Staying Healthy and Happy

The past couple of weeks have been a very busy week for me!  My parents, who have been living in a wonderful independent living community, moved to a memory care home this past week.  This home is a really nurturing, fabulous place for them to live, although it has been an extremely sad thing for me.  Watching both of my parents get worse over the past hear has been hard and frightening.  They are not the people that I have know all my life and that is the hardest part.  The saving grace in all of this is knowing that they are well cared for and exactly where they need to be, and can be as healthy and happy as possible from now on.

I will also admit that the situation that my parents are in has made me think about my own life and what my later years will be like.  I want to do everything I can to stay healthy and happy and keep my mind in tact.  Studies have shown that there are things we can all do to slow or eliminate the process of memory loss.  The goal here is quality of life as we age.

This New York Times bestselling book, The Blue Zone, by Dan Buettner outlines seven lessons for living a long happy life!

In the book, the Blue Zone, Dan Buettner, explores cultures around the world where the people have the most longevity.

Dan points out that "some lifestyle characteristics, like family coherence, avoidance of smoking, plant-based diet, moderate and daily physical activity, social engagement, where people of all ages are socially active and integrated into the community, are common in all people enrolled in the surveys."

He also says that "the world's longevity all-stars not only live longer, they also tend to live better.  They have strong connections with their family and friends.  They're active.  The wake up in the morning knowing that they have a purpose, and the world, in turn, reacts to them in a way that propels them along.  An overwhelming majority of them still enjoy life."

The 7 things that these cultures have in common are:

They have learned to appreciate whole, real foods, especially plants.

They avoid processed, packaged foods.

Their environments are set up for healthy, living success.  Fill your home with healthy foods, get rid of things that tempt you, and be prepared by planning healthy meals and snacks ahead of time.

They maintain a healthy weight by getting to know your body's true hunger signals.

They exercise often, but make it enjoyable.

They establish a healthy support system to reduce stress.  Surround yourself with family and close friends who share your values.  Stay connected.

They spend more time with family and in nature.

I am including a recipe for a Golden Latte in this post because it contains a large amount of turmeric.  There is increasing evidence that turmeric could prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.  It would be worth your time to research this further, but there is so much out there to read that I'll leave that to you!

Even if you're not worried about memory loss and just want to eat a healthy diet, this Golden Latte is surprisingly delicious!  I just finished the one pictured and I loved it!  I hope you enjoy and that you stay healthy and happy!

recipe

Please let me know if you like this post and if you make the latte!  I always welcome your comments and suggestions!  

I am trying to make my Crazy Blonde Cooking Classes as healthy, delicious and informative as I can!  There are new classes added to the schedule today and there are some spaces left in the April classes.  

 Follow me on Instagram @crazyblondelifeblog!