The Buzz on Blue Zones; What You Should Know

For the first time in human history, children are projected to have shorter lives than their parents. A staggering statistic, especially given the fact that we spend 110 billion dollars a year on exercise clubs, supplements and diets, and 2 trillion dollars a year on medical costs for preventable diseases. So what is considered healthy? We can get closer to determining what’s healthy by looking at the world’s healthiest communities and see how that translates to wellness and productivity in the workplace. Blue Zones are five places around the world where people are living longer, have fewer chronic diseases, and have the highest concentration of centenarians. In short, these are the healthiest people in the world!

The four key commonalities of these communities are nutrition, exercise, relationships and mental health. But they don’t all pump iron, jump on board the latest diet, or read the newest self-help books. Instead, they live in environments that constantly encourage them to move naturally and reduce stress daily, stop eating when they are 80% full, consume primarily a plant-based diet with meat—mostly pork—on average five times per month, drink alcohol moderately, belong to a faith-based community, put their loved ones first, and last but not least, they are committed to and celebrate their social circle.

At Valley Schools we recognize the value of helping our members create a culture of health and wellness. Our commitment is to continuously educate ourselves on what “health” actually means, and bring that knowledge into the workplace to create healthier and happier employees, families and communities.

To learn more about the Blue Zones, visit their website at: bluezones.com

For more information on Valley Schools wellness, please visit our site at: myvalleyschools.org