If youre eating a standard American diet, its probably shaving about six to 10 years off of your life expectancy, Buettner says. Having a Blue Zone helps strengthen the country's constant striving for quality of life, both for Costa Ricans and for tourists. Blue Zones Nicoya naci en 2014, una empresa 100% costarricense, que durante los ltimos 6 aos ha sido destacada por la investigacin de alimentos locales de la Zona Azul de Nicoya-Guanacaste. This Blue Zone is in the mountains of the Nicoyan Peninsula in western Costa Rica. Costa Ricans called Ticos say pura vida instead of hello, how are you, fine, thanks, and see you later and youll quickly find yourself saying it too. The Nicoya Peninsula is on Costa Ricas north Pacific coast. In Nicoya, Costa Rica, where average incomes are among the nation's lowest, the average lifespan is 85 among the world's highest. Where are the world's Blue Zones located? It is the reason why the founder of Omega Institute set up Blue Spirit in Nosara and a Longevity center. For example, we know that Nicoya is the driest part of Costa Rica, that it used to be part of Nicaragua, and that more Indians intermarried with the Spanish who began settling here in 1510. If coming from San Jose, the easiest way to get to the Nicoya Peninsula is to take the ferry from Puntarenas. He added that "we must somehow emulate, duplicate or copy the lifestyle of centenarians, and their way of living, but above all, their environment, diet, activity; above all, the connections they make, human connections, not technological ones. Thomas Ramsauer / Shutterstock. Many of us in Western countries know we need to eat less junk and add more natural food to our diets. Costa Rica holds one of the original 5 blue zones of the world and you will find yourself in one of them if you decide on living in the Nicoya Peninsula. Toss gently. We have a full guide to the ferry here. Guevara lives in the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica. A research team is currently researching the . Eating fewer calories appears to be one of the surest ways to add years to your life. I will be visiting Costa Rica next week to meet with Jorge who founded a local organization that helps the small Blue Zone villages. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Now is the time for cities like Chicago to learn from the five Blue Zones throughout the world like Nicoya, Costa Rica. "The five cantons of the peninsula continue to appear with greater longevity and we've confirmed this everywhere we've investigated. These centenarians help teach us the value of those important little things," said Mauricio Ventura, Minister of Tourism, with pride. These Blue Zones have a direct link to the promotion of tourism in the country, since it fits in well wellness tourism. I'm a Chief Metaverse Officer and a web3 luxury and fashion innovator. Full of natural beauty, endless sunlight, white beaches and radiant ocean, Nicoya reigns as one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica. One is the plan de vida, or reason to live, which propels a positive outlook among elders and helps keep them active. Residents of this 80-mile peninsula found south of the Nicaraguan border have the world's lowest middle-age mortality rates, and the second highest number of male centenarians in the world. Meat, fish, and poultry only make up 5% of the usual diet. In one of Buettner's most recent visits to Costa Rica, he defined Blue Zones as "a kind of lifestyle and environment that creates longevity. For Priscila Chaves, a Costa Rican social tech-entrepreneur and ethics thought leader, the question that still stands is, how can we translate these apparent otherworldly effects, to the rest of us? 11 talking about this. Check out all of our favorite travel companies. It definitely runs contrary to what was written up about the Nicoya people in "The Blue Zones." In that book, their diet was characterized as primarily vegetarian. Getting up in the air on tree canopy tours via ziplines and rope bridges is popular throughout Costa Rica. There are five regions around the world called the Blue Zones: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. Nicoya was introduced as a Blue Zone in a 2004 National Geographic article by Dan Buettner. According to Buettner's studies, the Nicoya Peninsula has the world's lowest rates of middle-age mortality and the second highest convergence of male centenarians. Adapting our lifestyles wherever we live to healthier practices such as intermittent fasting, walkability, exploring plant-based gastronomy, and low glycemic index food intake sound like your everyday doctors recipe for a healthy life, says Cedeno-Molinari. Water sports are on offer pretty much everywhere along Nicoyas coast, whether you prefer surfing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, or just checking out whats happening