The Blue Zones: Lifestyle Lessons is a book review contributed by Christine Blankenship, Publisher. This is published in the Fall, 2024 Edition of Vibrant Senior Options Resource Guide.
In his book, The Blue Zones, Dan Buettner studies “Long-lived communities where common elements of lifestyle, diet, and outlook have led to an amazing quantity – and quality – of life.” Now granted, none of us will live on this earth forever, but there is something to how we live that may change health risks and how we age. However, this review is not about risk or aging but about learning and finding ideas for your Blue Zone list. So, grab a green tea, and get ready to read about an unusual lifestyle that can still exist today.
Buettner has joined the National Institute on Aging to find “Blue Zones” worldwide. Striving to be a firsthand witness, he has personally visited these communities and even stayed long enough to form friendships. He’s not all clinical talk and theory. After discussing life choices with centurions, Dan shares his unique conversations in his Blue Zones book. Were there common threads around the world?
You bet! Some threads concern diet, movement, and simplicity. Many of us have heard this stuff before and consider it good for the young and restless but “too late” for us. However, the impact can be real at any age and our lifestyle choices are worth the effort!
Packed with insights about daily life, Buettner boils many ideas down to the “Power Nine” and a cross-cultural summary of the best tried and true practices common in different areas of the world. These lessons include:
- Being active
- Eating less
- Avoiding or eating less meat and processed foods
- If consuming alcohol, taking in moderation
- Writing a mission statement with the big picture in mind
- Taking time to relieve stress
- Participating in a spiritual community
- Making family a priority
- Surrounding yourself with those who share Blue Zone values
I have chosen five of the “Power Nine” ideas to discuss here.
Five Lifestyle Lessons
Exercise: A Secret to a Healthier Body
In Blue Zones, they do not employ fancy gyms lined with treadmills, personal trainers, and monthly payments. They have gardens that need sowing, weeding, and harvesting – perfect for strengthening the core. Plus, their environment of endless walking trails delivers what they need for a cardio workout. Now, that is a fitness plan! However, I will add that some of us enjoy those gyms and indoor exercise programs with our Pacific Northwest weather challenges.
Blue Zone people exercise by doing real-life stuff, like carrying groceries, chasing chickens, and maybe even dancing in the kitchen when no one’s looking. The whole point is to find ways to exercise at whatever level and place you dwell. It does not have to be complicated, but it does need to involve moving.
Diet: Less Complex and Fresher Meals
Free yourself from food stress by putting away the dreams of elaborate meal plans and parties to compete with The Rich and Famous. In Blue Zones, meals include fresh, nutritious ingredients and edible simplicity! This diet is not complicated, and it does not buy into the “Bleak Zone” conveniences of pre-made packaged foods.
The diet includes beans, nuts, vegetables, and small-portion meats. Remember that plain vegetables cook as easily as baking the old TV Dinners of the 70s and today. This diet reflects a mindset towards foods with fewer ingredients that add to, not harm, your health and wellness.
Stress Reduction: Yoga or a Good Nap?
People in Blue Zones take time to relieve stress with yoga, meditation, or prayer. They also understand that constantly attending to electronic media or worrying about the Wi-Fi connection wastes their time. Imagine a life where your daily decision is whether to have a second cup of afternoon tea or take a nap.
Social Life: Where Friends and Family Talk
In these zones, social life is a serious business. You would have close-knit friends who don’t just text to ask how you’re doing, but they come over and talk.
Purpose: Beyond Finding a TV Remote
People in Blue Zones have a sense of purpose, whether helping others, staying active, or just being the community’s unofficial tea server. Every day they wake up with an idea or plan, even if that is to make the best cup of tea in town.
Beyond the Book: Your Personal Blue Zone
Even a small change for a healthier lifestyle is beneficial. I would say that some books or articles about health can be oversimplified, and no one is encouraged to go against their doctor’s orders. However, most health professionals would say Dan Buettner has a good plan, with adjustments for some individuals. Imagine your Blue Zone by choosing and implementing ideas for your doable list. Lifestyles recommended in Blue Zones are not costly or complicated. Neither is wellness about a mysterious secret diet. It is about living in a way that makes you eat simple food, stay active, and manage your stress. What steps can you take to embrace better health, find joy in daily chores, and socialize more often?
Review by Christine Blankenship
The Blue Zones, by Dan Buettner
National Geographic Society, 2008
