fbpx
Blue Zones | Augusta GA
Blue Zones

There is a recent documentary on Netflix called “Live to 100; Secrets of the Blue Zones”. It is a great watch if you’re looking for something wholesome and enlightening. In it, Dan Buettner travels to 5 communities around the globe where people consistently live healthy lives into their 100s. 

 

Being Inspired by Blue Zones

For many people, seeing the way these people live is a huge paradigm shift. In places such as Japan’s Okinawa as well as the Greek island of Ikaria, people in their 80s and 90s are in the midst of living healthy, vibrant and connected lives. The most memorable things I saw were very elderly (think 80s to 100s) people cutting their grass with a machete, people out watering and clipping gardens, and some sitting on the floor for daily meals. 

Now shift your thinking to an American pattern of lifestyle and aging. We hire out or minimize work needed for our chores, we tend to prioritize independence over fostering generational relationships, and we assume a need for caution and rest over activity and strength. Maybe most importantly we prioritize quick and cheap foods over garden-grown or minimally processed foods.

We also have a negative connotation toward aging in America, where other countries have more reverence for aging. Studies have shown that our perception of aging closely corresponds with how well we age. In other words, if I expect to be frail, weak and tired, then i will adopt a lifestyle that tends to lead to those eventualities.

 

What Makes Blue Zones Different?

Here are some of the main commonalities seen in cultures where people tend to live healthily into their 100s:

  • Intense physical activity maintained beyond the age of 80
  • Deep and meaningful family and social connections maintained
  • Eat more plants and less meat and dairy
  • Eat with a moderate approach and stop eating just before you feel full
  • Find and maintain activities that help you relieve stress
  • Maintain your purpose, making sure you have useful activities to participate in each day
  • Enjoy a glass of wine daily with friends or loved ones 

 

Summary

People in these areas don’t expect to live differently than those in their 60s. They wake up with purpose, eat healthy foods, work hard daily, and live purposeful, connected and enjoyable lives. See if any of the bullets above represent a mindset shift you need adopt to age with more strength, positivity and determination.

 

 

Courtney O’Neal, PT, DPT. Courtney graduated from Clemson University in 2010, and went on to get her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Augusta University in 2013. She has treated children and adults since 2013, and enjoys working with patients on improving health and wellness, helping them meet their goals, and returning to their highest level of function.

Are You Ready to Start Your Path Towards Pain-Free Living?

We empower patients to overcome their pain…

Even if they’re tried other treatments in the past…

Stop living in pain and let us help you chart your path towards long-term healing with our Physical & Occupational Therapy Services in Augusta…

If you’d like to book an assessment now, with one of our top clinicians, click the button bellow or have your provider fax over a referral.

Rafi Salazar OT

Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is the CEO & President of Proactive Rehabilitation & Wellness, as well as the Principal Owner of Rehab U Practice Solutions and the host of The Better Outcomes Show. Rafi’s career trajectory includes 10+ years of experience in healthcare management, clinical operations, programmatic development, marketing & business development. He even spent some time as an Assistant Professor in a Graduate Program of Occupational Therapy and has served on numerous boards and regulatory committees. Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies humanize healthcare through his consulting workHe also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience.

Rafi also authored the book Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare.