The Blue Zones takes the readers around the world to the different hot spots for long lived individuals and societies. Along that journey, National Geographic writer Dan Buettner recounts his interviews with centenarians (people who have lived for 100 years or more) and the wisdom that they have to share about conscious living.
Buettner’s travels begin on the island of Okinawa, Japan where the high percentage of centenarians is slowly declining due to western influence on diet. Nevertheless, the look into the ‘old ways’ or societal norms of currently living centenarians offers a glimpse of the lifestyle and perspective of the largest per capita group of centenarians in the world.
The book then takes the readers to the islands of Sardinia and Ikaria in Greece. The strength of family and work was most common amongst these centenarians and the purpose that they derive from them.
Next Buettner finds himself in Loma Linda, California interviewing Seventh-day Adventists. This group is amazing to study due to the wide variety of diets amongst them as well as their interest in being scientifically studied. The Adventist Health Study is a long term study focused on lifestyle, nutrition, and disease that has included more than 96,000 Adventists.
Lastly, Blue Zones looks at Costa Rica’s isolated Nicoya Peninsula. By this time in the book it is quite apparent that there are several parallels between each blue zone. To learn what these parallels are, read our Blue Zones – Top 5 Takeaways blog.
This book is a great read for anyone who is interesting in not just living a long life, but one full of health and prosperity. Nutrition, purpose in life, spirituality, and many more subjects are focused on in each interview. We at Consciously focus on holistic health and highly recommend reading this book to understand how to world’s blue zones approach health and life.
Book Citation – Buettner, D.. 2009. The blue zones: lessons for living longer from the people who’ve lived the longest. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
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