Blue Zones got their label from when they were marked with blue ink on the map to indicate areas with high proportion of centenarians. Dan Buettner, a National Geographic writer and bestselling author, takes viewers to Blue Zones all over the world - Okinawa Japan, Sardinia Italy, Ikaria Greece, Nikoya Costa Rica, Loma Linda California and Singapore - to find secrets to long and healthy living.
The tips he found have been in our consciousness for as long as I can remember - healthy food and lifestyle, sense of purpose and relationships, but his presentation brings all of these more into focus.
The most interesting aspect for me are the efforts to apply these tips in the US, like the experiment in Albert Lea, Minnesota. It would really help if the government provides boosts, like providing pedestrian lanes to encourage walking, providing public transport like trains and buses to discourage dependence on cars, or giving housing incentives to children who choose to live near elderly parents. Not only will people have healthier, longer and happier lives, the government would not have to spend as much for healthcare. Everyone wins.