in the tide pools. They wake up. The chance to do yoga in an open-air pavilion on the beach is not to be missed! This goes along with the decision to widen the country's tourism offerings and venture into industries with high potential, such as wellness tourism. Without a doubt, this is a challenge for the next generations, in the context of the world's age pyramid turning upside down, with ever more senior citizens. A stay at Nantipa will help you have a true Blue Zone adventure, especially if you book its transcendental wellness experience. Nicoya is a small, rural beach community located on the Guanacaste peninsula on the northwest coast of Costa Rica. That means family ties are the backbone for most peoples existence. Your email address will not be published. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. For those who want to explore the peninsula at their own pace, renting a car might be best (you can use your home countrys drivers license for a maximum of three months). Youll stay in one of 21 suites, bungalows, and villas; lounge in poolside hammocks; walk on the beach; swim; and enjoy seafood purchased from local fishers and bread by the local baker in the open-air Manzu Restaurant thats right on Playa Santa Teresa. Nicoya, Costa Rica A Latin American Blue Zone. Dinner is typically a light meal, consumed early in the evening which allows plenty of time for digestion before bed. The term "Blue Zone" was first used in a 2005 National Geographic cover story entitled "The Secret of Long Life" written by a man named Dan Buettner. It was time for me to conquer the Nicoya Peninsula. If you would like to be near things but get a bit more of a feel for traditional Nicoya life while also enjoying a bit of the touristy perks (surfing, fun restaurants etc.) Just note, you might have trouble finding a place to stay. Costa Rica is one of the few tropical countries where its safe to drink tap water even for foreigners and theres no need to buy plastic water bottles. The 9 Secrets Boosting a Long Life in Nicoya, Costa Rica: They have a strong sense of purpose No matter how old they are, Nicoyans have a strong sense of purpose, a reason to live longer. What we can incorporate about Nicoya into our culture is the sense of purpose Nicoyans enjoy. Surprisingly, happiness and keeping a focus on family are two of the main components. Thanks to the peninsula's reputation as one of these Blue Zones, Nicoya has become a haven for digital detox. But the simplest truth is that what one needs is to sleep eight hours every night, eat a nutritious, plant-based diet during a six-hour period to give your pancreas an 18-hour break until your next meal, and be at peace with everything and everyone all of the time, he adds. The Blue Zone of the Nicoya Peninsula stands out for the beauty of its landscapes, its tourist attractions, and its conservation areas, but above all, for the stories told by the long-lived inhabitants of the region, who have exceeded the life expectancy in Costa Rica and continue to be lucid and active, and who enjoy long, healthy lives. This trend has been here for many years, but I was the one to notice this special feature in the data," said Bixby, a pioneer in longevity research. Though Costa Rica has just 0.03 percent of the planets surface, it has almost six percent of the worlds biodiversity and you might see (or hear!) Costa Rica indeed does celebrate its elderly citizens; every person who has a 100 th birthday is . This has paid off, with Costa Rica frequently scoring high in world happiness and environmental rankings. Its also easy to eat healthy in Costa Rica, with its abundance of local foods grown in its fertile volcanic soil. The World Meeting of Blue Zones laid the groundwork, in a spirit of s se puede (yes we can), envisioning a blue Costa Rica, following the example of healthy habits set by more than 900 inhabitants aged 90 or older, and the centenarians of Nicoya Peninsula. Were Thomas (the German) and Sarah (the US-er). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Here are some of the factors that make Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula a blue zone worth visiting. Even in areas like Nicoya, this has been replaced with the ease of processed meals and fast food (although there are very few fast food options in Nicoya in my experience). 