Why do people in the so-called Blue Zones live longer and healthier lives than the rest of us?

That’s the question Jason Prall, a Longevity and Optimal Health Practitioner, is asking in his free documentary series, The Human Longevity Project.

After a childhood spent dealing with chronic illness, then a 15-year search for the causes, Jason came out the other side determined to make an impact. As a healthcare entrepreneur, he believes in only doing what feels meaningful and natural as the path to ultimate success, in business as well as life.

1. Tell us about your business – what’s your mission; your soul’s purpose and why you created your wellness business or service?

The Human Longevity Project is an upcoming 7-part documentary film series set to uncover the lifestyle, environmental, and physiological aspects of chronic disease, healthy aging, and the true nature of longevity in our modern world.

Included are interviews from premier scientists, physicians, healers, & health experts from around the globe. Perhaps more importantly, we’ve captured real-world footage of life in the Blue Zones and interviews with local elders. The intent is to reexamine the daily routines and practices ranging the entire lifespan, from preconception to geriatrics, with much more observational and scientific scrutiny than ever before.

At a time where populations of industrialized societies are seeing health, quality of life, and the environment decline rapidly, the health information and lifestyle practices shared in this film are absolutely essential to reversing those trends and shifting the entire paradigm of chronic disease and the health of our environment.

2. Tell us about your journey and your story….what got you to this point today?

Like many in the wellness space, my journey began as a result of my own personal health issues. At 13 years old, I suffered from abnormal joint issues that traditional medicine could not make sense of. Seven years later, I developed skin issues that remained a mystery. I was confronted with the fact that I had to resolve these dysfunctions myself. This sent me on a 15-year search for the ultimate root causes, which turned out to be a combination of hidden, chronic viral & bacterial infections coupled with environmental toxins. Ultimately, this intensive study of human physiology, immunology, epigenetics, and metabolomics lead me down the path to becoming an integrative health practitioner. This allowed me to help others resolve chronic conditions like autoimmune diseases, metabolic syndrome, gastrointestinal issues, hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, and the like.

3. How are you changing the face of healthcare and/or the wellness industry? How do you create, innovate or break the rules in healthcare?

Just about every aspect of “healthcare” today is focused not on health, but rather on managing or eliminating disease. This is certainly important as we currently have an epidemic of chronic disease that needs to be addressed. But the key message we want to deliver is that we can strive for more than simply the focus on chronic disease. We all deserve optimal health. And there is a big difference between achieving optimal health and the mere absence of disease.

4. What personal and professional legacy or impact do you want to leave on the world?

Leaving a legacy is really not an objective in the slightest. Impact seems a little nobler, but even this is not a primary goal. Rather the focus is on being truly authentic. With a little courage and wisdom, we can achieve this and I’m confident it’s the way to maximally contribute to improving health of the collective.

5. In your opinion, what is the most significant factor in healing or overall wellness?

My current view is that the ONLY way to optimize health involves complete alignment with the fundamental laws of nature. The more alignment we have with the natural order of things, the healthier we will be individually and collectively. Part of this alignment involves the understanding that in virtually all cases, we have everything we need to heal ourselves. Health is an innate potential we are born with. The answers we seek for are already built into our constitution and are controlled by our own conscious and subconscious processes coupled with our environment.

6. What do you wish people realized when it comes to their health or about the wellness industry?

The wellness industry is just like any other modern industry. Nearly everybody involved is here to make money. This is not a bad thing in the slightest. There is certainly a bit more conscious intention in the wellness space than many other industries. But I think it is important to figure out who or what truly resonates with you and explore that instead of simply jumping on the latest wellness trend.

7. How long did it take you to reach important milestones in your wellness business?
   And, what has really helped you move the needle in making your vision a reality?

Because my important business milestones involve maximizing personal enjoyment, freedom, and authenticity, it continues to be an evolving journey. But it took about 2 years to realize these were the important milestones to shoot for. In order to come to this realization, I probably had to have a little financial success that lacked enjoyment and authenticity in order to figure out something big was missing. Once this emptiness became a reality, the vision became glaringly obvious.

