What is a Blue Zone?
When National Geographic and Dan Buettner started a mission to find the places where people lived longer, healthier and happier lives, they called it Blue Zones. The team of National Geographic and Dan Buettner may have discovered only 5 Blue Zones, but desires to promote this approach and ideology to everybody who wish to have a happier and healthier life. In their findings, they emphasized how it’s not just about working out in a gym and following some strict diet that keeps a person physically fit but it is the habits forming into a consistent lifestyle which keeps not just body fit but also soul and heart fit and happy. The purpose imbued life with some discipline can change the outlook and life of a person, taking him/her closer to the perfect life the Blue Zones have.
They came up with 5 Blue Zones and went on a journey to find their secrets, some of which are reveled here.
The Italian island of Sardinia
The beautiful yet isolated land of Italian island of Sardinia is known for great genetic of people. With promising longevity of Sardinians males, their traditional lifestyle and main profession as shepherds help them take long walks and make them physically fit. Apart from that, they enjoy their wine, herbal teas, locally grown and hunted food, and goat milk with lots of laughter, taking naps and mingling with friends and family.
Okinawa, Japan
Coined as the “Land of Immortals”, Okinawa in Japan has some of the longest living people. The people here signify how it’s not just the lifestyle but the attitude that matters in living. Feeding appropriately with diets containing soy, tofu, vegetables, they maintain simple living along with exercising yoga or simply working on a hobby like gardening. They believe in having a life worth living with a purpose.
Loma Linda, California
Leading the U.S longest life expectancy, this place is town to Seventh- day Adventists. Curbing harmful practices like alcohol and cigarettes, they focus mainly on vegetarian diets with meat as a side dish. Maintaining strong family ties during Sabbath, people here socialize and motivate each other and keep things like stress and depression at bay. Their ideology here is to have light but regular exercise which not just keeps them healthy but optimistic too.
Costa Rica's isolated Nicoya Peninsula
‘If you find a reason to live, you live completely’, this is exactly what people in this isolated 80- mile peninsula of Costa Rica believe in. The natives to this place have strong family bonds and hardly consume any processed or package food, keeping their diet full of anti- oxidant fruits, magnesium and calcium rich water, doing hard work and getting lots of vitamin D from sun. They live with the strong sense of purpose which keeps them positive and well.
Ikaria, an isolated Greek island
From the place’s rugged geography to old traditions, optimistic outlook towards life and Mediterranean diet, people at this Greek Island are bunch of happy souls who prefer easy going pace of life. Making friends and family their priority, these traditionally enriched people enjoy partying and keep themselves fit by being outdoors and fasting occasionally. This place is unknown to disease like dementia and is free from chronic heart diseases and other ailments.
