Begin the New Year in the Blue Zone

If you’re looking for a worthy set of resolutions for the New Year, habits that allow you to live your best life with a sense of ease and well-being, then model your lifestyle on the Blue Zones.

First identified in 1999 by National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner, Blue Zones are global pockets of health and well-being where the world’s longest living cultures are supported by a lifestyle that increase their chances of living a healthy, happy life. “Longevity hotspots” where the environment, daily habits and diet support a way of life that promotes well-being.

Here

Areas where

Blue

Eating and Drinking

Blue Zone eating and drinking is based on research about the habits of some of the naturally longest lived and healthiest people in the world, limiting processed foods, added sugars, excessive meat, and specific dairy, focusing on plant-based foods.

Well Being

The culture of wellbeing in Blue Zones has developed around simple downto-earth practices to reduce stress, recharge and renew energy.

Social Connections

Social connectedness is an important part of the Blue Zones Power Nine, nine principles for living a long and healthy life based on Buettner’s evidencebased research of commonalities among global Blue Zones.

are 3

you can incorporate

Zone principles into your daily living for the New Year

Eating

Drinking

The robust, regional Cannonau di Sardegna is known to have double or triple the amount of anti-oxidant flavonoids as other wines. -name

People in the original blue zones areas drink water, coffee and tea and alcohol moderately and regularly. On the Italian island of Sardinia (one of the 5 original global Blue Zones where people live the longest) the healthiest red wine can be found. In Italy wine is not just considered a drink. It is a part of the Italian culture. That’s why it’s common to see Italians savoring a glass during lunch and dinner. It is drunk at meals and shared with a sense of camaraderie among family and friends and Cannonau wine is thought to play an important role in the longevity of Sardinians.

Subtitle

Italian cooking like many Blue Zone cuisines has an essential pantry of simple ingredients that seldom

Blue Zone Pantry - two must have ingredients extra virgin olive oil and heirloom beans.

Olive oil is not the only healthy plant-based oil, but it is the one most often used in the Blue Zones. Evidence shows that olive oil consumption increases good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. A staple of Blue Zone diets, olive oil offers a wealth of health-enhancing fatty acids, antioxidants, and compounds found to curb inflammation.

An essential ingredient in our pantry. From the quality of the olives, to the cultivation and harvesting processes, to the grinding and extracting methods from estate farms and local farm cooperatives, CosituttiMarketPlace selects and curates the finest extra virgin olive oil you can buy.

Title

Beans are King in Blue Zones. People there eat about a cup a day. Beans are full of fiber and protein. Beans may not absolutely guarantee a long life, but they are an important part of an overall plan to stay healthier.

If you have trouble digesting beans, soaking overnight and then discarding the soaking water leaches out sugars in beans that are responsible for gas production. Read this post about the legendary legumes from Casa Corneli. Incredibly delicious.

Reference this post about how to cook heirloom beans.

Borlotti Beans with Garlic and Rosemary

Ingredients

▪

4 cups Casa Corneli borlotti beans soaked overnight

▪ 3 fresh plum tomatoes or 1 small ca ▪ 4 large garlic cloves

▪ 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

▪ 3 cups water for cooking the beans

▪ 1 large stalk of fresh rosemary

▪ Coarse sea salt, to taste

▪ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste ▪ Splash of white wine vinegar

Instructions

Combine beans, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Add the rosemary stalk. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered. Add water as needed, to keep the beans submerged. Cook until the beans are tender, about 40 minutes to one hour. Season the beans with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped rosemary. The beans can be made 1 day ahead. Let them cool in the cooking liquid and then cover and refrigerate the beans in the pot. Borlotti beans make a luxurious broth so serve this recipe over a slice of rustic bread with the bean broth.

Well Being

The culture of well-being in Blue Zones has developed around simple, down-to-earth practices to reduce stress, recharge and renew energy. Activities, such as gardening, walking, interacting with the environment and the outdoors provide natural movement and exercise. People living in many of the Blue Zones are in the habit of taking a leisurely passeggiata, a traditional evening stroll, to enjoy the outdoors letting go of the day’s worries.

In Italy they would call this culture of well-being benessere. Italians take time to cultivate a sense of well-being. They are committed to looking good and feeling well. Now in a country of pasta and gelato you might think this contradictory but Italians are masters of moderation, balance and beauty. Food is a cultural priority but contrary to popular opinion eating in Italy is purposefully restrained to be enjoyed. Italians do not deprive themselves of the pleasure of a well-laid table but do not overindulge and only eat until they are sufficiently full. This is a habit of eating in many Blue Zone regions where people tend to avoid overeating by only eating until their stomachs are about 80% full.

Self-care

To individuals living in Blue Zones natural self-care is very important. When it comes to self-care, Italians take a minimalistic approach. They favor natural products that contain high-quality botanical ingredients. The diverse landscape of Italy is full of potent natural plants and herbs with properties and scents that promote well-being.

Blue Zone self care

Social Connections

Social connectedness is an important part of the Blue Zones Power Nine, nine principles for living a long and healthy life based on evidence-based research of commonalities among global Blue Zones. Along with reducing stress (downshifting), eating a plant based diet, and eating to 80 percent full, Blue Zone populations develop quality social connections.

Generational wisdom is shared and valued and social life has a purpose and centers around family, friends and spirituality. In many Blue Zone cultures grandparents perpetuate traditions and are an integral part of family life. There is both a need and a benefit in such a relationship.

Blue Zone Conviviality and Hospitality

• Make time for social connections and hospitality

• Share your family history

• Social and family connections offer love, support, wisdom and motivationdon’t underestimate their importance

• Create family traditions and memories

• Make time for slow meals and pause to express gratitude for what you have

www.cosituttimarketplace.com