Living Longer and Bluer?

Young Russia © Natalia Martinez

Want to Live Longer? Read the hyperlink to get a (quick) sense of what studying the blue zones can get us. The Blue Zones are areas in the world where people live longer than average and longer than in their respective surrounding regions. What do residents have in common? “Exercising regularly, eating more vegetables and less meat, engaging in social networking, and having a sense of purpose.”

The Vitality Project (hyperlink) sought to bring this concept to a community in Minnesota. The town makeover included changing “restaurants, schools, businesses, parents, and town leaders. They created bike and walking paths, made restaurant menus more nutritious, prohibited junk food in schools, and created projects such as a community garden and workshops that helped people become more engaged with each other.”

Well there ya go: things we can bring to our communities to help all of us live healthier, better, and longer.