What is the Blue Zone, exactly? Here is a synopsis of what the topic is all about. I’ll also supply a couple of recipes that fit into the Blue Zone way of eating.
The Blue Zone is a non-scientific name given to 5 areas of the world that are home to some of the world’s oldest people who have relatively low rates of chronic disease. They were identified by a National Geographic researcher and author, Dan Buettner, who circled these areas on a map with blue circles, hence the name. They are:
- Icaria, Greece
- Ogliastra, Sardinia, Italy
- Okinawa, Japan
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
- The Seventh Day Adventists, Loma Linda, California
Different parts of the world and yet they share significant commonalities:
- People in these regions eat a 95% plant based diet and do not eat processed food.
- While not strict vegetarians, they only eat meat about 5 times a month, obtaining their protein from fish and dairy in small amounts and soy based products.
- Alcohol is consumed moderately (no more than 2 glasses of wine per day) or abstained from entirely.
- Exercise is built into their daily lives – not by going to the gym but by keeping active throughout the day.
- They get enough sleep and often take naps.
- And last, but not least – they are a spiritual/religious group, they believe in life purpose, older and younger people live together and they enjoy a healthy social network. A true societal structure to their lives.
While the eating style is similar to the Mediterranean diet in some areas, in others not geographically close to the Mediterranean Sea, it relies more on vegetables and soy products and less on fish. In Okinawa, it is usual for a person to consume up to 7 fruits and vegetables throughout the day, for example.
And one more Blue Zone tidbit – they believe that the smallest meal should be at the end of the day and avoid eating anything further before bedtime! Look at the recipes I’ve included on the Food is Medicine page.
If you would like more information you can go to www.bluezones.com