The Blue Zones: National Geographic Special Publication

It is upsetting to spend 43 years studying a subject and trying to figure stuff out and then have National Geographic publish one issue that beautifully summarizes almost all of the main truths of how to live a healthy and long life. But Dan Buettner, a National Geographic writer, and New York Times Best-Selling author, has done just that!

Comprehensive yet concise, well organized and systematically laid out, this one issue simplifies the entire subject. And he is a thinker: he has anticipated the next steps for anyone who takes it seriously enough to want to pursue a Blue Zoner agenda for themselves, and he gives you the resources to make your next move.

So, mad as I am (joke), I can not recommend this Publication enough. I found it at the Safeway check out stand. It cost a fortune. But it’s worth every cent if you read it deeply and use it as a guide to how to be healthy. And, for those who need to, you can argue a few details if you like, but the over arching truth is that these folks live a very long time and they are very healthy: it makes sense to do what they do if you want what they have!

Here are just a couple of the highlights from the issue. First he gives you food lists from each Blue Zone, making it easy to see what you need to add to your diet (if you are like me you already eat most of it but these list end giving you a sense of what is on the DO LIST that still need doing). He recommends starting with ‘Simple Food Guidelines’ and gives you two lists: the Four Always, Four to Avoid. I love that, and I could easily see that there are a couple of healthy habits that I have known about all along but haven’t quite gotten into a habit with. And the Avoids stick out like a sore thumb (probably time to get on that too:-). Finally, he covers beverages. There aren’t any surprises here but, again, he lays it out so everything is in one place, organized and easy to dive into further if you care to.

Please get a copy. Read deeply and underline, highlight, and dog ear the pages as needed. Then go to work. It isn’t hard. It isn’t expensive (these Blue Zone folks are some of the poorest of the poor after all). And reap the benefits of being healthy. Others have, you can too!