If you want to save the environment, go green.
If you want to live a long life, go blue.
That’s the message behind the “Blue Zones Vitality Project,” a research program funded by the United Health Foundation.
Their activities and findings are highlighted in this month’s AARP magazine.
The project’s scientists are studying regions of the world where people live long, healthy lives. They call these places “Blue Zones.”
Researchers say people in these regions share four main traits:
*They eat a healthy, plant-based diet
*They have an active lifestyle
*They have a clear sense of purpose
*They develop strong social networks
One such place is the Greek island of Ikaria. Residents there have been somewhat isolated from the rest of the world for centuries and have developed their own style of living.
They eat a lot of greens, they drink herbal tea, they nap daily, they don’t stress over deadlines, they walk to most of their destinations, they drink goat’s milk, they use a lot of uncooked olive oil and they eat a Mediterranean diet of fish, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
The result?
One in three Ikarians lives past the age of 90. That’s compared to one in nine Baby Boomers in the United States who are expected to reach that milestone.
Ikarians also have 20 percent fewer cases of cancer, half as many cases of heart disease and one-ninth as many people with diabetes as the United States. There’s also virtually no one in Ikaria over the age of 90 with Alzheimer’s. In the United States, more than 40 percent of people in that age group suffer from that disease.
Baby Boomers should take note. We can learn a lot from the “Blue Zone” studies and what we do with that knowledge can benefit not only us but our society as well.
First, Baby Boomers have now hit middle age and are streaking toward their elder years. Physical ailments are upon us.
After age 50, the human body tends to lose muscle mass and bone density. The five senses also decline as do growth hormones.
We can’t stop this downhill slide, but we certainly can slow it down by adopting some of the habits of the Ikarians. It will not only provide us with a longer life but a healthier and more active one, too.
Changing our eating, exercise and social practices also sets a good example for the rest of our society. As the largest portion of the U.S. population, we can have quite an impact through example.
That change can’t come too soon. Recent research indicates two-thirds of our country is overweight. Nearly a third of the population is obese and the trend is on rise.
Our unhealthy diet and lifestyle isn’t just bad for individuals. It’s bad for the country as a whole. If nothing else, we are going to bankrupt our health-care system if we don’t change our ways.
So, once again, I urge my fellow Baby Boomers to use their next 10,000 days to have an impact on our nation’s health. As we age, try eating a little less and eating a little better food. Exercising a little more wouldn’t hurt. Try to walk like an Ikarian. You might like it.
We can do ourselves and our country a big favor.
As we start to turn gray, let’s also turn a shade of blue.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Farther Down The Road
Marty Anderson and Chuck Peden had talked about it for at least a decade. They’d probably thought about it for most of the quarter-century they’ve been married.
Both are gifted musicians. Both have golden voices. The husband and wife team sang together at public events. Why not record a c-d together?
For 10 years, the plan stayed in the talking stages. Just words. No music.
That changed last fall when Marty and Chuck visited our Northern California home on their way back to their residence in Washington state.
When talked about our college years, raising children and growing old. We also talked about the future. What we could do with it. I gave them a copy of my book, “10,000 Days.”
They read it over the next few days and a spark was lit.
Last month, a package arrived at our home. It was a copy of Marty and Chuck’s c-d, “Farther Down the Road.”
On it, twelve songs written by Chuck and Marty. Sung by Marty and Chuck. Produced by Chuck. Recorded at Rainmaker Studios. Accompanied by a trio of their children singing back-up and playing drums and guitars.
Marty said the book simply inspired them. The message of making the most out of our next 10,000 days hit home.
“I think it was the general message from the book that was the driving force,” Marty said in an e-mail. “It woke me up. Made me realize I could still make some sort of an impression on this world. I think I was at a turning point in my life, wrestling with (whether to) sit back and relax and watch my life roll by or put some effort into the last years.”
Marty and Chuck have done what I encourage all Baby Boomers to do. As we cruise into 50s and 60s, we should try to make the world a better place and to make ourselves better people.
We now have a half-century of experience and perspective we can offer. Many of us also have extra time to accomplish things we have put off for years. Learn a second language. Take up that hobby. Climb that mountain. Or, record that c-d you’ve always said you would.
Once they decided to go forth, Chuck and Marty said the rest was relatively simple.
“I was amazed at how easy the actual task was in comparison to making the decision to just do it,” said Marty.
The couple urges others to do the same.
“Granted, the c-d did not change the world on the whole, but it has had a ripple effect in family and friends and in my attitude,” said Marty. “I feel like I can still make a difference and not only that, I owe it to myself and others to do just that.”
Both are gifted musicians. Both have golden voices. The husband and wife team sang together at public events. Why not record a c-d together?
For 10 years, the plan stayed in the talking stages. Just words. No music.
That changed last fall when Marty and Chuck visited our Northern California home on their way back to their residence in Washington state.
When talked about our college years, raising children and growing old. We also talked about the future. What we could do with it. I gave them a copy of my book, “10,000 Days.”
They read it over the next few days and a spark was lit.
Last month, a package arrived at our home. It was a copy of Marty and Chuck’s c-d, “Farther Down the Road.”
On it, twelve songs written by Chuck and Marty. Sung by Marty and Chuck. Produced by Chuck. Recorded at Rainmaker Studios. Accompanied by a trio of their children singing back-up and playing drums and guitars.
Marty said the book simply inspired them. The message of making the most out of our next 10,000 days hit home.
“I think it was the general message from the book that was the driving force,” Marty said in an e-mail. “It woke me up. Made me realize I could still make some sort of an impression on this world. I think I was at a turning point in my life, wrestling with (whether to) sit back and relax and watch my life roll by or put some effort into the last years.”
