What is a Blue Zone?

Costa Rica has one of the 5 blue zones in the world.

If you are still wondering what a blue zone is, here we will explain more about the subject and why Costa Rica has one of these privileged zones. It is very simple, these are those geographical areas that concentrate populations with high longevity of over ninety and one hundred years of age. Interesting, right?

It is a pride to mention that the cantons of the Nicoya Peninsula: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya are part of this blue zone of the country.

Where did the concept of Blue Zones come from?

It arose from a series of works by an astrophysicist who later specialized in demography, Michel Poulain of Belgian nationality, and the Italian gerontologist Gianni Pes. Both of them dedicated themselves to investigating where in the world the oldest people lived. The dynamic consisted of tracing a blue circle with a marker on the name of each town or city where there were several people who had reached 100 years of age.

All this information became known worldwide through the journalistic research work of the American Dan Buettner together with the National Geographic team and with the publication of his book “The Blue Zones”.

What characterizes these populations?

There are factors that coincide in these populations, such as good physical and mental health, a healthy eating tradition, respect for family unity, a strong faith and spirituality, constant mobility and a purpose in life.

During one of Buettner's most recent visits to Costa Rica, he defined the Blue Zones as "a lifestyle and environmental concept that produces longevity. They are places where people travel on foot rather than by car, eat more plants than meat in a diet that includes beans or grains like corn, where family is their reason for being and is number one. They have groups of friends with whom they share healthy habits."

The Nicoya Peninsula is definitely a place that stands out for the beauty of its surroundings, for its wide range of tourist attractions, its conservation areas, and it adds the stories of these people who have surpassed the average life span in Costa Rica (close to 80 years) and who show the world how to lead a healthy longevity.

But what are the other 5 Blue Zones in the world and what is their secret?

These is the Sardinia area in Italy; Okinawa, Japan; the community of Loma Linda in the United States; the island of Icaria in Greece; and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.

Among the first findings is the Sardinia area, and one of the curious points of the investigation was that in other regions the ratio of elderly women to men is 4 to 1. In this place it is 1 to 1, men live as long as women. Okinawa, Japan contributed another curious fact to the investigation and it was the concept of Ikigai, this Japanese concept is associated with the meaning of life and is associated with the longevity of its inhabitants. Ikigai is the reason for living and the reason for getting up every morning.

Loma Linda is an Adventist community, located more than 1 hour from Los Angeles. Compared to the other Blue Zones that are islands or peninsulas, Loma Linda is not but it functions as such, since there is isolation and contact with other customs. Religion and faith have a great influence on research.

On the other hand, Icaria is isolated from the rest of Greece, it has no natural ports. This characteristic produced that the internal ties, both social and family, were strengthened. They have their own culture and less pollution from the outside.

And without leaving aside Costa Rica, the residents of this area benefit from the presence of the sea, a pleasant climate and a diet based on fruits, corn, among others. Although their work days are difficult, they do not enjoy great luxuries other than the strong family ties, friendship and the optimism with which they live.