A “Blue Zone” is an area where there are a high percentage of people happily, and healthfully, living past 100 years of age.  Dan Buettner, who is a National Geographic Explorer, traveled the world and identified these areas, and also researched the strategies that the people living in these areas utilize to live long lives.  Okinawa, Sardinia, Costa Rica, and one town in California all made the list!  And for the most part, the healthy habits are what make difference in the centenarians lives.  Here are some of the examples that we can follow:

– Have a strong and supportive social structure.  It is important to have friends and family around you, to be active in the community, and to participate in group activities.

-Exercise regularly.  Most people in these blue zones are engaged in physical labor daily, so exercise comes as a matter of course.  Look at physical activity as something to be enjoyed, rather than as a chore.

-Cut down drastically on your intake of meat.  Consider meat to be a condiment, or a small side dish, rather than the main part of a meal.

-See the big picture.  Have a purpose in life.  Wake up with something to do.