Create your own ‘Blue Zone’ for healthy aging.
In a world of over eight billion individuals, only around three million people can call earth’s long-lived “Blue Zones” home (and chances are, you aren’t one of them). But that’s okay! Because what makes a Blue Zone special is less about where it is, and more about what the locals are doing there to live longer, healthier lives.
So, what exactly is a Blue Zone?
Blue Zones (named after the blue circles researchers first drew on maps to identify them) are five areas around the world that boast an exceptionally high number of centenarians—individuals living to 100 and beyond. These areas are Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California. And despite being five, seemingly disparate areas, they all share a common culture of lifestyles and behaviors that anyone, anywhere can adopt for themselves:
- Diet
It can be easy to dismiss good dietary habits as just another senior health and wellness cliché, but consider this: animal proteins and dairy play a very muted role in Blue Zone diets. Instead, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, beans, and legumes reign supreme—and for good reason! As it turns out, these foods are excellent at reducing the risk of serious health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
But what you eat is only half the equation; how much you eat is just as important! Indeed, many Blue Zones have strong traditions related to portion control. Okinawans, for example, have “hara hachi bu,” a custom that calls for eating until only 80% full. Many Ikarians, on the other hand, include religious fasting as part of their dietary regimen, often cutting around 30% of calories from a normal diet.
To adopt your own dietary Blue Zone, talk to your doctor or nutritionist about healthy changes you can make to your meal plan. Or, if you’re currently part of our Summit Vista community, take a closer look at the dishes our chefs create daily—you’ll find that many already adhere to aspects of Blue Zone dining!
- Social connection
Did you know that loneliness is just as bad for your health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day? Hard to believe, but it’s true! It should come as no surprise then that every Blue Zone on the map places great importance on family and community, resulting in an environment where social interaction for seniors comes naturally.
The Okinawans go further than most in this regard, creating committed social networks called “moai.” These social safety nets can begin as early as age five, where children become formal, committed friends for life. In older age, moai members look after each other, providing a close-knit social, emotional, and even financial support system.
For many of us, the closest thing we have to a moai is our immediate family. But due to distance or circumstance, this may not be an option for everyone. That’s why seniors are increasingly turning to life plan communities as a source of social fulfillment and mental health—because even if family is nearby, these communities provide an instant, around-the-clock support system of peers. And the daily classes, activities, courses, and outings that residents enjoy keep them connected in meaningful ways.
- Exercise
Physical activity isn’t a choice for Blue Zone inhabitants, it’s a way of life. Sardinian shepherds walk five mountainous miles a day or more; Ikarian seniors still find themselves involved in farming; and 86-year-olds still chop wood in the Nicoya Peninsula!
For the rest of us, however, opportunities for daily exercise may not come as naturally as they do for our Blue Zone counterparts. That’s why it’s important to remember to just keep moving—any way you can! Whether that means working with a personal trainer, or just simply gardening in the yard, daily physical activity is an important aspect of aging well (with some surprising secondary benefits to boot!).
- Purpose
Recent studies have shown that having a strong sense of purpose can substantially reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive, even physical, impairments. This is because having a purpose keeps your mind and body active, helps you manage stress and anxiety, and ultimately gives you a sense of fulfilment and well-being.
Once again, it would seem that the Blue Zones are two steps ahead of the rest of us! Loma Linda’s large Seventh-day Adventist population derives purpose from their religion; for those in the Nicoya Peninsula, the concept of “plan de vida” is much more broad but no less meaningful; Okinawan’s have “ikigai,” roughly translated as “reason for being”; and both Ikarian and Sardinian cultures focus on contributing to the well-being of others.
But what is your purpose? And how do you find it? Well, that’s something only you can decide, but this guide may help you get started. We’re excited for you to discover your own personal plan de vida—your ikigai—and who knows, you may just find it to be the most potent key to aging successfully!