BLUE ZONES
LIVE LONGER - HAPPIER - HEALTHER
Blue Zones are regions of the world where people live longer and have lower rates of chronic diseases than the rest of the world population on average. There are only 5 Blue Zones in the world, and we are located in one!
THE NICOYA PENINSULA
The region of the Nicoya is an 80-mile Peninsula on the Pacific Costa of Costa Rica is known for its happy people and 'Pura Vida' lifestyle. People in the Nicoya region often reach an impressive milestone, living beyond 90 years old.
It was introduced as a Blue Zone in 2004.
Other Blue Zones include:
Barbagia region of Sardinia – Mountainous highlands of inner Sardinia with the world’s highest concentration of male centenarians.
Ikaria, Greece – Aegean Island with one of the world’s lowest rates of middle age mortality and the lowest rates of dementia.
Seventh Day Adventists – Highest concentration is around Loma Linda, California. They live 10 years longer than their North American counterparts.
Okinawa, Japan – Females over 70 are the longest-lived population in the world.
At the New Life Ayahuasca Costa Rica eco-retreat, we try to observe our daily routines and practices to be more mindful and in harmony with the environment around it. There is no better place than a Blue Zone to begin incorperating healthier habits into our daily life.
LIVE TO BE 100
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE IN BLUE ZONES LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY LIVES?
National Geographic, in collaboration with Blue Zones and a team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists, conducted research that identified major factors that contribute to longer and happier lives in these regions.
01.
MOVE NATURALLY
The world’s longest-lived people live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. Many people walk as a primary method of transportation. They grow gardens and don’t have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work.
02.
PURPOSE DRIVEN
The Okinawans call it “Ikigai” and the Nicoyans call it “plan de vida;” for both it translates to “why I wake up in the morning.” Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy. They also move at a slower pace and don't rush to get things done. It is a method of living that truly embraces each moment.
03.
SLOW DOWN
'Pura Vida' - the Costa Rican motto is used like 'don't stress it' among many other way. The world’s longest-lived people have routines to minimize or release stress. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap and Sardinians do happy hour.
04.
THE 80% RULE
“Hara hachi bu” – the Okinawan, 2500-year old Confucian mantra said before meals reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full. The 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it. People in the Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then they don’t eat any more the rest of the day.
05.
MORE PLANTS - LESS MEAT
The Blue Zone diet is structured around typical Mesoamerican food staples like rice, beans, corn, and squash. Meat—mostly pork—is eaten on average only five times per month. Serving sizes are 3-4 oz., about the size of a deck of cards.
06.
SPIRITUALITY
Research shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add 4-14 years of life expectancy. All but five of the 263 centenarians we interviewed belonged to some faith-based community. Denomination doesn’t seem to matter.
07.
FAMILY FIRST
Many of the inhabitants in Nicoya live in multi-generational households. There is a great deal of respect for the older generation, and they often play an important role in the raising of grandchildren. (Which also lowers disease and mortality rates of children in the home too.). They commit to a life partner (which can add up to 3 years of life expectancy) and invest in their children with time and love.
08.
COMMUNITY
A sense of community, something that has been long lost to most westerners, still exists in Blue Zones. Everyone knows their neighbors and they support each other to reach common goals. Their social circles support healthy behaviors, Okinawans created ”moais”– groups of five friends that committed to each other for life. Research from the Framingham Studies shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. So the social networks of long-lived people have favorably shaped their health behaviors.
