Aging, it doesn’t have to be a pain!

When we think of long lived communities, we often think of places like Okinawa in Japan, who’s staple diet consists of Tofu, soy products and vegetables.
They consume an average of 1200 calories per day (at least half the average Americans) and in a population of one million, over 900 are centenarians!
Then there’s Sardinia, Italy, where the residents follow a Mediterranean diet, have lots of leisure time and walk a lot.
But who would have thought in one of the most obese countries in the world, the USA, we would find some of the world’s longest lived people.

Welcome to Loma Linda. Loma Linda, California is 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and is the home to 9000 seventh day Adventists. 

Their religion forbids them to smoke, drink and eat meat. As part of their culture of respecting your body, they are encouraged to exercise and take time in prayer (or as some of us would call it, meditation). Sounds like we have a winner.

By following these basic principles, which sounds remarkably like a lot of raw and vegan foodists, they produce less stress hormones, maintain healthy cholesterol levels, healthy blood pressure and if what we keep reading is true (yes it is, I just don’t want to be righteous!) less cancer by no meat in their diet!

The ultimate formula for anti-aging.

Put away your creams, surgery and other guff, just get into this way of living!
Beyond their diet is their spiritual beliefs, their approach to life leaves most of us wanting. They believe in service, not judging and a connection to the sacred (whatever that means to you).

This allows their bodies the chance to stay in balance, and not let the usual stressors of life age them. To most of the folk in this tight knit community aging isn’t fraught with aches and pains, medications and slow often nasty deaths.

Its about vitality, community, eating beautiful whole foods and laughter. They don’t seem to have any trouble sleeping, (which you will see in the videos below,) and they have a strong sense of purpose.

If we could all take even a few elements of the above as a prescription for long life and graceful aging, we would do so well. But combine them all and holy heck, you really have a recipe for becoming a centenarian. Which is exactly what we find in Loma Linda.

This region is one of five areas in what’s known as the blue zone, the other four are Karia, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; and Sardinia, Italy.

Who would have thought, in the USA where everything is about super sizing, aging badly and instant gratification we could have found such a place.