Project in Monterey County and chief administrative off icer of the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, another project sponsor. DiTul l io’s employer wanted to bring the Blue Zone s Projec t to t he communit y, and inv ited representat ives for a three-day a ssessment that included food policy. Thus was launched Blue Zones Project Monterey County, which counts among its objectives helping workplaces become Blue Zones- approved worksites by encouraging healthy habits among their employees. Eat like a centenarian One of the project’s programs encourages people to think as if they want to live to 100 when making decisions about what to eat. “The ag community really plays into that in the Plant Slant concept,” DiTullio said. “One of the Power Nine areas is, ‘eat wisely.’ So, eat until you’re 80% full, mindful eating, but also Plant Slant”—in other words, not stuff ing yourself; thinking about what you’re putting on your plate; and emphasizing salads, roasted vegetables and the like during a meal. Plant Slant, DiTullio emphasized, does not mean you have to give up meat. “Blue Zones is not a takeaway,” she said. “We don’t want to say, ‘Don’t eat that.’ We just want to say, ‘Be mindful of what you’re doing.’” Sometimes mindfulness loves company. One of the components of a Blue Zones workplace is a Moai, defined as a small social group that meets regularly. In this case, DiTullio said, it’s a plant-based potluck lunch. Blue Zones also encourages walking Moais within organizations, encouraging people to meet new friends and get some exercise. What about the pandemic? Of cou r s e , g at her i ng s of people have been problematic since the COVID-19 pandemic reached U.S. shores last winter. Nevertheless, Amy Taylor, a wellness consultant for Taylor Farms, said the company has made progress toward Blue Zones certification. Social activities such as a Family Walk are on hold, as are health programs run in conjunction with the local YMCA. However,
Bruce Taylor, above, CEO of Taylor Farms, signed on to the Blue Zones Project because his family grows a multitude of vegetables. One of the project’s goals is to encourage people to exercise. Before the pandemic, mall walks with targeted distances to cover, left and below, became popular.
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