1 - The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. We do not need to wait for our cities of residence to adopt the principles for healthier living outlined in the Blue Zones Project. Lane cites the impact of COVID-19 on minorities like Blacks and Hispanics throughout Chicago. This is due to key decisions the country has taken through its history that have positively affected its performance in social progress, environment, society and overall peace indicators, explains Daniel Valverde, Essential Costa Rica country brand director. There are several theories about why the Blue Zone of Costa Rica exists, but the most likely explanation is that it is due to a combination of factors. They are eye-opening and heart-tugging. When that day comes, Nicoyas Blue Zone will continue to be an example of the resiliency of the human body and spirit. Genetics and Costa Ricas natural environment certainly play a large part, but lifestyle is a major factor in why Blue Zone residents live so long. Join 19k+ subscribers in receiving FREE travel advice, news & promotions! But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The volcanic beach has calm swimming in Bahia Ballena (despite the name, whales are no longer frequent visitors), and theres birdwatching and hiking along the Rio Panica. They know how to listen, laugh, and appreciate what they have. Nicoyan centenarians tend to live with their families, and children or grandchildren provide support and a sense of purpose and belonging. He then had the idea to research areas in the world with the longest lifespan. Directions: Toss the cabbage with the orange juice, season with salt and pepper and let sit 30 minutes. The peak nesting time is from August to November and in the days before a new moon, thousands of turtles congregate in the Pacific waiting for the perfect time to come ashore and dig a hole to lay their eggs. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Its one of our favorite places in Costa Rica and most likely where we would move if we ever moved to the beach. It's also one of the happiest places in Central America: Costa Ricans report a high level of life satisfaction and the country has the highest literacy rate in Latin America. And now, it's a well-known fact: Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, dubbed as a "high-longevity island," is one of the world's rare blue zones - one of only five original regions, joined by Icaria (Greece), Okinawa (Japan), Lima Linda (California, USA), and Sardinia (Italy). Add the red onions, sliced radishes, tomatoes, orange supremes, cilantro and 3 tablespoons oil to the cabbage. Nicoyans attribute much of their longevity to social values of faith and family. The heart is a muscle, and all muscle contractions depend on calcium. There are many factors that go into the long life of Nicoyans, and some of them will be impossible for you to replicate (unless you plan to move to an area of the world where the sun is always shining, the nature is amazing, and then you also need to bring all of your family with you). Protein helps to rebuild and repair tissue, as well as it helps a person to feel full. The Ikarians and the Ikaria is another one of the Blue Zones, and the Costa Ricans, Nicoya, they're taking a nap. All rights reserved. Swimming holes dot the peninsula too, including beneath the Montezuma waterfall. None of these staples are processed, and because all of these foods are locally grown they are not faced with genetically modified or pesticide laden produce. As of now, there are 5 blue zones: Icaria, Greece. Nicoya, Costa Rica is one of those unique locations where lifestyle, diet, and low stress have dramatically bettered the lives of Ticos and expats alike. As indicated by the World Health Organization, "active or positive aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age". Nearby are waterfalls at Montezuma, ziplining near the Cabo Blanco Reserve, and kite surfing. Its difficult to maintain family bonds and friendships when school and work take us far from home, into strange communities. A three-course farm-to-table dinner with a tour of the organic garden is available Mondays and Thursdays. In terms of a definition, these zones are geographical areas with a high concentration of long-lived populations, who frequently reach ninety or one hundred years of age. Nicoya isn't full of marathon runners . Come to Nicoya, Costa Rica, One of the World's Five 'Blue Zones' The Nicoya Peninsula has a high concentration of people over 100 years old and a low incidence of health problems like cancer or heart disease. Technology permeates everyday life and Nicoya is the perfect place to go for a digital detox. Now, visiting Nicoya doesnt mean youll automatically live to 100, but a trip there is likely to put you on the path to pure life thanks to its natural environment and abundance of healthy activities. They first noticed that people in several villages on the Italian island of Sardinia were living well into their 90s and 100s and that they had few significant mental or physical health problems. "The sense of community, shared purpose and celebration and appreciation for life in all its forms allows for a way of thriving that can even be seen today to have a connection to vitality and mitochondrial health." I mean, how can you not be happy when the average daily temperature is 85 degrees fahrenheit, you can easily