i am ashamed to say that i am writing this review of a book that is all about healthier living and living longer with a cigarette in hand. well, it is an american spirit light. those are healthier, right? i firmly believe in Harm Reduction as a model for living.this is not the sort of book i usually read, although it is actually published by National Geographic (which somehow automatically gives it credence in my mind. why is that?). and it probably would have remained on my desk for who-knows-how-long, except that one of my staff lent it to me. i forsee a bit of stress coming into our relationship in the near future, so i thought it best that i read this quickly. not the best of motives for sure. but there you have it, the un-pretty truth.
there is also a very unappealing photo of the author on the cover, one where he looks smugly complacent, with one of those frozen zesty smiles that remind me of sales personnel.
fortunately, this book is less about being a Guide for Improvement (although there's plenty of that to be had) and more about describing the lives of various centarians around the world, how they've managed to live so long, and how their community came to have so many similarly rigorous old-timers. so if you are looking for Heartwarming, for a gentle study on the importance of community, a sense of humor, and respecting our elders, then this book will be quite pleasing at times. it certainly was for me. at times.
"Blue Zones" are those places in the world where there is an extraordinary number of centarians living in one region. here is what i learned:
- from Sardinia, Italy: drink goat milk and red wine, walk frequently, have a purpose in life, connect deeply with your faith, surround yourself with friends and family.
- from Okinawa, Japan: eat lots of veggies and soy-based foods (particularly fermented soy), walk frequently, have a purpose in life, connect deeply with your faith, surround yourself with friends and family.
- from Loma Linda (California), USA: drink a ton of water and eat lots of nuts, walk frequently, have a purpose in life, connect deeply with your faith, surround yourself with friends and family.
- from Nicoya, Costa Rica: have a long and healthy sex life even if it means you have to step outside of your marriage to accomplish that goal (that's a new one to me), walk frequently, have a purpose in life, connect deeply with your faith, surround yourself with friends and family.
clearly there is a major theme: have a community of support! there is a part of me that felt very sad when comparing most american families with what is described in this book. the idea of different generations coming together on a regular basis, of NOT shuttling off seniors to their own separate lives, of a community that is large & tightly-knit & sticks together unto death...well, i just don't see a lot of that. how depressing.
i also took the online surveys Vitality Compass and the True Happiness Test available at www.bluezones.com.
on Vitality, sadly my score showed that i have an approximate lifespan of 75 years. although this was happy news to me, apparently this is not the greatest score according to Blue Zones. oopsy!
on True Happiness, amazingly i scored an "A-". i suppose i am a Happy Guy. upon receiving my result, i was given some firm advice: find a faith and have more friends who are "happy". that's some nerve ya got there, Blue Zones!
