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EATING WELL
FOR A LONG AND
HEALTHY LIFE
Since time immemorial, humans have been xated on discovering the secret to a longer life. ink Ponce de Leon and the mythical Fountain of Youth. Is such power really within our grasp? While genetics are responsible for
shaping approximately 50% of what happens to us as we age, there is much we can do to control the balance.
Americans have an average life expectancy of 76 and 81 years, for men and women respectively. Yet, in his 2008 book e Blue Zones, author Dan Buettner identi ed ve regions of the world where people live notably longer lives than the rest of us. In fact they ‚“reach age 100 at 10 times the average rate.”(1) In addition to living longer, these people are also markedly healthier, as indicated by lower rates of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. e ve Blue Zones are Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Ogliastra, Sardinia; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, California, right here in the United States.
Interestingly, each of the Blue Zones‚“ dietary regimens are notably di erent from one another. For example, the inhabitants of Loma Linda follow a ‚“Biblical Diet” that is vegetarian, high in nuts, and advocates abstinence from alcoholic beverages. Conversely, the diet of Sardinia,
Italy includes lamb, goat’s milk and up to a liter a day of local red wine. Okinawans partake of soy foods but no dairy, while those in Greece eat a variation of the Mediterranean diet, rich in dairy products made from sheep’s milk.
For the inhabitants of Costa Rica the secret lies more in their locale,
with a water source rich in calcium and magnesium; minerals that contribute to strong bones and low rates of heart disease.
Radically di erent diets, perhaps, but also with some key elements in common. First, each one is plant-based, emphasizing high intake of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Second, each region includes beans and legumes for protein. ird, for those who do partake of meat, it is in small quantities or just occasionally.
16 Winter 2016 - 2017
www.edibleorangecounty.com
By Michele Jacobson