Answer from Eliza: "This is my first trip as a Blue Zones team member. I was asked to join the team last year, after I interviewed Dan for a story on longevity that I was working on for a magazine. "

Answer from Eliza: "Hmmmm, that's a tough question! I cook a lot, and I'm a bit of a health nut. I'll try to give you as quick an answer as possible:

Well, it's a no-brainer that the healthiest meals are full of organic, "whole" (ie. unprocessed) foods, rich in good things, like vitamins and nutrients, and low in bad things, like empty calories and unhealthy fats. But to take your meal to the next level of health, base your diet on what's in season where you're living (cutting down on the number of miles the ingredients must travel from farm to plate, which contributes to the nutrient-density of your food as well as the health of the environment). And extra points if you buy your ingredients directly from a local farmer at a farmer's market or through a community-supported agricultural program (CSA) — contributing to a healthy local economy, and giving you a warm fuzzy feeling of community.

That said, since it's February and I live in Southern California, a quick, simple, healthy meal for me would be a big veggie stir-fry (maybe collards, garlic, mushrooms, carrots and my favorite — brussels sprouts) with a little tofu, brown rice and soy sauce. For dessert I could go for some medjool dates or tangerines. I've also been digging an ice cream made from goat milk, which my friends think is kind of gross, but I think tastes great!"

Answer from Eliza: "Work hard, have faith, avoid vices (smoking, drinking, over-eating etc.), and live in a tranquil, clean, healthy place."

If you have a question for the team or about the Quest, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it We'll add some of the questions and answers we receive in this new feature. Although we appreciate all the questions we receive, we are sorry that we can only post a sampling.