Structural BodyWorks

Remedial & Sports Massage Specialist

Positive Empowerment For You

In 2004, Author Dan Buettner gathered a group
of anthropologists, demographers, epidemiologists
and other researchers to travel around the world
to study communities with surprisingly high
percentages of centenarians (people living over 100
years of age).

As this group of experts identified the longest living
cultures, they drew concentric circles (in blue marker)
on a map, ultimately known as Blue Zones. It was a
concerted effort, and a year later, Buettner wrote a
book titled Blue Zones where he describes the every-
day lives of the 5 longest living people groups in
the world.
• Sardinia, Italy
• Loma Linda, CA
• Ikaria, Greece
• Okinawa, Japan
• Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Surprisingly, many of these cultures consume a
much higher carb diet than the Western world,
confirming once again that despite all the bad
press, carbs don’t necessarily make you fat.

Of course, there are many other lifestyle factors at
play besides carbohydrate intake if you want to live
to be 100.

When all was said and done, there were 9 things
EACH culture in the “blue zones” had in common.
• Large diversity of plant based diet.
• No processed foods
• Strong belief in God (with a strong sense of purpose)
• Social connectivity with family and friends
• Plenty of walking
• Practice forgiveness daily
• Little stress (which is manage well)
• Sleep 8 hours nightly
• No smoking