Elder Care Ministry

Rev. Tom Davis

This spring, Dr. Scott Morris of Church Health Center came and talked to us about his program for better health in Memphis. He talked about his model for Healthy Living. It is a model that includes your Faith, Work, Movement, Nutrition, Friends & Family, and your Emotional life. It is a lifestyle practice for health and well-being. Something Dr. Morris has been advocating for the last 35 years.

Last fall, I came across a National Geographic study about five Blue Zones around the world where people lived to be around 100 years old. These centenarians, it was found, practiced nine daily life habits, these habits are remarkably similar to Dr. Morris’ Healthy Living model. These powerful nine habits raised life expectancy close to 100 years in these communities.

Imagine if you could increase your life expectancy from 76 years to 100 years.What would you do with 24 more years to live? How could you impact the lives of your children and grandchildren? What could you do to reach out with the love of Christ to a hurting world. What wisdom, as an Elder would you be able to give?

The powerful nine habits in these Blue Zones were:

1) People regularly attended religious services four times per month.

2) They took time every day to slow down and pray or meditate.

3) They woke up with a purpose.

4) They moved around naturally during the day.

5) They stopped eating when their stomachs were 80% full.

6) The cornerstone of their diets were plant based foods, not processed food, and they ate little or no meat.

7) They had low or moderate alcohol consumption.

8) Their families came first.

9) They had close relationships with long-lived friends that supported healthy behaviors.

So, would these habits work in Germantown United Methodist Church if you practiced them?

Well, over the last two years, I have met and been around a group of members from Germantown United Methodist Church who range in age from 80 to 102 years old!! And guess what? They have not only practiced these habits, but they are living life and living it abundantly!!