Live long and prosper in a Blue Zone

Many in the world of medical science believe that only 20 percent of your longevity is determined by your genetics. The other 80 percent comes down to lifestyle and environment. Retirees might want to learn more about the Blue Zones, small pockets of the world where people live longer and healthier lives.

I stumbled upon CNN’s National Geographic show titled “The Wonder List,” hosted by Bill Weir, and recorded the segment with my cellphone so I could remember to tell you about it.

Weir and his friend Dan Buettner traveled to the Greek island of Ikaria to interview the lifestyle secrets of 80- and 90-year-olds who “experience Alzheimer’s and dementia at a rate one-fifth of America’s.”

Weir relates a story about an Ikaria resident, a 104-year-old woman, seeking a loan from the local bank. She was denied the loan because the bank’s policy finances loans only for those under 103.

Weir interviewed Dan Buettner and asked him to share the nine secrets of longevity.

Move naturally every day. Walking to a friend’s house, working in the garden and kneading bread are natural movements.

Be able to articulate your sense of purpose.

Have daily rituals to reverse the stress of everyday living.

Have a little wine at 5.

Eat mostly a plant-based diet of complex carbohydrates, especially beans and nuts. Eat a huge breakfast!

Belong to a faith-based community.

Put your family first.

Keep aging parents nearby. And finally, curate a special group of friends who will nudge you in the right direction.

More exploration of this topic led me to learn that Buettner founded the Blue Zones Project after his eight-year examination of communities across the globe. They have also identified Sardina, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Nicoya, Costa Rico as being Blue Zones.

According to their website, Buettner brought the secrets of longevity to the United States by “partnering with Healthways in 2009 to help communities accelerate transformation through a comprehensive set of solutions designed to improve overall well-being.” These solutions have measurably lowered healthcare costs, increased productivity, and improved the quality of life for residents in those communities.

In 2010, the Blue Zones Project team partnered with the Beach Cities Health District in Southern California to apply Blue Zones principles to three California communities: Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach.

The website says, “The Beach Cities saw a 14 percent drop in obesity and a decrease in smoking rate of 30 percent across the entire community after just two years. Three Blue Zones Project communities in Iowa were among the 15 best Complete Street policies adopted in the nation in 2013 for walkability and bikeability, and Hermosa Beach was recognized for their Complete Street policy in 2012.”

Several states have jumped on the Blue Zone bandwagon including California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin.

Our Delaware state and local community leaders might want to explore the Blue Zone Project further so our residents across the state can live longer and we can all prosper from working together. For more information go to www.bluezonesproject.com.