The secret to living a longer life isn’t found in some elixir or fountain of youth. Rather, it’s said to be found in Blue Zones. Blue Zones are the five regions in the world where people are known to live long, healthy lives. These areas are Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. Here, the foods people eat aren’t just part of some diet - it’s a way of life. The term Blue Zone was popularised by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic journalist who travelled the world studying the cultures of these thriving communities. In a 2020 master class hosted by the Global Wellness Summit, Buettner shared the foundation of living in a Blue Zone: “The big epiphany of all these Blue Zones is that long-lasting health is very rarely successfully pursued; it ensues.” Now, not everyone can pack their bags and whisk themselves off to Italy, but there are many ways to adapt your daily routine to the Blue Zone lifestyle. Here’s what we can learn from these regions: Fibre, fibre, fibre Foods rich in fibre are prominently featured in the diets of those living in a Blue Zone. Beans and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa are high-fibre ingredients that can lengthen your life. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes are also natural sources of fibre. Fibre plays a key role in promoting gut health, managing your weight, and reducing cholesterol levels. Research shows that children and adults need at least 20 to 30 grams of fibre per day, but most Americans get only about 15 grams a day. Whether it’s garbanzo beans in Greek hummus to black beans in Costa Rican soup, increasing your fibre intake is key to living a longer life. Move naturally You don’t need to work out at the gym five times a week to increase your longevity. In fact, residents in Blue Zone areas rarely workout at all, as their exercise mostly comes from activities done throughout the day, such as walking and gardening. Incorporating 20 minutes of movement in your daily routine is just one way to live the Blue Zone lifestyle. Maintain a positive outlook On average, Americans spend nearly five to six hours on their phones a day, from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. Instead, begin your daily routine with a positive meditation, or separate the work day with mini stress breaks. In Blue Zones, residents shed their stress by engaging in sacred daily rituals, such as remembering their ancestors in Okinawa or taking naps in Costa Rica. Or, do like the Sardinians do: happy hour. Connect with others Curating a social circle is one of the main pillars of living in a Blue Zone. In an era of Zoom calls and work from home, connecting with those around us has proven to be a little more difficult than in years past. Even if it’s just a small group, engaging with others who keep you active, eat a similar high-fibre diet, and care about you on a bad day can help you live until you’re 100. Read More 11 best healthy food subscription boxes delivered right to your door 10 best exercise bikes for smashing your fitness goals at home Five waste-free recipes to take your Veganuary up a notch What are Blue Zones and how do they impact your health? Three healthy recipes to get back on track after summer Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, a time when many Americans gather together to eat turkey and talk about what they’re most thankful for. Growing up in the United States, almost everyone can recall the “First Thanksgiving” story they were told in elementary school: how the local Wampanoag Native Americans sat down with the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1621, in what is now present-day Massachusetts, for a celebratory feast. However, this story is far from the truth - which is why many people opt out of celebrating the controversial holiday. For many Indigenous communities throughout the US, Thanksgiving remains a national day of mourning - a reminder of the devastating genocide and displacement that occurred at the hands of European colonisers following their arrival in the Americas. Every year since 1970, Indigenous people and their allies have even gathered near Plymouth Rock to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the day of Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the erasure of Native cultures,” states the official website for the United American Indians of New England. “Participants in National Day of Mourning honour Indigenous ancestors and Native resilience. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection, as well as a protest against the racism and oppression that Indigenous people continue to experience worldwide.” This year, the 54th annual National Day of Mourning takes place on 23 November - the same day as Thanksgiving. While not everyone can support the event in person, there are still many ways people can raise awareness toward issues affecting Indigenous communities from wherever they are - by “decolonising” their Thanksgiving dinner. Decolonisation can be defined as the active resistance against settler colonialism and a shifting of power towards Indigenous sovereignty. Of course, it’s difficult to define decolonisation without putting it into practice, writes Eve Tuck and K Wayne Yang in their essay, Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor. Rather, one of the most radical and necessary moves toward decolonisation requires imagining and enacting a future for Indigenous peoples - a future based on terms of their own making. Matt Hooley is an assistant professor in the department of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Dartmouth College, where he teaches about US colonial powers and Indigenous cultural production. “Decolonisation is a beautiful and difficult political horizon that should guide our actions everyday, including during holidays like Thanksgiving,” he tells The Independent. “Of course, Thanksgiving is a particularly relevant holiday to think about decolonisation because the way many people celebrate it involves connecting ‘the family’ to a colonial myth in which colonialism is inaccurately imagined as a peaceful event in the past.” By decolonising our Thanksgiving, we can celebrate the holiday with new traditions that honour a future in which Indigenous people are celebrated. This year, we can start by understanding the real history behind Thanksgiving as told by actual Indigenous communities. While Americans mainly dedicate one day a year to give thanks, Indigenous communities express gratitude every day with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address - often called: “The words that come before all else.” The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address is the central prayer and invocation for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which comprises the Six Nations - Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. When one recites the Thanksgiving Address, they’re giving thanks for all life and the natural world around them. According to Hooley, one of the most straightforward actions people can take to decolonise their Thanksgiving includes supporting Indigenous land acknowledgments and land back movements. Land back is an ongoing Indigenous-led movement which seeks to return ancestral lands to Indigenous people and the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty. While the movement is nowhere near new, it received international attention in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline - which continues to disrupt land and water sources belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This year, sit down with family and friends to discuss an action plan and highlight the concrete steps you plan on taking to support Indigenous communities. “Another, even simpler way would be to begin participating in what’s called a ‘Voluntary Land Tax,’ whereby non-Indigenous people contribute a recurring tax to the tribal communities whose land you occupy,” said Hooley. Food is perhaps the most important part of the Thanksgiving holiday, with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes taking center stage. However, there are many ways we can make sure our dinner tables honour Indigenous futurisms too. Donald A Grinde, Jr is a professor emeritus in the department of Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo. Grinde - who is a member of the Yamassee Nation - tells The Independent that crops such as corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes are central to Indigenous history and future. “A good thing is to be thankful for the abundance in the fall and note that Native people created over 60 per cent of modern agricultural crops,” he said. “People can be thankful for the crops that Native people created, medicines created, and traditions about democracy, women’s rights and environmental rights.” Rather than buying food from major corporations this year, Hooly also recommended people consciously source their Thanksgiving dinner from Indigenous producers. “Industrial agriculture is one of the most devastating contributors to the destruction of land and water everywhere, including on Indigenous land,” he said. “Instead of buying food grown or made by colonial corporations, people could buy their food from Indigenous producers, or even simply make a greater effort to buy locally grown food or not to buy meat harvested from industrial farms.” Thanksgiving is just a day away. While it’s important that we’re actively working toward highlighting Indigenous communities on this special holiday, decolonisation efforts are something that should be done year-round. “People can also learn about political priorities of the Indigenous communities near them and support those priorities by speaking to their representatives, participating in a protest, or by making sure that their local school and library boards are including Indigenous texts in local community education,” Hooley said. Read More I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

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