For as long as I can remember - I walked - to school - to the library - to my part time job - to my friend’s house. Then after I married and had children - I walked my babies in their strollers - we walked to the park - they walked to school - to their friend’s houses. And now - I still walk. Everyday. Rain or shine or snow. Sometimes on the beach. Sometimes on the road. Sometimes with my friend. Sometimes alone. Sometimes - even on the “dreadmill”! Once - on the Camino Trail in Spain - I walked with my sons - 120 kms. in 5 days. (Someday I’m going back to Spain to finish what I started!)

I’m fascinated about the “Blue Zone”. Have you heard about it? The “Blue Zones” are five regions in our world where people live unusually longer, healthier lives than anywhere else. That sparks my interest. How do they do this? What habits do they maintain through the course of their lifetime. Where are these places? What can I learn from them?

“The Blue Zone was founded by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer and Fellow and Emmy-Award winning journalist. After an expedition to Okinawa, Japan, in 2000 to investigate reports of extraordinary longevity there, Buettner put together an exploration team of scientists and demographers with the support of National Geographic to investigate other regions of the world with stories of age-defying elders. Buettner and his Blue Zones team traveled the world to validate and research these claims, and to identify communities where people not only lived longer but also enjoyed a high quality of life in their old age. After analyzing demographic data, birth records, and interviewing centenarians, they identified five regions that stood out for their extraordinary longevity and vitality.

Buettner coined the term “blue zones” to describe these rare hotspots of exceptional, healthy longevity.”

While being fascinated by the Dan Buettner’s findings - I also balance “blue zone” living with my faith in God - His sovereignty in my life - His grace to sustain - His presence in my life - my understanding of what the Bible says about life and death.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 “To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to gain and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to sew. A time to keep silence and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate.”

Psalm 139:16 “All the days ordained for a person are written in God’s book before one of them comes to be.”

Psalm 90:12 Moses prays - “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (acknowledging that human life is brief and under divine governance).

Job 12:12 “Wisdom is said to belong to the aged, and length of days brings understanding as God governs human lifespans and history.”

I do believe that God has ordained my beginning date and my end date on this earth. I have no misgivings about that - and - I live with the expectation of heaven someday and for now - I live fully between the “dashes”.

In the meantime……………..

In my younger days - I didn’t think as much about what I ate and how I exercised. I just did things. I cooked for my family and played sports. As I’ve aged - and - watched my family and friends age along with me or even ahead of me - I’m hoping/praying/determined that my body will age well too. I have no guarantee but I’m doing good things for it right now - so that - if I get to be ninety - I’ll still be able to lift my pots and pans - change my bed - carry the grocery bag from the car to the house - put my boots on - etc.

About the Blue Zone people. Generally they have good genetics and live without a chronic disease - but - they also do things that slow the ageing process. The following attributes are what Buettner characterizes people of the Blue Zone.

#1. They move naturally. They don’t pump iron - they don’t run marathons - nor do they join gyms. What they do do is this - they live in environments where they move around without even thinking or planning for it. They grow gardens. They rake leaves. They walk to the market each day and get what they need for that day. They hang their clothes on a line. They are outside.

#2. They have a purpose. The Nicoyans call it plan de vida. That translates - “why I wake up in the morning. They know their reason for living. They simply do life.

#3. They pray/meditate/nap/quiet hour. People everywhere experience some level of stress and we know that stress leads to chronic inflammation and disease. These people have learned how to remove the stress naturally.

#4. 80% rule. They stop eating when they are 80% full. They give their bodies the opportunity to realize it doesn’t need more food. So….they eat during the day when they are active and eat their smallest meal in the early evening and then fast until breakfast.

#5. Plant based diet. Beans are the staple of the diets of the Blue Zone. Meat is eaten only 4 or 5 times per month and serving sizes are about the size of a deck of cards. When I was in Costa Rica last April with my church - the Bri Bri people (whom we were the guests of) fed us beans and rice - pretty much three meals a day. Sometimes in our lunch meal, they would add a little meat. It was delicious. Interestingly - my stomach adjusted very well to this constant but when - at the end of the week - I ate in a restaurant - my stomach reacted pretty violently. I should have stuck with the beans and rice.

#6. Wine/grape juice. I remember when I had to reduce my cholesterol in 2012 and the dietician told me to have one glass of red wine or red grape juice every evening. She proved to be correct. Along with other changes to my diet - my readings were well within “normal” in just under 9 months. It takes time and energy and planning to eat well.

#7. Belong. Dan Buettner - the pioneer of the Blue Zone movement - says “All but 5 of the 263 centenarians interviewed belonged to a faith based community. Denomination does not seem to matter. Research shows that attending faith based services 3 - 4 times a month will add 4 to 14 years of life expectancy.”

#8. Loved ones first. Put your family first. This means family first. Invest in your children. Invest in the lives of your siblings. Care for each other. Enjoy one another’s company.

#9. Right tribe. Gather a small group of friends who you really care about and who care for you. Spend time together. Often. I read about a group of 5 elderly men who meet every morning for coffee at a cafe at 8 am. If - after ten or fifteen minutes - one doesn’t show up, the rest of the them leave their coffees - and walk to the house of the missing friend to see what’s up. I love this. Surround yourself with social circles that support loving community.

So - here are the five places where the Blue Zone exists.

Sardinia, Italy - This community is just off the coast of Italy and is home to a community of shepherds who walk 5 mountainous miles everyday. Their cardio is amazing and their muscle tone - excellent. They eat a plant based diet - consisting of whole grain bread, beans, garden vegetables and fruit. They drink wine moderately.

Okinawa, Japan - These south Pacific islands are home to the world’s longest living women. This community believes in forming a “moai”- a secure social network - providing financial and emotional support in times of need. At the age of 5, children are put into these committed social networks. I read about one group that has been together for 97 years. The average age of the group is 102. I’m fascinated.

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica - It is recorded that Nicoyans spend only 15% of what North America does on health care. Faith and family play a strong role in their culture. They believe in the “plan de vida” - reason to live. They eat little to no processed foods. They do eat plenty of antioxidant-rich tropical fruit and drink their calcium and magnesium - rich water and of course, they eat a heavy diet of beans and squash. They have a reason to live when they wake up in the morning.

Ikaria, Greece - Ikarians eat lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, potatoes and olive oil. They enjoy their afternoon siesta naps daily and this lowers their chances of dying from heart disease. Theirs is a relaxed pace of life.

Loma Linda, California - This is a community of Adventists and they take their diet directly from the Bible. They recognize the Sabbath and take that day as their day of rest for the full 24 hours. Many of this community are still very active into their late 90’s - living in their own homes - gardening - volunteering - and sharing life with their family and friends.

If I had to choose and could take all my friends and family with me - I’d live on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Since that is not likely to happen - I will do my best to continue “plan de vida” - right here at home - that is, live out my reason to live. (Vida is my grand - daughter' Adele’s middle name. Life.)

“Love genuinely. Hate what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love my friends and family. Honour others. Won’t be a sloth. Live spirited. Serve God in and through my church. Be hopeful. Practice patience. Contribute to the needs of others. Live in harmony. Don’t repay evil for evil. Love my family.”