Learning About the Blue Zones
During 2020 we seemed to have a lot of extra time on our hands to watch TV. Although John and I love to watch movies, we also like learning new things and educating ourselves on different topics ranging from self-improvement, spiritual, travel destinations, and nutrition, by watching documentaries or YouTube videos.
One day I stumbled upon a segment regarding the Blue Zones, a study conducted by Dan Buettner, that looked at the areas of the world where people tend to live into their 90s and 100s who have very little, if any, health issues and are not on medicine. His goal was to conduct a research study find out how they are living this long without any major health issues. What he found was so inspirational and easy to apply that he has set out to teach people about how we too can achieve this type of lifestyle regardless of our climate or culture. There are no real secrets, it’s just a lifestyle.
He found that there are five of these zones in the world and they all live by the same basic principles. Within these five zones, there are nine key principles that they follow, keeping with their own culture.
So, in December, after watching several more videos regarding the Blue Zones and researching their eating habits, we wanted to learn more about plant-based eating in general. After countless more documentaries it became obvious that this was something to seriously consider. With me having heart issues and no other major cholesterol issuesor diabetics, depression, or other chronic illnesses, I don’t want to follow in my dad’s side of the family who had diabetes. I’d like to avoid that in my future. John is on cholesterol and high-blood pressure medicines which, after hearing story after story of people who were successful in eliminating their meds, we decided that we wanted to see if it would work for us too. Maybe I’ll be able to go off at least some of my medicine or reduce it since I have congenital heart defects that compromise my heart.
