Where do Blue Zones appear?

Dan Buettner, American explorer, author of many famous articles in the New York Times and also pioneered the idea that the world has 5 Blue Zones, where people mostly live longer than anywhere else in the world, often reaching 100 years old.

In an article published in the World Economic Forum, Buettner shared nine secrets to the longevity of people in the Blue Zones, after spending more than a decade studying them. The impressive thing about the Blue Zones is that people there not only live longer, but also live better. Accordingly, people have a high percentage of people living to 100 years old, remain active in their 80s and 90s, and often do not suffer from chronic diseases like those in most industrialized countries.

The 5 Blue Zones in the world currently include Loma Linda (California, USA); Ikaria Island (Greece); Okinawa (Japan); Sardinia (Italy) and Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica).

9 secrets to longevity of people in the Blue Zones

The first secret shared by Dan Buettner is to exercise naturally throughout the day, such as walking, gardening, doing housework... Activities that take place regularly in nature, in the middle of nature. The second secret of the people of the Blue Zones is to live with purpose. Having a purpose helps people feel healthier, happier and increases their life expectancy by 7 years, reduces strokes and heart attacks in people with heart disease, as well as uses more preventive care services. The third secret is to change your lifestyle, relieve stress through daily habits such as praying, taking a nap, meeting and talking happily with relatives and friends, going for a walk, reading a book or drinking a cup of hot chamomile tea. This is how the people of the Blue Zones "relieve" stress before going to bed.

The fourth secret is to eat until you are 80% full, not 100%. The fifth secret is to eat a lot of beans, from black beans in Nicoya, to lentils, chickpeas and white beans in the Mediterranean, and soybeans in Okinawa. The sixth secret is to drink red wine regularly and in moderation with friends or at dinner. The seventh secret is to accept. Becoming a member of a community based on a common belief, faith or outlook on life can help people in the Blue Zones live from 4 to 14 years longer. The eighth secret is to love someone and have close relationships with relatives such as spouses, parents, grandparents and children. The ninth secret is the right to share and connect. The world's longest-lived people have close friends and strong social connections.

Blue Zones silhouettes

After a long time of researching and summarizing the above secrets, Dan Buettner brought the Blue Zones to the US through a project called Blue Zones. The results of applying the 9 secrets mentioned above in the city of Albert Lea, Minnesota, showed impressive results. In just one year, people increased their life expectancy by 2.9 years and the need for health care decreased by 49%. In addition, the results of applying in 3 coastal cities in Southern California showed that the rate of obesity, smoking and health risks decreased significantly in 5 years. This helped save 12 million USD in health care costs in these cities.

In Vietnam, in the green city of Ecopark, 2 decades ago, the passionate founders created a land with a strong identity like the Blue Zones mentioned above. It is a land that helps people exercise more with a system of four-season parks and subdivision parks spread everywhere, roads and streets are reserved for walking, jogging, meditation, nutrition, relaxation... Events are constantly organized to connect residents, becoming an opportunity for people to get closer, share, creating a community life that few urban areas have. A green lifestyle, an Ecopark culture is formed, developed and increasingly nurtured. In this green city, there seems to be no distance between residents, the elderly are healthier, less sick, smile more; children are happier and more active, growing up with a more beautiful childhood.