get to the beach or jungle, and youre surrounded by an abundance of nature and wildlife? Not long after, he began to lead trips to the first Blue Zones that he had discovered. On the peninsulas southeast coast is Tambor, with Nicoyas most southerly airport. On today's podcast, Gina does some serious myth-busting about what has kept the centenarians so well, for so long. Nicoya has an abundance of accommodation options but these selections should help your Blue Zone focus whether its healthy food, yoga, spa, surfing, and hiking, connecting with family, or getting a sense of purpose by helping protect Nicoyas wildlife and their habitat. Making the smart choice in traditional Blue Zones is often the only choice available, not really a choice at all. The town of Nosara, located in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, is a surfing and wellness hot spot located in one of the five "blue zones" in the world. Lets explore the Blue Zone in Nicoya, Costa Rica and what the Nicoyan lifestyle can teach us about humanity and what we could do better in the future. Research shows that 30% of longevity comes from genes, and the remaining 70% from lifestyle. It is a template outlining the lifestyles of people who live in places like Nicoya, Costa Rica. The most southerly point is Cabo Blanco Reserve and the south coast also has the town of Tambor. Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula joins Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Lima Linda, California, and Icaria, Greece as one of the world's five blue zones. The Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone, in addition to aligning with our Wellness Pura Vida strategy, are important as a driver of wellness tourism throughout the country, highlighting the importance of creating authentic travel experiences. Customer Experience Critical To Consumer Preference: IAAPA CEO Comments On Key Trends, When It Comes To Advertising, Multicultural Representation Is Not Enough. Nicoya, also known as the Nicoya Peninsula has not been only recognized as one of the 5 places in the planet with surprisingly high rate of longevity but also as the highest concentration of centenarians in the world. A Blue Zone is the name given to one of the areas in the world where a majority of people have a life expectancy of at least 100 years old. It was a spontaneous decision to move here, but it was the best decision! In the southern part of the peninsula, Santa Teresa is a popular surf area that sprawls for miles along the coast. It remains to be seen if the COVID pandemic will affect that average. I suggest visiting Cabuya (a small town between Montezuma and Santa Teresa) or San Francisco de Coyote (a remote beach town). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These commitments also included mechanisms to develop best practices in health promotion in the "five blue cantons" of the Peninsula, strengthening support networks, and incentivizing the recuperation of life lessons and traditions. We can start making healthier choices today, thus living more enriching lives and encouraging others to adopt similar healthy ways of living. Santa Teresa is great for surfing and enjoying a small but vibrant town with a backpacker vibe. Nicoya is located far off in Northeastern Costa Rica. Why Nicoya is Considered One of the Anti-Aging Zones in the World Few really know what aging is and how it can be controlled, here experts from Costa Rica and around the world talk about it and define the Nicoya Peninsula as one of those with the most long-lived people. In mid-November 2017, the first World Meeting of Blue Zones was held. Blue Zones, those special places on earth where people live longer and healthier lives, first came to prominence in the ground-breaking book by Dan Buettner, Blue Zones. For those who might need some meal ideas, Dan Buettner, wrote the Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook. Read more below about the lessons that Nicoya, Costa Rica can teach you about longevity. I feel lucky to have found this information, though the credit doesn't belong to me, but rather to the older residents. We're going to focus on the last one, mostly because it hits close to home. Almost 40 percent of the residents of the Nicoya Peninsula (about 5,000 of the population of 132,000) are over the age of 75, more than 900 are over the age of 90, and many are over 100. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Nicoya. It's also one of the happiest places in Central America: Costa Ricans report a high level of life satisfaction and the country has the highest literacy rate in Latin America. The Peninsula is covered by spectacular beaches that host nature's best. