The gauntlet is thrown and area students are invited to take up the challenge and develop creative ways to improve well-being on their school’s campus. The second annual Blue Zones Project Wellness Innovation Grant competition is accepting applications to fund student-led campus health and well-being initiatives inspired by Blue Zones Project principles. Tarrant County schools with the most creative and potentially successful ideas are eligible for up to $5,000 in funding to launch their projects.

Have a Lone Star Card? If so, you can now save big on fresh fruits and vegetables at Elrod’s Cost Plus Supermarket, thanks to the new Double Up Food Bucks program. Area residents who are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can simply swipe their Lone Star Card at Elrod’s north Fort Worth location (1524 NW 25^th Street) and get 50% off SNAP-eligible fresh produce, up to $10 in savings per day, per customer.

Like every organization, Blue Zones Project has had to pivot and search out new ways to connect with individuals and organizations during this time of social distancing and working and learning remotely. Because of the physical and mental impact of COVID-19, practicing the primary tenets of a Blue Zones lifestyle – healthier eating, increased activity, and stronger social connections – has become even more important to our well-being. Fortunately, many Blue Zones engagement programs have proven to work well in online formats and allowed Blue Zones Project to increase the content and frequency of virtual offerings for partner businesses and the community.

From roller skating in their living room to testing new plant-based recipes together, the Schuman family of Fort Worth invents fun and creative ways to practice the Blue Zones Power 9 principle of Family First. In the world’s original Blue Zones, making family time a top priority has been shown to lead to a longer, healthier life. That includes keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home, committing to a life partner, and investing time and love into raising children.

No doubt about it, we live in challenging times, which can impact our overall well-being. Stress leads to chronic inflammation, associated with every major age-related disease. But in the world’s original Blue Zones, the longest-lived people have routines to help downshift and shake off life’s tensions. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians nap, and Sardinians celebrate happy hour.

The past few months have been anything but normal. But now that school is back in session, it’s a great time to also get back to better well-being. Whether your child is in class or online, getting into a routine of healthy habits can support improved learning. Here are some tips for starting the school year off right:

The Blue Zones Power 9 principle of Move Naturally is simple. It’s about being active without even having to think about it. That’s why people from the world’s original Blue Zones live longer, healthier lives. They don’t pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms. They live in environments where moving naturally is part of their daily routines. Carlos Walker can certainly relate; it’s impossible to be sedentary while living on a farm. “Gardening is work – you’re moving all the time,” he says. “But you get to see the fruits of your labor,” he added.

In the world’s Blue Zones, the longest-lived people have strategies to avoid overeating. For example, Okinawans repeat a 2,500-year-old mantra "Hara hachi bu” before meals, which reminds them to eat mindfully and stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full. That’s called the 80% Rule, which can help reduce calories, prevent weight gain, and avoid chronic diseases. For Andy Wang, an information technology professional, practicing this Power 9 principle is how he has amped up his well-being and improved his eating habits.

Sharing time with friends and family truly can make life better. In areas of the world where people live the longest, one key to longevity is gathering regularly with people you care about to reconnect and socialize. That’s the idea behind the Blue Zones Power 9 principle of Social Hour.

The people around us can play an important role in our overall well-being and quality of life. In the world’s original Blue Zones, researchers found that the right social networks—or the Blue Zones Power 9^Ò principle of “Right Tribe”—can help us live longer, healthier lives. Sometimes we must seek out those relationships--and sometimes they are given to us.