Blue Zone living

This is leading to a rise in longevity tourism: Blue Zone hotels and communities are advertising their lifestyles as an experience for tourists to witness and learn from during their stay. At the Halekulani Hotel in Okinawa, Japan advertises “Secrets of Longevity” retreats for visitors. In Puglia, Italy, travelers can indulge in a luxury “Longevity Program” with Blue Zone cooking lessons, exercises, and social events.

Blue Zone diets

Cooking is in fact a prominent factor in Blue Zone health. Mediterranean diets are especially popular in a few of the locations, especially in Greece, where sea fennel is a particularly healthy staple known for its brain function support. All of the locations, however, support a plant-based diet and include carbohydrate and milk products only in moderation.

Teas are also an important element of Blue Zone diets, many of which are high in antioxidants and are brewed with herbs that have a variety of health benefits. Japanese green tea and matcha are often associated with heart health, while chan seeds, popular in Costa Rican cuisine, are helpful in lowering blood pressure. Made from Sideritis plants, Greek Mountain tea is thought to promote brain health, and milk thistle tea from Sardinia is known to protect against certain types of cancers.

Community care

The Blue Zone emphasis on community and a greater purpose is an important driving factor that slows aging and maintains a collective happiness amongst residents. Participating in group-focused exercises such as walking, dancing, or even gardening doubles as social interaction and regular, moderate physical movement in these communities. Older citizens who lived with a sense of belonging and purpose had fewer health-related issues compared to those in other environments, making these locations global hot spots for retirees.