09/16/2023
What is the secret to health and happiness?
It has been a while since I posted my thoughts on topics which are relevant to us all. As a psychologist who has been practising for almost 30 years, raised a family and look forward to the next chapter in my life, I find myself reflecting more on why humans seem to be less happy and healthy than ever before. More people are on antidepressants or other medications at earlier ages than in the past. More people are depressed, anxious, and on stress leave; more people are engaging in mind numbing distractions that serve no purpose other than to hinder much needed reflection about what can really make them healthy and happy. Addictions abound as do other compulsive and destructive behaviours. More people are lonely and/or angry. We have lost our sense of self and our sense of what it means to have purpose and meaning in our lives. We are like rats on a treadmill.
I ask myself: What do people need to be happy and healthy?
I recently came upon the Netflix show Living to 100: The Secrets of the Blue Zones and it aligned very well with my thoughts. I highly recommend it. This show takes you to the various 'Blue Zones' in the world which comprise the largest concentration of centenarians (people living past 100) in the world. Some of these Blue Zones are in Italy, Japan, Greece and other places. What struck me about this show was not that the findings were surprising at all, but, rather, that it highlighted how our urban, industrialized, densely populated, technologically heavy and more superficial preoccupations in our societies are in so many ways the antithesis to being happy and healthy.
Some of the factors identified in the show (which have been borne out by research) are: diets very high in anti-oxidants (fruits, vegetables), nuts, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, lower meat products; faith in God; volunteering to help others; regular daily exercise, but in particular natural movements such as gardening (which requires squatting and getting up and down frequently); walking uphill, downhill; cooking; creating things; very close connections with other people in families and the larger community; and a strong respect, affection and involvement with elders in the community; and laughter. Of course, I didn't see one cell phone, gaming console, i-pad or computer either. Surprised? I wasn't.
Furthermore, these blue zones and centenarians do not have age-related Dementia and they do not experience falls (due to balance problems) the way we do, because of the regular physical movements, strong physical balance, and exercise that they engage in daily as they live their lives. They are cognitively intact, physically strong, and not lonely or isolated at all. No one feels alone because they are not left alone. There is not one nursing home in these communities because these people do not require them. How amazing is that?
So, you might say, why else would I write about this? I write this because this is what we all seek but perhaps don't feel we have in our lives/society today. Are we going to watch this show, shrug our shoulders and say "It can't be done" or are we going to try to take some of it to heart and maybe make some positive changes in our lives in whatever way is meaningful and health promoting for us?
I see this with patients and I see this in our larger society. We are more isolated, lonely, depressed, anxious, alienated, unhappy than in the past. We also have less meaning and purpose in life. Cell phones, gaming devices, television, FB, Instagram, Snap Chat, computers are contradictory to what the Blue Zones tell us about what people need. They are superficial, mind- and emotionally-numbing, dehumanizing tools.
You may ask: Is this psychologist trying to tell us to ditch everything we have to be happy? No. We cannot completely do that in our present ways of life and work. However, how often have we contemplated how making a few changes can actually improve our lives?
Here is a suggestion: Challenge yourselves to unplug completely from cell phones after dinner; take a holiday from social media completely for a month or two (or better yet get rid of it and call and go see your friends). Learn how to meditate; learn to play an instrument; write a book/short story; go for picnic, go for a bike ride. Volunteer instead of gaming or being on your phone. Write something creative. Learn a new skill (cooking baking, sewing). Help an elderly neighbour by taking over a meal or inviting them to dinner; put televisions, gaming consoles, and other devices away over the summer and find other things to do with people. Consider reconnecting genuinely with your Faith if you were born into one or search for one which will give you meaning and purpose in life. Research has consistently shown that people who have Faith are healthier, happier and more resilient.
Last point: I was raised in the age of no cell phones or computers or gaming devices. Television was limited to 3 hours per day. We picked worms in the garden, dissected insects, played sports, played by streams, bike rode for hours, sat by a campfire, read books, skipped rope, played imaginary games (pretended we were airline pilots and flight attendants); created our own band and entertained our parents with toy instruments, listened to music for hours, hung out by swimming pools and laughed and chatted. We played with our dogs and cats, we ran, walked up hills, climbed trees, and yes, we were even bored sometimes and took a nap in the afternoon. Those were the days. No medications needed. We were happy and healthy.
Watch the show folks and decide for yourselves. As I always say, we only have one life on earth. Let's make it as happy and healthy as we can.