Marty and Chuck have done what I encourage all Baby Boomers to do. As we cruise into 50s and 60s, we should try to make the world a better place and to make ourselves better people.
We now have a half-century of experience and perspective we can offer. Many of us also have extra time to accomplish things we have put off for years. Learn a second language. Take up that hobby. Climb that mountain. Or, record that c-d you’ve always said you would.
Once they decided to go forth, Chuck and Marty said the rest was relatively simple.
“I was amazed at how easy the actual task was in comparison to making the decision to just do it,” said Marty.
The couple urges others to do the same.
“Granted, the c-d did not change the world on the whole, but it has had a ripple effect in family and friends and in my attitude,” said Marty. “I feel like I can still make a difference and not only that, I owe it to myself and others to do just that.”
Monday, May 11, 2009
Keeping That Job
It’s a strange situation for a lot of Baby Boomers, a generation that grew up in bustling economic times.
A job wasn’t something we thought much about as we traveled through high school, vocational classes or college.
The economy in the 1960s and even early 1970s was strong. A job was something that just came naturally.
Most of us chose careers we were interested in. Something we had passion for. Or a field where we could change the world.
How times have changed.
The country is struggling to come out of its worst economic slump in 70 years. The employment rate is hovering at nine percent, higher in some regions and for some segments of the population.
Baby Boomers have an additional burden in this regard. Their age.
Companies, in general, are disinclined to hire or promote people over the age of 50. With a tight job market and our culture’s emphasis on youth, industry is even less open to bringing on someone who has passed the half-century mark.
There is one bright spot for the Baby Boom generation. At the moment, they are less likely to be laid off. In March, the unemployment rate for workers over the age of 45 was 6.4 percent. That’s the highest rate for that age group since 1948, but it’s still significantly less than the national average.
However, once older workers lose their jobs, it is much tougher to find a new one. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports laid-off workers over age 45 were out of work an average of 22 weeks in 2008, compared to 16 weeks for younger workers.
Those statistics are also higher than the recessions of 1983 and 2001, when workers over age 45 were unemployed for an average of 19 weeks and 17 weeks, respectively.
The situation is causing serious concern among Baby Boomers, a generation that doesn’t want to retire, much less can afford to do so.
The question… what do we do now?
One alternative is to fight back. Baby Boomers have apparently begun to do so. Age discrimination complaints were up 30 percent in 2008. However, those claims are tough to prove. They are also a divisive wedge between generations.
Another tact being tried by older workers is trimming their resume to hide their age or even dying their hair. Not sure this is the right path either. It’s demeaning and doesn’t attack the real problem.
I suggest a better solution. Baby Boomers should try to change the culture, something we have done over and over again in our lifetime.
The problem in the job market is experience and knowledge isn’t valued. Older workers are looked upon as expensive and past their prime. The stereotypes and jokes abound.
We need to alter the way seasoned employees are looked upon. We can do this not only by speaking up but also in the way we do our jobs. We can be the cost-effective employees who efficiently get their work done. We can be the co-workers who don’t complain much and offer sought-after advice to younger workers.
As a group, if we show employers we are worth the money they are spending on us, they will be inclined to keep us on the job.
That is not only good for our generation. It is good for the country and the workplace.
A job wasn’t something we thought much about as we traveled through high school, vocational classes or college.
The economy in the 1960s and even early 1970s was strong. A job was something that just came naturally.
Most of us chose careers we were interested in. Something we had passion for. Or a field where we could change the world.
How times have changed.
The country is struggling to come out of its worst economic slump in 70 years. The employment rate is hovering at nine percent, higher in some regions and for some segments of the population.
Baby Boomers have an additional burden in this regard. Their age.
Companies, in general, are disinclined to hire or promote people over the age of 50. With a tight job market and our culture’s emphasis on youth, industry is even less open to bringing on someone who has passed the half-century mark.
There is one bright spot for the Baby Boom generation. At the moment, they are less likely to be laid off. In March, the unemployment rate for workers over the age of 45 was 6.4 percent. That’s the highest rate for that age group since 1948, but it’s still significantly less than the national average.
However, once older workers lose their jobs, it is much tougher to find a new one. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports laid-off workers over age 45 were out of work an average of 22 weeks in 2008, compared to 16 weeks for younger workers.
Those statistics are also higher than the recessions of 1983 and 2001, when workers over age 45 were unemployed for an average of 19 weeks and 17 weeks, respectively.
The situation is causing serious concern among Baby Boomers, a generation that doesn’t want to retire, much less can afford to do so.
The question… what do we do now?
One alternative is to fight back. Baby Boomers have apparently begun to do so. Age discrimination complaints were up 30 percent in 2008. However, those claims are tough to prove. They are also a divisive wedge between generations.
Another tact being tried by older workers is trimming their resume to hide their age or even dying their hair. Not sure this is the right path either. It’s demeaning and doesn’t attack the real problem.
I suggest a better solution. Baby Boomers should try to change the culture, something we have done over and over again in our lifetime.
The problem in the job market is experience and knowledge isn’t valued. Older workers are looked upon as expensive and past their prime. The stereotypes and jokes abound.
We need to alter the way seasoned employees are looked upon. We can do this not only by speaking up but also in the way we do our jobs. We can be the cost-effective employees who efficiently get their work done. We can be the co-workers who don’t complain much and offer sought-after advice to younger workers.
As a group, if we show employers we are worth the money they are spending on us, they will be inclined to keep us on the job.
That is not only good for our generation. It is good for the country and the workplace.
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