
by
Dan Buettner
Read between
January 29 - February 2, 2022
Learn something new. Take up a musical instrument or learn a new language. Both
DOWNSHIFT Take time to relieve stress
Saturday Sabbath means many things. One is that the Sabbath can be a powerful stress reliever. From sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, Adventists create a “sanctuary in time”
greater sense of well-being. But how does slowing down help you live longer?
Inflammation is the body’s reaction to stress. That stress can come in the form of an injury, an infection, or anxiety. Small
Italian endocrinologist Dr. Claudio Franceschi has developed a widely accepted theory on the relationship between chronic inflammation and aging. Over
Slowing down ties together so many of the other lessons—eating right, appreciating friends, finding time for spirituality, making family a priority, creating things that bring purpose.
“Life is short. Don’t run so fast you miss it.”
when they do take time off, according to one source, 20 percent of them stay in touch with the office.
meditation as a cornerstone of slowing down. “Meditation provides us a mechanism to step out of the self-focus and find true freedom.”
find a quiet space to slow down in your Blue Zone.
Reduce the noise. Minimizing time spent with television, radio, and the Internet can help reduce the amount of aural clutter in your life. Rid
Be early. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to every appointment.
Meditate. Create a space in your home that is quiet, not too hot and not too cold, not too dark and not too light. Furnish the space with a meditation cushion or chair.
try to meditate every day no matter what
Start with 10 minutes a day, and try to work ...
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BELONG Participate in a spiritual community Healthy centenarians everywhere have faith. The
Belonging to a religious community can foster larger and denser social networks.
more involved. If you already belong to a religious community, take a more active role in the organization.
volunteering might enhance well-being and possibly reduce mortality.
Unitarian Universalism, for example, is open to anyone who believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every person and in the acceptance and encouragement of each individual’s own spiritual journey.
ideal that the supreme aim in life is to create a more humane society.
LOVED ONES FIRST Make family a priority
Their children reciprocate their love and care. Their children check up on their parents, and in four of the five Blue Zones, the younger generation welcomes the older generation into their homes.
“Families represent the highest degree of social network,”
“Successful families make a point of eating at least one meal a day together, taking annual vacations, and spending family time. Everything
Establish rituals. Children thrive on rituals; they enjoy repetition. Make one family meal a day sacred. Establish
RIGHT TRIBE Be surrounded by those who share Blue Zone values
Social connectedness is ingrained into the world’s Blue Zones. Okinawans have moais, groups of people who stick together their whole lives.
Lisa Berkman of Harvard University has investigated social connectedness and longevity. In one study, she looked at the impact of marital status, ties with friends and relatives, club membership, and level of volunteerism on how well older people aged.
The type of social connectedness was not important in relation to longevity—as long as there was connection.
“They have better and stronger systems of support than men, they’re much more engaged with and helpful to each other, more willing and able to express feelings, including grief and anger, and other aspects of intimacy.”
Identify your inner circle. Know the people who reinforce the right habits, people who understand or live by Blue Zone secrets.
Be likable. Of the centenarians interviewed, there wasn’t a grump in the bunch.
experience less stress and live purposeful lives.
Create time together. Spend at least 30 minutes a day with members of your inner circle.
Take a daily walk. Building a strong friendship requires some effort, but it is an investment that can pay ...
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We can live a shorter life with more years of disability, or we can live the longest possible life with the fewest bad years.
Sardinia’s Raffaella Monne tells us, “Life is short. Don’t run so fast you miss it.” In what ways are we running too fast? What can we do as individuals and as a community to slow down?
moai, a group of lifelong friends.
weekly 24-hour Sabbath provides Seventh-day Adventist a time to focus on family, God, camaraderie, and nature.
