15 Eating Habits That Make You Live Longer

1. Get 95 percent of your food from plants mediterranean diet brain Produce, whole grains and beans dominate meals all year long in each of the Blue Zones. People eat an impressive variety of vegetables when they are in season, and then pickle or dry the surplus. The best of the best longevity foods are leafy greens. In Ikaria, more than 75 varieties grow like weeds. Studies found that middle-aged people who consumed the equivalent of a cup of cooked greens daily were half as likely to die in the next four years as those who ate no greens. 2. Consume meat no more than twice a week Families in most of the Blue Zones enjoy meat sparingly, as a side or a way to flavor other dishes. Aim to limit your intake to 2 ounces or less of cooked meat (an amount smaller than a deck of cards) five times a month. And favor chicken, lamb or pork from family farms. The meat in the Blue Zones comes from animals that graze or forage freely, which likely leads to higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. 3. Eat up to 3 ounces of fish daily sardine The Adventist Health Study 2, which has been following 96,000 Americans since 2002, discovered that people who ate a plant-based diet and included a small portion of fish up to once a day were the ones who lived the longest. In the Blue Zones overseas, fish is a common part of everyday meals. For the most part, the best fish choices are middle-of-the-food-chain species such as sardines, anchovies and cod, which aren't exposed to high levels of mercury or other chemicals. 4. Cut back on dairy The human digestive system isn't optimized for cow's milk, which happens to be high in fat and sugar. People in the Blue Zones get their calcium from plants. (A cup of cooked kale, for instance, gives you as much calcium as a cup of milk.) However, goat's- and sheep's-milk products like yogurt and cheese are common in the traditional diets of Ikaria and Sardinia. We don't know if it's the milk that makes folks healthier or the fact that they climb the same hilly terrain as their goats. 5. Enjoy up to three eggs per week eggs In the Blue Zones, people tend to eat just one egg at a time: For example, Nicoyans fry an egg to fold into a corn tortilla and Okinawans boil an egg in soup. Try filling out a one-egg breakfast with fruit or other plant-based foods such as whole-grain porridge or bread. When baking, use a quarter cup of applesauce, a quarter cup of mashed potatoes or a small banana to sub in for one egg. 6. Add a half cup of cooked beans every day Black beans in Nicoya, soybeans in Okinawa, lentils, garbanzo and white beans in the Mediterranean: Beans are the cornerstone of Blue Zones diets. On average, beans are made up of 21-percent protein, 77-percent complex carbohydrates and only a little fat. They're also an excellent source of fiber and are packed with more nutrients per gram than any other food on earth. The Blue Zones dietary average -- at least a half cup per day -- provides most of the vitamins and minerals that you need. 7. Switch to sourdough or whole-wheat sourdough In three of the five Blue Zones, bread is a staple. But it's an altogether different food from the loaves most of us buy. Breads in Ikaria and Sardinia, for example, are made from a variety of 100-percent whole grains, including wheat, rye and barley -- each of which offers a wide spectrum of nutrients and high levels of fiber. Other traditional Blue Zones breads are made with bacteria that "digest" the starches and glutens while helping the bread rise. This process creates an acid that lends the sour flavor to sourdough. The result is bread that actually lowers the glycemic load of meals. (It also has less gluten than "gluten-free" breads.) To find true sourdough, visit a bakery and ask about their starter. If they can't give you an answer, they're probably not making their sourdough in the traditional way. 8. Slash your sugar consumption Blue Zones dwellers consume about a fifth as much added sugar as we do. Centenarians typically put honey in their tea and enjoy dessert only at celebrations. The lesson to us: Try not to add more than 4 teaspoons of sugar a day to your drinks and foods. Have cookies, candy and bakery items only a few times a week. And avoid processed foods with sweeteners -- especially when sugar is listed among the first five ingredients. 9. Snack on two handfuls of nuts per day brazil nuts This appears to be the average amount that Blue Zones centenarians are eating. A recent 30-year Harvard study found that nut eaters have a 20 percent lower mortality rate than those who don't eat nuts. Other studies show that diets with nuts reduce LDL, or "bad," cholesterol levels by up to 20 percent. 10. Stick with foods that are recognizable for what they are Throughout the world's Blue Zones, people eat foods in their entirety: They don't throw away the egg yolk or juice the pulp out of their fruits. They also don't take supplements. They get everything they need from whole foods that are often grown locally. The takeaway? Avoid products with long lists of ingredients and shop at your farmers market when you can. Scientists are only beginning to understand how the elements in whole plants work together synergistically to bring forth ultimate health. 11. Up your water intake drinking water Adventists recommend having seven glasses daily, pointing to studies that show that being hydrated lessens the chance of a blood clot. Plus, if you're drinking water, you're not drinking a sugar-laden or artificially sweetened beverage. 12. When you drink alcohol, make it red wine People in most Blue Zones have one to three glasses per day. Wine has been found to help the system absorb plant-based antioxidants. But it may also be that a little alcohol at the end of the day reduces stress, which is good for overall health. 13. Drink this kind of tea Okinawans nurse green tea all day long, and green tea has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and several cancers. Ikarians drink brews of rosemary, wild sage and dandelion -- all herbs with anti-inflammatory properties. 14. Get your caffeine fix from coffee coffee cup People who live on the Nicoya Peninsula and the islands of Sardinia and Ikaria all down copious amounts of coffee. Research findings associate coffee drinking with lower rates of dementia and Parkinson's disease. 15. Perfect protein pairings Worried about getting enough protein on a plant-based diet? The trick is to partner legumes, grains, nuts and veggies that supply all nine of the essential amino acids your body can't make on its own. Try these match-ups in the ratios described below. 1 1/3 parts chopped red peppers to 3 parts cooked cauliflower 1 part cooked chickpeas to 3 parts cooked mustard greens 1 part lima beans to 2 parts cooked carrots 1 1/2 parts cooked broccoli rabe to 1 1/3 parts cooked wild rice 1/2 part firm tofu to 1 1/4 parts cooked soba noodles