8. Tell us about the start-up scares: Was there a moment where you ever seriously contemplated giving up?

Giving up was never a serious consideration – not even close. There was a deep trust that things would be just fine. However, getting lost on the path was, and still is, not uncommon. Often the route to success can be clouded with uncertainty and tough lessons. Knowing how to spend time, energy, and money is often unclear. But the deep trust I had facilitated a continuous focus on creating opportunities and trying new things that would eventually pave the way forward. I learned not to force things and to know that there was something coming. And when I found it, I just knew – it was beautiful. However, the important thing for me was to properly define success. To me, success is finding a way to express my gifts and talents that continue to fuel my passion to improve collective health. And I now see how that has and will continue to play out in the near future.

9. Did you ever fail or make a substantial mistake in business or organization? Any serious challenges? How did you overcome and resolve it?

I made a massive error in judgment in my first business by investing in a business-coaching group. They had a canned template for financial success that was absolutely not right for me. I let myself get blinded by the promise of a flourishing business instead of allowing things to naturally flow. But this was a very important lesson to learn, so I’m very grateful for it, even though it almost collapsed the company.

10. What action has the most impact that you’ve taken to reach your goal/s?

Looking back, every small action has played a critical role in my current reality. But the most significant, intentional action I can pinpoint involves taking the major risk of going into significant debt to personally remodel my house with the intent of hopefully selling for a profit which would allow me to leave a 10-year career as a mechanical engineer and start my own business in the health field.

11. What would you tell your younger/earlier self about following your dreams?

You can follow many superficial dreams, but the only real dream you will have is to be 100% authentic with yourself as you explore various personal and business ventures. So leave all the other crap behind and get real.

12. What’s the best piece of business or personal advice YOU’VE ever received?

Just decide what you truly want and commit yourself to it. The Universe will get out of your way. But do not force the issue, else you will encounter much resistance. Instead, let go of the desire to control the outcome and learn to trust the natural flow of things. If you are committed to the outcome, you will not need to control anything. It will manifest in ways you can’t imagine…and that’s where all the fun resides.

13. What’s the #1 piece of advice you would give a new Wellness professional who really wants to make an impact in healthcare and people’s lives?

There are a million ways to impact healthcare and help people heal. The way to create personal happiness and have maximum impact is to cater to your individual talents. There is no template you must follow. Break the rules. Create your own path. Identify your unique skill-set and the type of work you enjoy doing. No matter what it is, in order to make an impact, it will require a lot of work, so you better enjoy it. Otherwise you will get burned out just like any other job. Find a way to express your gifts that completely lights you up. But also understand that over time, the type of work you enjoy may change, so allow yourself some flexibility as you go.

14. What does a typical work day look like for you?

Wake up naturally, usually around 7 am or so. Immediately go for a 15-30 min walk outside. Do Vipassana meditation for an hour. Work at standing desk for a few hours responding to emails, working with clients on their health. Aim to take a 1-2 hour break to spend time at the beach or at a park. Pop on social media and do the necessary work things, plug away at some kind of health media content, and usually touch base with a partner in a few new business ventures. Usually try to spend a little time working outside, read some research, and try to wrap things up before 7 pm.

15. Stevie Wonder or The Beatles? (this, I personally must know.) 🙂

After listening to a street artist play & sing Imagine at the “John Lennon Wall” in Prague and knowing that the Beatles played an instrumental role in sparking and influencing the public’s resistance to the restriction of freedom in Prague, I can’t NOT answer with The Beatles. I mean, after all, All You Need is Love, right?…

Jason Prall is a Longevity and Optimal Health Practitioner who works remotely with individuals around world to provide solutions for those struggling with weight loss or suffering from complex health issues that their doctors have been unable to resolve. His new documentary, The Human Longevity Project, unlocks the secrets to living a truly long-lasting, vibrant life.

As a nationally-recognized speaker and host of the “You, Optimized. Radio” show, he’s been able to share his unique and innovative approach with a global audience, which has facilitated the transformation of thousands of lives with simple, practical, and powerful solutions to combat chronic health conditions and drastically improve quality of life.