For moms, living a long healthy life means seeing our kids grow up and witnessing who they become. In areas called Blue Zones, certain lifestyle habits help residents live to 90, 100, or beyond. Genetics plays a role, but researchers have found it’s our daily behaviors and environment that play a bigger role. So what can moms learn from the Blue Zones in order to live a long happy and healthy life with our children?

Plant-based Isn’t a Fad

In Blue Zones people are eating minimally processed, plant-based foods like fruits, beans, vegetables, and whole grains. Note, that these are not the processed plant-based foods you find in the freezer section. Although Most Blue Zone residents aren’t vegetarians; they just eat meat less often and in smaller portions so plant foods dominate their diet.

Tips to add more plant-based foods:

• Eat more plant proteins like chickpeas and lentils

• Try “meatless” Mondays

• Consider meat a side rather than the main portion of the dish

• Make it a challenge to introduce your child to a new plant food each week

Move More

Blue Zone residents are physically active throughout daily life. They avoid long sedentary periods and can be seen gardening, or doing tai chi. In one study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine they found that for each additional 30 minutes of sedentary time on a typical day, men were 17% more likely to die during the five-year study. However, each 30 minutes of light activity reduced the odds of death by 17%. So for moms that have a hard time fitting in workouts, your daily physical activity is just as important, if not more. You can still have an extremely positive impact on your well-being without hitting the gym.

Tips for moms:

• Working from home? Aim to get up between meetings to stretch or take one walking meeting each day

• Get the guidance you need to stay active during pregnancy and return to exercise after having a baby.

• Rather than sitting on the park bench, chase your child or push them on the swing

• Distribute chores throughout your day versus all at once  

• Make family time active with weekend activities like hikes or biking

Eat Mindfully

People living in the Blue Zones focus not just on what they eat, but how they eat. There isn’t mindless munching on an entire bag of chips while watching TV, instead, they’re putting their fork down between bites and are intentional about how they’re eating, usually stopping when they are 80% full. Residents experience more joy from their food and tend to practice better portion control through mindful eating. 

Tips for moms: 

• No screens during meals

• Make time for meals so that you’re not rushing

• Stop before you’re full

Substitute the Facebook Groups for Real groups

Close community ties help Blue Zone residents stay active and happy. Loneliness, stress, and depression can cause physical health problems. The saying, “It takes a village” isn’t just about the support we need to raise our kids. As a mom, you also need connection and support for yourself and can learn from the benefits of those living in the Blue Zones. 

Tips for moms:

• Arrange playdates for your kids with parents that you enjoy spending time with so that you can benefit too

• Join a prenatal or postpartum fitness, or wellness group

• Find a neighborhood mom to go on walks with

• Limit social media scrolling and call a friend for a quick chat instead

So although we can’t all live in the Blue Zones, we can take a different approach to what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. As we’re modeling a healthy lifestyle for our family, we can’t forget about the daily habits that have a profound impact on our lifespan and quality of life. Let’s all try to sit a little less, slow down at mealtime, connect with our village, and consider what’s on our plates.