Each of the four of us has been inspired by different events and people through our lives. Some of the ones who motivated us to quit jobs and do our own thing are below.

A common theme is wholeness: we have each tried various remedies and found there is no ‘one thing.’ Diet is very important – critical! But it’s not the only thing. Costa Rica has a Blue Zone, an area where there are many centenarians than in most of the world. There are no Blue Zones in Canada, and the United States is going in the wrong direction to expect life expectancy to up there.

Exercise and keeping active is key, but even working out every day does not undo the damage done by sitting all day. An active lifestyle is needed, but that doesn’t fit with a desk job. Stress is an enemy, but our society makes it unavoidable.

We ultimately decided that we could never be whole living in our current society, so we are moving somewhere we can live simply but well, can eat healthy food and breathe fresh air everyday, be part of a like-minded community – and be away from the consumerism and greed that is consuming our society and our souls.

Gabor Mate:

Dr Mate has written the two books below plus more, and also has many great podcasts.

• The Myth of Normal – There is no normal in our society – what we’ve normalized is abnormal
• When the Body Says No – Our bodies internalize trauma that causes great damage – but can also be released