It is hard to believe that six months have passed since I returned home from my Double X sailing trip. If you’ve been following my blog, you know it certainly wasn’t the trip we expected, especially with El Nino testing the mettle of both boat and crew. Now that I have settled into life back home, I’m more inspired than ever to focus on two of my passions: optimal health and sustainable living.

As many of you know, I strongly believe that a healthy planet starts with individuals who are committed to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. The choices we make every day about how we live our lives are at the very core of our ability to protect the limited resources of our planet. I, for one, want to be part of the collective voice that champions for a healthier planet and a future in which we all can flourish. I hope you will join me.

As the world grows

Just last month, the world population soared past the 7.5 billion mark, on track to reach 10 billion by 2050. Compare that to 40 years ago when I ventured out on the Firebird Voyage and the population was only 4.2 billion. Since then, the world’s penchant for fossil fuel coupled with the notion that the earth’s resources are endless has certainly crippled the planet. The spectacular coral reefs of 40 years ago have been decimated by acid waters, pollution and agricultural runoff. Water temperatures in the South Pacific soar to close to 90-degrees Fahrenheit, and the fish population in the oceans has been reduced to troublesome lows.

An optimistic scientist

I have always been an optimist by nature and a scientist by training. Knowledge to me is key. I believe that by combining knowledge and desire with a healthy dose of perseverance, we can inspire innovative thinking and bright ideas that can help overcome the challenges of dwindling resources and a growing population.

A planet in need of bright ideas

For me, I have had an amazing life on this planet. I’m 81 years old now. I have seen much and have lived a full life. I want that for our next generations. We need to find ways to do things differently. I look at some of the breakthrough technologies that have changed the way we live today. Forty years ago, if you told me that one day I will be able to order meals, get audio directions, find the latest news, or have a face-to-face conversation with someone halfway around the world, all from a hand-held device, I would have been highly suspect. Yet here we are. What’s more, all of these technologies started with a singular, perhaps crazy sounding, idea. Imagine taking that same innovative spirit, that same outside-the-box thinking, and applying it to actionable ideas that will protect the health of our planet.

Zeroing in on what is important

To help inspire ideas, I plan to blog more about achieving a healthier body, community and planet. The Nutrilite™ brand, which has powered my health for 80-plus years, will be a key topic along with the Amway Opportunity that helps people all around the world benefit from Nutrilite™ products. For now, I encourage you to remember that our actions have far-reaching effects and, while we act locally, we should think globally. It’s true that each of us has the ability to make our corner of the world better. But while we are at it, let’s have fun doing it … because that’s when magic happens.

Wishing you much joy,

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P.S.S. One of my favorite resources for learning more about the Nutrilite™ brand is the Amway YouTube Channel with videos on what’s happening at our farms, with Nutrilite™ products, our ongoing research efforts and more, including this 4-minute video with my friend and colleague Dr. Keith Randolph explaining why optimal health starts with eating a plant-based diet.