13 Things Anyone Who Loves A Highly Sensitive Person Should Know

1. We're going to cry. When we're happy, when we're sad and when we're angry. That's because highly sensitive people just naturally feel more deeply and react accordingly. 2. Not all of us are introverts. Introversion does not equal sensitivity. In fact, according to Aron's research, approximately 30 percent of highly sensitive people are extroverts. 3. Decisions make us nervous. Highly sensitive individuals are notoriously bad at making choices -- even if it's just picking out where to go to dinner. This is mostly because we agonize over the possibility of making the wrong one. (What if the food is bad?!) 4. We notice that subtle change in your tone. If you normally end each text message with an exclamation point and lately you've been using a period, you better believe we'll pick up on it. Highly sensitive people are generally more intuitive when it comes to the tiny nuances of our environment and we're more affected by shifts in other people's moods. 5. We're always willing to hear you vent. Don't be afraid to reach out to use us when you need a shoulder to lean on. Our overly-empathetic nature allows us to be excellent listeners when you need it, because when you feel pain so do we -- and we want to do whatever we can to make you feel comfortable. Highly sensitive people make excellent teachers, therapists and managers for this reason. 6. Repetitive and loud noises are the worst. Loud chewing, a barreling train, boisterous co-workers: You name it, we're sensitive to it. That's because chaotic or overstimulating environments have more of an influence on HSPs, according to Aron. 7. Our workplace habits are a bit atypical. Working from home or in a quiet space is a dream for highly sensitive people -- especially because it allows us to focus if we become too overwhelmed. However, don't let our solo work ethic fool you. "Sensitive people can use their observations to their advantage ... They're going to rise to the top," Aron previously told HuffPost. "They know how to bring ideas up without being ridiculed or scorned." HSPs also make excellent team players due to our analytical nature and thoughtfulness for others' ideas (just don't force us to make the final decision on a project). 8. Don't ask us to see that new slasher movie. That same high empathy we experience for others combined with overstimulation makes gory, violent films truly terrible for highly sensitive people. 9. Criticism is incredibly distressing. As a result, we tend to avoid anything that may cause those feelings of shame. This may mean we engage in people-pleasing or self-deprecating behavior more than most of our peers. In other words, we're far from perfect. 10. We're constantly being told we take things too personally. A joke at our expense sometimes just isn't a joke to us. We know it's a little silly to be upset, but what else are we supposed to do with all of our feelings? 11. We have a low pain tolerance. Pass the ice, please. It doesn't matter if it's a broken arm or just a stubbed toe, any injury really hurts. This is because highly sensitive people are more affected by pain than others, according to Aron's research. 12. We crave deep relationships. According to Aron, highly sensitive people tend to get more bored in marriages than non-HSP couples, mostly due to the lack of meaningful interaction that naturally occurs as time goes on. However, this doesn't necessarily mean we're dissatisfied with the relationship -- we just need to find a way to have more stimulating conversations. 13. We can't just stop being highly sensitive. A 2014 study published in the journal Brain and Behavior found that highly sensitive people experienced more activity in regions of the brain associated with empathy and awareness when exposed to pictures of emotional individuals than the average person. In other words, we're neurologically wired to behave the way that we do. With that in mind, know that the best way to love us is to support us. Try not to shame us for our sensitivity. Tell us it's okay to feel the way we do. And in return, we'll try not to tear up over your kind words (no promises, though).

"Peace will come when you let the presence of God settle into your heart."

If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart.

La Fuerza del Amor

El amor nos da el valor de: Luchar por nuestros sueños. Dar la vida por los que llevamos en el corazón. Modificar nuestra propia existencia. Cambiar nuestra manera de vivir. Rebasar el límite de nuestras potencialidades. El amor nos da la fuerza: Para respetar a los seres que amamos. Para sonreír a pesar de las adversidades. Para pedir humildemente perdón. Para comprender. Para perdonar. El amor nos da el poder: Para manifestar nuestras emociones. Para alcanzar lo que parecía imposible. Para convertir nuestros sueños en realidades. Para morir y de vivir por un ideal. El amor es la fuerza que Dios deposita en nuestro corazón para atrevernos a ser auténticos... Sólo con el amor de Dios en mi corazón podré: Amar a mi prójimo como a mí mismo. Luchar adecuadamente por mis hijos. Cuidar de mis padres. Ayudar a que mi cónyuge sea feliz. Perdonar realmente a mi enemigo. Vivir en paz con los hombres, conmigo mismo y con Dios. [Tiempo con Dios es Vida Viva]