Health and Longevity at your fingertips.

I met a very interesting guy a few days ago, here on Linkedin.

So i asked him for a short interview and he was kind enough to accept.

Me: So when i first read your post it reminded me of the blue zones that i am sure you are familiar with.

It is unfortunately a fact that too many people around us are dying from cancer, diabetes or heart diseases.

One funeral after another.

Also it is a fact that too many people are burned out.

Depressed.

Obese.

Have low self worth and lead a robotic life without taking care of themselves.

So your research is very interesting and timely.

What are your findings and why should we implement them immediately?

Efstratios Christodoulou:

I agree!

As a matter of fact everything you mentioned fuelled me in order to start my PhD, on how we can help people be healthy and happy.

All of our 5 published cross-sectional studies demonstrate that: Mindfulness and Mindful Eating are associated with psychological resilience.

The Mediterranean Lifestyle, the traditional way of living in the Mediterranean region (the blue zone of Ikaria is a typical example) can boost our physical and mental health.

Apart from the Mediterranean diet, all the other dimensions of the Mediterranean Lifestyle (physical activity, nature relatedness, sociality, sustainability and adequate sleep) are key factors for well-being.

Herbal infusions consumption, such as sideritis (Greek mountain tea) and St John’s wort (spathochorto) are not only part of the Mediterranean Lifestyle, but also appear to promote our overall health.

There is no “one medicine fits all”, but we should slow down, be in the present moment, take care of our body and our environment and have a nature related lifestyle.

It may sound like something obvious, but it is path to eudaemonia.

Of course there are limitations to our studies.

Cross sectional studies (in the form of online surveys) cannot make causal inference.

For example, it is not impossible that Psychological Resilience can lead to Mindfulness and not the opposite, that’s why we are planning on making a randomised control trial in the form of Mindfulness and the Mediterranean Lifestyle intervention to employees, in order to examine if these factors can boost their Psychological Resilience and overall health.

Me:

Mindfulness and the Mediterranean lifestyle.

Could you expand on that?

What exactly do you mean?

Does that really exist outside of Ikaria and some other more isolated areas;

I mean the modern way of life has also affected that Mediterranean lifestyle right?

In the old days we were born into this lifestyle, here in Cyprus where i grew up, you are describing as healthy.

Now we have to design for that within the modern society.

Design for things that in the old days were the norm way of life.

How can this be incorporated to an average modern child's life who is attending school in the morning and afternoon classes and doing homework until he reaches 18?

And the worker within the rat race to make ends meet.

Mindfulness and med diet and exercise are things that are almost exactly the opposite of what modernity is.

Does one have to ditch everything a city has to offer and try to mimic that healthy lifestyle somewhere in the mountains?

What do you see as pragmatic options for a healthy lifestyle for the average human?

Efstratios Christodoulou:

Ok ?let's summarise Mindfulness and the Mediterranean Lifestyle, and take them to the modern fast-paced lifestyle:

1. Mindfulness: Mindfulness is about paying attention to what's happening right now, without getting caught up in worries or regrets.

It's like being fully present in the moment.

You can practice mindfulness by doing things like taking deep breaths, focusing on what you're doing, and noticing how your body feels.

Besides a 15 minute everyday meditation, you can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as driving, working, running etc. by being 100% focused in the present moment.

If you practice mindfulness and understand its concept, you can adopt it to your lifestyle.

Why it's helpful: It helps reduce stress, makes you feel more calm and focused, and improves your mood.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is one of the most researched and effective ways of addressing stress.

2. Mediterranean Lifestyle: This is basically about eating and living in a way that's good for your health and happiness, like people used to do in countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

It means eating lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, and enjoying meals with family and friends.

Plus, staying active with things like walking and gardening.

It can also be adopted to the modern lifestyle by knowing what food is good for your health and the environment, have a 10 minute walk to the sea or a park of a city, and have a 30 minute coffee with your friends.

Why it's helpful: It can lower your risk of heart problems and other diseases, help you live longer, and make you feel better overall.

So, mindfulness is about being aware of the present moment, while the Mediterranean lifestyle is about eating well, staying active, and enjoying life with others.

Both can help you feel happier and healthier, and can be easily adopted to the modern lifestyle, as far as you are willing to do it.

I suggest you follow and connect with Efstratios for your own good.

Here is the link to his profile. https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/efstratioschristodoulou/

Efstratios Christodoulou thank you!