MEET BLUE ZONES PROJECT CHAMPION, LAUREN SMITHERS

Meet Blue Zones Project – Mānoa-Maikiki-McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili (4M) intern Lauren Smithers! She is an undergraduate student at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the Public Health program, works at Banán, is a trainer at F45 Training, and practices real estate.

What's your dream job?
I don’t necessarily have a dream job, but I would love to find a way to encompass all of my passions into a career. I want to combine health, nutrition, exercise and sustainability into one field. I would love a career that allows me to travel often and learn about the different people and ecosystems around the world. 

What is your favorite Power 9® longevity lesson and why?
My favorite Power 9 is Right Tribe. I love to surround myself with friends that are going to push me to be the best version of myself. I am easily inspired and a huge people person. This brings me the most joy in life and is essential to my personal well-being. I am so grateful for the amazing humans I have surrounded myself with and know that they can provide laughs, love, and endless support whenever I need it.  

What inspired you to become a vegan?
I have been on and off vegetarian since around 2014. I have never been a huge fan of meat and only ate chicken. Playing sports my whole life, I feel very in tune with the way my body feels after consuming food. Around my senior year of high school, I started training a bit more seriously in my sports and noticed the sluggishness brought on by meat and decided to test out the way my body reacted to cutting out dairy and a vegetarian diet. I felt my strength and stamina begin to improve and decided that it was time to really pay attention to what I put in my body. Being a health nut, vegetarian was an easy option in college. Often the school cafeteria only offered unhealthy options, leading me to consume mostly vegan. Upon moving to Hawaiʻi, I started working for Banán. Being surrounded by such like-minded people, I noticed how simple it would be to go fully vegan. I had already cut out so many harmful foods to my health leaving me with only eggs to cut out. I also started to learn the very real environmental impacts animal products have and decided that I did not want to contribute to that. Also, the benefits it has had on my body and energy feel so good I can’t imagine going back.  

What is your favorite recipe and why? 
My favorite recipe is vegan chickpea bites. They have a really delicious fresh basil flavor and have a hearty texture to them. 

Vegan Chickpea Bites

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup zucchini
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper
• Handful of fresh basil
• ½ a lemon (juiced)

DIRECTIONS 

• Blend all ingredients in a blender
• Scoop into muffin tin
• Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes

Why is eating plant-based important to you?
Eating plant-based is important to me because it is how my body functions best. My energy is much better and I hardly feel sluggish. I also realize the impact it has on our Earth. There must be a harmonious balance of care for the Earth and the Earth caring for us. 

Any advice for folks who are trying to eat healthier and add more plant-based foods into their diet?
The best advice I have is do what you can. Any bit will help and will only provide positive impacts. Also, just try it, I promise you can change your mind at any point, but give it a shot. I can almost guarantee that if you give it enough time to reset your body, you won’t want to go back. You can also make it a fun activity. Try cooking a vegan meal once a week and if anything use it as a time to switch up your typical menu. 

What have you learned so far as a Blue Zones Project intern in the 4M area?  
Being a intern with BZP has shown me the push for healthier lifestyles. It seems that everyone wants to be healthy, it is just a matter of how. I really loved seeing how much interest there is and being able to provide resources that making these choices easier. Support systems are the best way to make change and creating a whole community of healthy choices allows this possibility to grow.

Article originally posted at Blue Zones Project