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. There are plenty of good-for-you activities to keep you busy on the Nicoya Peninsula jump in the water with a surfboard or snorkel, get up high on a zipline, stretch out with a yoga class, or take a hike (call it forest bathing if you wish) in a nature reserve. Cala Luna won most innovative wellness hotel from the Global Beauty & Wellness Awards thanks to daily complimentary wellness activities like hatha yoga, bikes to borrow, farm-to-table cuisine (from La Sendas farm) with organic and biodynamic wines, and the innovative treatments at its Lahari Wellness Center spa. The best way we can mourn those lives lost is to honor them by creating a better future for our children, their children, and their childrens children by making healthier choices now. It includes the five cantons of the Nicoya Peninsula: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The world has a number of Blue Zones, areas where the locals live healthier and longer lives. These include Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Ikaria, Greece . Contents1 Is Costa Rica considered [] Its about 75 miles long and 35 miles wide, with the northern section a part of Guanacaste province and the southern section in Puntarenas province. In parallel, and with the purpose of generating public policies, a Framework Cooperation Agreement in order to establish, promote and support the Blue Zone in the Nicoya Peninsula. Near the fishing village of Tambor (reached by a 20-minute flight from San Jos or a drive down from the Paquera ferry) is Costa Ricas first all-inclusive. Still planning? You can replicate some of the long-life characteristics of the Nicoya Peninsula on a trip to Costa Ricas Blue Zone and then turn them into healthy habits when you return home. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Try spending quality times with your loved ones. If you want to really embrace the Nicoya Peninsula blue zone vibe, head to any small village in the area. Jorge Vindas, Costa Ricas Blue Zone expert, says that its a combination of good genes, healthy food and water, regular low-intensity exercise, few vices, a strong connection to family, putting importance on religion or spirituality, and having a sense of purpose. Eco-tourism is a natural must in this out-of-this-world scenario, where everything that happens is in a quiet, lovely pace. Even the cancer rates on the Nicoya Peninsula are lower than those elsewhere in the world! Its very interesting, and I mean, who doesnt love a good TED Talk? Plantains are high in potassium, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. The waters around the Nicoya Peninsula are also home to several species of fish including tuna and red snapper. Costa Rica is home to one of the five original blue zones regions, the Nicoya peninsula, with a high number of centenarians in excellent health. Nicoyan centenarians get frequent visits from neighbors. Costa Rica Experts 2023. To understand some of the reasons why Blue-Zoners live healthier, longer lives, let's take another look at Ricardo's daily routine. Demographers have identified the area, located on Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast, as a Blue Zone or "longevity hot spot," typified by a higher-than-normal number of people living past the age of one hundred. It is believed that one factor which may contribute to the high number of Nicoyan centenarians is the high calcium content in the water. Rooms have a mini fridge and theres a communal kitchen plus bikes to rent. Inadequate calcium means weak muscles -- including the heart. Specifically, the rural landscapes of the Nicoya Peninsula, where people have some of the longest lifespans in the world. Compreende os 5 cantos da Pennsula de Nicoya: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz e Nicoya. Win-win! It's a question that inhabitants of Guanacaste are happy to be asking themselves, since it's a true pride for the province's population to be home to one of the five such zones that exist worldwide. . These factors are present, to some degree, in the other four Blue Zones in the world, according to world experts who participated in the World Meeting in Nicoya in mid-November. Look for howler and capuchin monkeys, parrots and parakeets, and bigger birds like herons and hawks. Montezuma: Best Hotels in Costa Rica. Many believe it will be through the cutting-edge innovations of regenerative medicine that the privileges of the Blue Zones can be democratized, so that anyone, anywhere, and at any time has access to the technology that allows us to replenish, replace and rejuvenate our physical bodies., What weve witnessed during 2020 are healthcare systems around the world that are reactive, bureaucratic, inefficient, and saturated. Were Thomas (the German) and Sarah (the US-er). Lane reported isolation, alienation, and high rates of depression in Chicagos poorest neighborhoods as some of the reasons behind the high rates of COVID cases.
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