Dr. Monalisa Acero Xavier

13/01/2026

Gut checks, visualization tools, meditation guides, and more.

11/01/2026

The updated US Dietary Guidelines underscore the central role of whole foods in chronic disease prevention, highlighting increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and the reduction of added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages—principles that closely align with evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine practices.

Consistent with this framework, the Philippine College of Lifestyle Medicine (PCLM) affirms that the prevention, treatment, and potential reversal of lifestyle-related chronic diseases are best supported by an optimal dietary pattern grounded in a diverse intake of whole and minimally processed plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, and seeds, while remaining within appropriate energy requirements. This pattern further emphasizes minimizing red and processed meats, foods high in saturated fat, and ultra-processed products containing added sugars or sweeteners, unhealthy fats and oils, refined carbohydrates, and excess sodium.

Despite strong and consistent evidence linking high consumption of red and processed meat and saturated fat to chronic disease, the final dietary guidelines send mixed and confusing signals. The renewed emphasis on red meat, full-fat dairy, and eggs—more than in previous versions—does not align with current scientific evidence and makes it harder for individuals to make truly health-promoting dietary choices.

The Philippine College of Lifestyle Medicine looks to Canada’s Food Guide as a model for science-driven public nutrition policy. By removing dairy as a mandatory food group and prioritizing plant-based protein sources, it provides a clear, inclusive framework that supports both human and planetary health. It demonstrates what is possible when public health guidance is developed independently of industry influence.

PCLM remains committed to advocating for evidence-based dietary policies that place health and sustainability above political and commercial interests.

We must continue to push for policies—and plates—that reflect the best available scientific evidence.

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

Discover the Blue Zone diet, inspired by the world’s longest-living communities. Mostly plant-based, it’s a lifestyle for longevity, not restriction.

06/01/2026

Join us!

06/01/2026

Have you ever considered recruiting a walking buddy (or a few) to keep you accountable with your movement regimen? Or complete each journey with a great conversation to make it more entertaining? Introducing Walking Moais. A Walking Moai comprises a group of 5-8 individuals who agree to meet weekly–for ten weeks–to walk and socialize.

In a study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, researchers evaluated the benefits of weekly walking with peers versus walking alone. The 16-week trial involved a cohort of adults aged 60 and up. According to the results, the “walking with peers” group improved more in motivation, functional capacity, body fat, physical activity, and walking self-efficacy than the “walking alone” group. Thus, science approves of the “Walking Moai” concept as a positive contributor to one’s physical and behavioral health.

Learn more (and watch a video!) about how a Walking Moai can improve your health, your social life, and your productivity: https://www.bluezones.com/2023/06/what-is-a-walking-moai/

06/01/2026

LIFE RADIUS: PUTTING BLUE ZONES PRINCIPLES IN ACTION

In our work building healthier, stronger communities, we focus on a “life radius,” or the area close to home where we spend 90% of our lives. In a full Blue Zones community transformation, we optimize:

-The built environment: Improving roads and transportation options, parks, and public spaces
-Municipal policies and ordinances: Promoting activity and discouraging junk food marketing and smoking
-Restaurants, schools, grocery stores, faith-based organizations, and workplaces: Building healthier options into the places people spend most of their time
-Social networks: Forming and nurturing social groups that support healthy habits
-Habitat: Helping people design homes that nudge them into eating less and moving more
-Inner selves: Encouraging people to reduce stress, find their purpose, and give back to the community

Learn more about the Life Radius approach to optimizing the living environment: https://www.bluezones.com/live-longer-better/life-radius/

06/01/2026

Want to eat better and live longer? Learn to cook!

The longest-lived and healthiest people in the world, centenarians in blue zones regions, cooked at home on a regular basis for their whole lives. Eating out for most centenarians is considered a celebratory field trip, a rare treat usually reserved for a wedding or other festive occasion. While globalization and American food culture has begun to creep into these areas of the world, and restaurants are becoming more prevalent, many people still cook at home, using vegetables and herbs grown in their own backyard gardens.

When you cook at home, you control the ingredients and avoid consuming the cheap fillers, flavor enhancers, and added salt or butter that end up in much restaurant food. Cooking also nudges you to move naturally, requiring you to stand, stir, mix, knead, chop, and lift. “When people cook most of their meals at home, they consume fewer carbohydrates, less sugar, and less fat than those who cook less or not at all – even if they are not trying to lose weight,” explains Julia A. Wolfson, MPP, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Learn more about how cooking at home can make you happier and healthier: https://www.bluezones.com/2018/04/want-to-eat-better-and-live-longer-learn-to-cook/

31/12/2025

Researchers have identified areas around the world where centenarians are most concentrated, better known as blue zones. By studying what they eat—and don't eat—they were able to identify which foods are most likely to contribute to longevity. Here are the foods least likely to appear in their r...

31/12/2025