Aging: The Good, the Bad, and the Tolerable

The “Blue Zones” are geographical areas where an overwhelming number of residents live into their 100s.  The book: The Blue Zones: Nine Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest is in its second printing and the documentary had a limited engagement on Netflix the end of last year.

I read the book and saw the documentary at least three times. The realization that there are elders who are independent and joyful well into their 90s and 100s gives me tools to fine tune my own aging.

Each of the original five geographical areas had “a different culture that has taken its own unique path to longevity.” (The Blue Zones, Dan Buettner, preface xxiii) 

The centenarians that were studied:

                  Never set foot in a gym.

                  Were cared for by their family—no old-age homes existed in the community.

                  Ate a mostly vegetarian diet.

                  Had a strong social support system.

                  Felt a sense of purpose.

                  Maintained a slow-paced life.

                  Kept active.

The circumstances that support their lifestyle are challenged by modernization—fast foods, urbanization, growth of the nuclear family, increased reliance on cars for transportation, etc.

However, the encouraging aspect to the Blue Zones concept is that Dan Buetter, who spearheaded this research project to study longevity, has applied some of the findings to an American city.

I hope you find the time to investigate this fascinating study.