It Makes a Difference

2.23
All choices we make leave marks on our lives, good or bad. Everything has an implication, and sometimes even a consequence. Even when we think we are 'normal', it may just be that we haven't challenged normal with enough outside perspective to realize how abnormal it really is.

Have you heard of 'blue zones'? The concept came from research published in 2004... I vaguely remember when it hit the news. At its essence, a blue zone is a demographic and / or geographic area where inhabitants live significantly longer than their local, regional or national counterparts. Some live longer by 20 or more years. 

This research was further extended and popularized by Dan Buettner. He looked extensively at the geographic areas where blue zones appeared and identified five: Okinawa (Japan); Sardinia (Italy); Nicoya (Costa Rica); Icaria (Greece); and Loma Linda, California. Then the work of understanding 'why' began.

If you've been a Power Pantry reader for any amount of time, you won't be surprised at the punchline. The reasons these folks lived so long, while they varied somewhat, were generally in alignment, even across countries and continents. Check out these six fundamentals of their long, healthy lives:
Put family first
Smoke little or not at all
Eat a plant-based diet
Engage in constant, moderate physical activity, no matter what age
Social interaction - staying engaged in community
Making legumes a regular part of their diet

Hmmm... these sound really familiar! What's great about this research is how extensive it was, and how it solidly told the story of a wellness lifestyle winning out over a modern diet and sedentary lifestyle. (Again, it all depends on your definition of 'normal'. When we challenge what is normal, it can change everything for the good.) 

Check out this Venn diagram depicting three of the researched communities, and where the lifestyle overlap was (and wasn't). Realize that these folks were worlds apart in culture, language and traditions... and yet the overlap in the middle shows the healthful traits common to all of them.

So, back to basics: family, a plant based diet, fairly clean living, constant physical activity, and social interaction. That's what should be normal, and if you're growing into a power pantry lifestyle, they are becoming just that. Obviously these choices make a difference.

By the Way

There are plenty of resources for learning more about the blue zones:
Dan Buettner's TED Talk
The Blue Zones website
You can even adopt Blue Zone habits in your community through the Blue Zones Project