The United States is one of the most obese nations in the world. With our high rates for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, drastic changes must be made to improve the health of citizens. But, where do we start?
As a model for health goals, we can maybe start by adopting life style habits of the world’s longest living and healthiest cities, or Blue Zones. Among the top cities that make this list are Okinawa (Japan), Loma Linda (US), Ikaria (Greece), and Nicoya (Costa Rica). These regions produce citizens with long life spans, and a low risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other common diseases.
The diversity of these regions gives rise to the question, “What are they doing so right, that the United States is doing so wrong?”
What can we learn from studying the people in the places with the longest life expectancies?
Image Source: DigitalVision/Jamie Garbutt
Below is a list of similarities between each of the places:
They eat lots of vegetables.
One thing these diverse communities have in common is their high consumption of freshly grown vegetables and low consumption of meats. Okinawa citizens, for example, consume a diet high in soy products, seaweed, and grains. Loma Linda residents, due to religious practices, abstain from the consumption of meats by relying heavily on a diet of mostly vegetables, nuts, and fruits. In Ikaria, citizens consume homegrown vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and drink tea composed of wild grown herbs.
They live active life styles.
In addition to a well-balanced diet, these regions also live active life styles. Residents commute by feet and often exert great amounts of energy caring for their personal fruit and vegetable gardens. In Okinawa, residents often practice martial arts, ride bikes, and go fishing. Interestingly enough, they remain active even well into their 90’s.
They value community and family.
Family and community values also play a strong role in the longevity of individuals. While these regions are diverse, they all hold strong cultures, community networks, and tight-knit families. In Ikaria, college graduates often return to their parent’s home and find employment in small family businesses. In Nicoya, the elderly are cared for and given a sense of purpose by their younger family members. In Loma Linda, volunteer work and community service is often a major practice in residents’ everyday lives.
They forget about time and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Another common practice of these regions is living extremely relaxed life styles. Residents literally forget about time and spend extensive hours carrying out activities they view as important. In Loma Linda, every week a 24-hour mandatory Sabbath is carried out. In Ikaria, residents often sleep in until 11 am.
While Blue Zones are diverse in location and geography, they share a culture that favors and encourages a healthy life style. For a first world country, the United States lags behind in health. So, while it may be hard to change the choices we’re given and our diverse cultures here in the U.S., we have the choice to form healthy habits.
