Blue Zone elixir

Who is not fascinated by the 5 famous Blue Zones on our planet: Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece, and Loma Linda in California USA?

These Blue Zones contain the longest living, happiest and healthiest people by proportion on planet Earth.

I personally find it fascinating and I may not be the only one.

I think once we have passed 40 or so, we tend to start thinking of how long we may have left before we are history. I have also noticed on myself, that during my 60 plus years, I have been pushing the goal post by adjusting the old-age barrier in my mind up and up and up.

At 10, I thought a 20 year old was old, at 20, I thought a 50 year old was old, but now I refuse to think I am old at all… in fact I am adamant I have never been younger! Of course I am not talking physically speaking, rather I mean in my mind and in my heart and in my soul!

Although I zoom in on these dimensions of myself first and foremost, I take very good care of my physical body as well, having been on a plant based diet now for a very long time.

Currently I am not far off from my retirement and I am in the process of selling up one of my plant based & sustainable concept businesses(www.aromafoods.org.uk).

I have recently found the perfect interested party who will take my business on and hopefully will do it even better in the future than I have done it these past 20 plus years. I wish them the best of luck, they have my blessings which I think is very important when we dispose of anything such as a business or finish a relationship, a job etc…

I often say that while first impressions matter a lot for they last a long time afterwards, the last impression is far more important as it will last forever!

We should make sure, we make good waves as we go through life and leave lots of good karma behind us whenever we move on. It will make a huge difference to the world and to us too even if we don`t see it afterwards.

So I am excited to be nearing this new huge cross roads in life, where one large chapter ends and hopefully another even larger chapter begins.

I anticipate way more than 20 years in my new chapter to come, and I intend to put my 50 plus years of catering experience into good use in the time I have available to me. Whatever that span of time maybe, it`s fine…

This time I want to be more active online, such as here on Medium as well as on other platforms, sharing all the knowledge I have picked up both in kitchens as head chef as well as gained at front of house as manager of top Soho and Mayfair restaurants in London.

Also somewhat more unusual angles that I have experienced in location film & TV catering all around the UK. It has been absolutely fascinating in these past 50 plus years since I first stepped into a commercial kitchen as an apprentice cook back in Hungary.

You will not be surprised, if I say that the famous Blue Zones have captured my imagination too. I will most definitely want to incorporate the essence of them into my life.

Not that I have not done it largely already, for I have, and for many years and as a consequence I am super fit and super healthy full of beans and full of optimism for the future.

During my usual yearly health checks, my doctors have been amazed that in the black ink print-out, there was nothing coming up in red, its all good from A to Z.

I intend to keep it that way, in fact I constantly think of ways to improve on it. Resting on one`s laurels for too long is the best way to make them go off!

I have just finished a book on Ikigai, which in a nut shell is the Japanese word for : A reason to live. It`s a huge topic and I am not going to go into it too deep here as it would take a very very long time…

Perhaps lets go into it just a bit!

I find myself living in the UK, at least 2 hours flight away to the nearest Blue Zone in Sardinia. With this I need to come to terms with somehow. After all, the vast majority of humanity live outside these Blue Zones. So what am I going to do about it, short of up sticks and moving to one of those Blue Zones with my family? Pretty unlikely for all sorts of reasons.

I sense though from deep down, that as everything, even this can be solved somehow. It`s just a question of wisdom and will power as most things are.

So what I am thinking? I am kind of thinking of a personal Blue Zone that is tailor made for us and it lives inside us like an invisible compass always showing true north. You don`t need to go to it, but rather it comes to you…

I am positive that if you and I want to have our own Blue Zones, there is no reason why we cannot, and why we cannot have it exactly where we live.

There is no law on Earth that could forbid it, let it be civil or religious nor is there any health professional or guru that would advise against it.

Let`s briefly look into it what makes Ikigai , the Japanese password for their Blue Zone so special, just in case you too would like to incorporate more of it into your life.

After all therein lies the potential for living a very long and happy, fulfilled life. For in the town of Ogimi in Okinawa there are not just lots of centenarians but even super centenarians (110 plus years old people) to prove this!

We all know the old proverb: the proof is in the eating of the pudding!

So what is the secret recipe… I hear you asking

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Below is the Super centenarian`s advice list, mixed with a bit of mine:

BLUE ZONE ELIXIR

Do not waste: love, health, opportunity etc but most importantly LIFE!

Eat healthy, home cooked, preferably plant based & organic wholefoods.

Do not eat till you are 100% full, rather aim for about 80% only .

Do not smoke!

Do not eat late, and do not stay up late.

The more sleep you get before midnight the better.

Drink a large glass of still water before going to bed.

Rise early, drink a large glass of still water and have a nourishing breakfast.

Reduce your intake of salt, sugar & white flour. The less of these, the better.

Water is the best drink, but the water you EAT is even better(in fruits & veg)

Be as natural and as sustainable in your life style and business as possible.

Take it slow, do little but often, as little is more sustainable than much.

Don`t retire. Carry on being busy doing something for the rest of your life.

Grow your own fruits and vegetables. Water them with collected rain water.

Be in and part of nature as much as possible. Gardening is great for this.

Exercise each day, something you enjoy. Keep being active.

Keep moving. The more you move, the more you can move.

Surround yourself with family and friends. Listen well & tell stories too.

Be open, do not fear change. Have Blue Sky thinking.

Help others both humans & animals in any way you can.

Give thanks for each day and for everything and everyone.

Expect miracles and they will lavish you with their blissful presence.

Be in the now, savouring each moment. That`s all we ever have…

Believe and do not be of little faith. Have a spiritual director .

Be a member of a community, church, club or network where you flourish.

Be in touch with your heart & soul so they may filter up from deep within.

Manifest yourself & shine onto the world around you, offering your best.

Have compassion & loving care for all of life, humans as well as for animals

Be selfless. Trust that you`ll always have all that you will ever need. You will

Live your destiny to the full, let your personality shine & hold back nothing

Let that 5 year old child that still lives inside of you play and have fun.

Smile more. Have a sense of humour and don`t take yourself too seriously.

Laughing at yourself is far better than falling into the pit of self pity.

Last but not at all least:

Keep on loving…

… keep on believing, keep on caring, keep on giving & forgiving, keep on learning, keep on searching, keep on trying, keep on innovating, keep on hoping and dreaming, yes even praying !

These and others not listed here will keep making that much needed change for a better and fairer world!

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Would you agree that all these above are doable?

I would not at all be surprised if you are already doing most of these. Perhaps you have been doing all of these without actually realizing you have Ikigai.

Just imagine if all 8.5 billion of us were living out our Personal Blue Zone Ikigai…

Wouldn`t we as all humanity, all animals around us and all nature in all it`s amazing forms around us be the happier for it? I know we would!

Sweet Mother Earth would be the healthier and happier for it too!

I think we should all go for it, first one by one, then later on all together.

Let`s make our entire planet into just ONE BIG BLUE ZONE!

We together, as custodians of all forms of life on Earth are worth it!

Would you agree?