At our next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 5:30 p.m., Creation Care Pagosa will offer a program by Chuck and Sarah Riehm on the principles of the Blue Zones — areas in the world where people live longer, healthier and more purposeful lives.
This highly interactive session will equip you with what you need to incorporate some or all of the Blue Zones principles in your life.
Creation Care Pagosa, a faith-based environmental stewardship organization, meets on the fourth Thursday of each month in the fellowship hall of the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St.
We offer a free, shared community meal and this month’s menu features recipes from the Blue Zones. Please RSVP to sarah.riehm@gmail.com if you plan to attend so we have enough food. Everyone is welcome — bring a friend.
Dan Buettner, a reporter for National Geographic, stumbled across some amazing communities around the world that seem to defy health and aging norms, with an unusually high percentage of centenarians who lived well until the end of their days. He compiled his research in his first book, “Blue Zones,” which took the world by storm in 2004.
The “Power 9” lifestyle guidelines are not only good for your health; they also promote a more sustainable way of living centered around faith practices.
You don’t need to buy any of Buettner’s books to enjoy the presentation. You can find tons of free resources at www.bluezones.com. If you want to get your year off to a good start, you might try the free four-week Blue Zone Challenge, which you can find on the website.
Some entire communities have adopted Blue Zone guidelines with remarkable results. The largest certified Blue Zone community is Fort Worth, Texas, which went from ranking 185th out of 190 U.S. cities for its health/well-being statistics to 31st in just four years, making major improvements in lowering obesity, improving heart health, and lowering blood sugar and cholesterol stats. Fort Worth experienced a significant and measurable reduction in hospitalizations as well as overall health care costs.
If you have questions, please contact Sarah. We hope to see you on Jan. 25.
