Ep. 122: Dan Buettner and the Blue Zones Challenge- Shape Your Surroundings and They Will Shape You

Rip welcomes researcher, friend, and author, Dan Buettner, back to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast to talk about his new book, The Blue Zones Challenge - A Four-Week Plan for a Longer, Better Life.This is the latest in his series of books about the five blue zones, which are locations around the world where people consistently live to 100 and beyond. The Blue Zones Challenge is all about helping YOU to get set-up for long-term success so that the healthier choice becomes your natural, automatic choice. It's a four-week guidebook and year-long sustainability program for anyone looking to jumpstart their journey to better health, happiness, less stress, and a longer life. In The Blue Zones Challenge, readers will learn tips, tricks, and nudges from these five blue zones. We’re talking about simple changes and advice for setting up your kitchen, pantry, work environment, and even resources for improving your social network. It also includes nudges to help you: Change Your Diet the Whole-Food Plant-Based Way Naturally Increase Your Movement and Activity Discover and Live Your Purpose Build Your Social Life No crazy extreme exercise programs and no deprivation diets are necessary! In fact, we know those don't work. What does work? Making small sustainable changes in your everyday environment so that the right choice becomes the automatic choice. You can bet your life on it! About Dan Buettner Dan Buettner is an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer, and New York Times bestselling author. He discovered the five places in the world – dubbed blue zones hotspots – where people live the longest, healthiest lives. His articles about these places in The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic are two of the most popular for both publications. Buettner now works in partnership with municipal governments, large employers, and health insurance companies to implement Blue Zones Projects in communities, workplaces, and universities. Blue Zones Projects are well-being initiatives that apply lessons from the Blue Zones to entire communities by focusing on changes to the local environment, public policy, and social networks. The program has dramatically improved the health of more than 5 million Americans to date. His new book “The Blue Zones Challenge: A 4-Week Plan for a Longer Better Life” is a four-week guide and year-long sustainability program to jump-start your journey to better health, happiness, less stress, and longer life. Buettner also holds three Guinness World Records in distance cycling. Episode and PLANTSTRONG Resources: The holidays are here and it’s the perfect time to gift wrap the good news about following a whole-foods, PLANTSTRONG lifestyle. Here are some great gift ideas to help you introduce the science, and inspire a friend or family member to eat more plants! First, books are often the easiest entry point for people interested in learning more. If you don’t already know, I’ve written four books - the original Engine 2 Diet, then PLANTSTRONG, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet, and finally - with my sister Jane, The Engine 2 Cookbook. Each title is packed with digestible science and bundled with delicious recipes and powerful success stories. Visit Amazon or plantstrong.com to learn more or to send a book to someone you love.  Second, a gift membership to the PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner is incredibly thoughtful. It includes twelve months of access to curated recipes, live support from our meal planning experts, personalized meal recommendations, adaptive grocery lists, and optional grocery delivery via Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Peapod. And great news! gift cards are on sale for the month of December for $20 off. Visit mealplanner.plantstrong.com PLANTSTRONG Podcast Episode Page Watch the Episode on YouTube Dan Buettner Website and Resources Join the free PLANTSTRONG Community Theme Music for Episode