Never eat alone - make every meal a social ritual

Eat your main meals with other people at a table, without screens. Treat the meal as a social event, not a refueling stop. Linger after eating.

Why It Works

In every Blue Zone and low-CVD nation, meals are communal events. The French have structured multi-course meals with family. Spain has sobremesa - the practice of lingering at the table after eating for conversation and connection, with no English equivalent because the practice doesn't exist in Anglophone culture. Okinawa's centenarians eat together in moai circles. One in four Americans now eats every meal alone - a 53% increase since 2003. People who live with others but eat alone are at significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms, which drive CVD.

Tips

• Social meals naturally slow eating pace, improving digestion and portion control
• 91% of parents report reduced family stress when meals are shared regularly
• The Mediterranean diet's benefits may partly stem from the social context in which it is consumed, not just the food itself