OCTOBER 2021
Age Well Center at Lake Elizabeth
Age Well Center at South Fremont
40086 Paseo Padre Pkwy. Fremont CA 94538 Hours: Monday—Friday 8am—1pm 510.790.6600
47111 Mission Falls Ct. Fremont CA 94539 Hours: Monday—Friday 8am—1pm 510.742.7540
Blue Zones are regions of the world in which people live longer and enjoy more years of good health. The term first appeared in a National Geographic article that highlighted demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain. They identified and studied the following places: Sardina, Italy; the islands of Okinawa, Japan; a group of Seventhday Adventists living in Loma Linda, California; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica and Icaria, Greece. Sequential research on these groups showed they lived in fairly isolated areas and had a somewhat related gene pool. It also uncovered that there were common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity. •
Moderate, regular physical activity incorporated into doing daily tasks. People were constantly moving.
• Individuals could identify a life purpose, as well as being open to both success and failure. Okinawans, for example utilize the concept of ikigai, meaning ‘a reason for being’. •
Blue Zone inhabitants learn to cope with stress in a healthy way.
•
Moderate caloric intake, including the concept of eating up to 80% full.
•
The majority of their diet is plant-based diet, eating meat sporadically and consuming moderate alcohol intake.
•
Blue Zone individuals engage in a strong social support and family life beginning in childhood. There is a drive for social cohesion and a strong consideration of what is best for everyone. Many of them are engaged in spirituality or religious practices.
If you are interested in living longer like those living in the Blue Zones you can visit www.bluezones.com or check out or purchase a book on the topic.
www.fremont.gov/agewellcenters /AgeWellCenters agewellcenters@fremont.gov