Shangri La. The Fountain of Youth. The quest for long life and well-being is eternal. This is the search described in a non-fiction book that reads like a mystery. But instead of a whodunit Blue Zones is a “how-done-it.”
The author, along with teams of medical and other experts, traveled the world to uncover why some people in specific areas live beyond 100 years of age, with fewer diseases, and greater happiness than other areas. This book summarizes Buettner’s experiences, the people he met who live long and maintain well-being late in life, along with descriptions of their practices and traditions. Since original publication, many of his findings have become familiar rules of thumb.
At first, the areas of the world where long-lived people were concentrated were circled on a map with a blue pen, so these areas became known as Blue Zones.
The Blue Zones profiled in the book are Sardinia; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; and Costa Rica. Not surprisingly, inhabitants here move their bodies certain ways, and eat and drink certain things. They engage their communities and spiritual traditions in specific ways too. Buettner describes how simple traditions evolved from the cultures, geographies, and histories of the places where they live.
The book is very readable with momentum and layers of information, including photographs, tips about diet and nutrients, exercise, and more. Each chapter ends with a summary of longevity and well-being practices of the specific profiled area. The Blue Zones closes with nine strategies that we can implement to potentially extend our lives as much as 10 years -- while reducing the likelihood of disease and increasing our happiness.
It turns out, there's not much that’s mysterious or secret about Blue Zone longevity and wellness.
Watch this space for more information about Blue Zone practices.
You can find many YouTube videos about Buettner’s Blue Zone discoveries, including TED Talks.
The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest, by Dan Buettner, 2008, National Geographic Society
(Image is a map of the world with blue oceans and green and grey land masses.)
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