The North Fork Valley offers shining examples of elders who have long labored for the good of our health and well-being. Norm Lewark is one of those local treasures. It is an honor to call him friend, and for the both of us to be passionate about working towards our region becoming a Blue Zone.
Norm is in his 80s and was a practicing dentist years ago. He contracted mercury poisoning through his daily work and had to fall back on one of his passions: craniosacral therapy. He is a master who has been working with craniosacral therapy, which is a system for moving the craniosacral fluid in the body and resetting all kinds of body systems and alleviating pain. He’s been practicing this for around 50 years. He is also an architect, a timber frame builder, and a writer who loves llamas. He has been an avid member of the local Rotary and an integral part of creating several shared community spaces.
Norm is a wise healer and has taught me so much. A few months ago, he approached me with eyes sparkling with inspiration. He asked me if I had seen the Netflix docuseries, “Life in the Blue Zones- Live to be 100”. He wanted to see if we could get a group of people together to work on what that would look like in our community. He wanted to get a varied group of people together, but especially the elders, to start working on creating these pillars of health and figure out the practicalities of building on what is already here to improve our life expectancy.
The pillars of health, as outlined in Life in the Blue Zones, include:
- Move Naturally
- Purposeful Living
- Reduce Stress
- 80% Rule: Stop eating when you are 80% full.
- Lots of Veggies
- Low Alcohol content, organic wines in Moderation
- Belong- Vital Connection to Community
- Family First
- Find Your Tribe
What happens if a group of us come together and begin to work on shaping activities and connections around the premise that life can be simpler and that our bodies can heal given the right inputs? What does this look like in rural Colorado? We get to choose.
Are you interested in joining in the conversation? Stay tuned to our blog for updates on Blue Zone Imagineering Events! This summer, Wellspring will host viewings of the Blue Zone and conversations as we find ways to invest in the longevity of the North Fork.
I can’t wait to sit in a room with you and our community to get started!
Love people, love vitality,
Liz Evans
