People from Nicoya enjoy an ample dose of Vitamin D. They spend most of their time outside tending to the land and enjoy a healthy relationship with surrounding nature. Despite that, the area has many of the same ideals that the rest of Costa Ricans have. When you book through our trusted partners we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. While walking gives Nicoyans a chance to exercise and get fresh air, it also gives them time to enjoy the natural beauty for which Nicoya is known. In the south between the Paquera ferry and the village of Tambor, youll have an excellent chance of seeing wildlife within the privately-owned Cur Wildlife Reserve. What Is The Potential Of Generative AI In Healthcare? 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. Wellness enthusiasts will delight in the abundance of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. The most amazing part about people who live in Nicoya, Costa Rica is that many of them live without medication or disability. On the peninsulas southeast coast is Tambor, with Nicoyas most southerly airport. Feel free to leave them in the comment section below. For one, Costa Rica is a small country and most people never move away from the area they were born in. Gone are the days of making your own food and growing organic produce. To understand some of the reasons why Blue-Zoners live healthier, longer lives, let's take another look at Ricardo's daily routine. Theyre focused on sick care, and so the actual healthcare is often neglected, says Chaves. Rice and black beans, gallo pinto, served with eggs and tropical fruit. Several of Nicoyas beaches like those in the Ostional National Wildlife Reserve are nesting grounds for Kemps Ridley, green, and leatherback turtles. Or, get your zen on at La Senda, the wellness center on a 74-acre forested property near Tamarindo. However, altering your diet, increasing the amount of exercise you get in a given day, and embracing relationships with family and friends are good places to start. Are We Headed To A World In Which We Own Nothing? They embrace the relaxed Pura Vida lifestyle and family always comes first. A research team is currently researching the . The term 'Blue Zone' was coined by Dan Buettner, a New York Times bestselling author, who was studying areas to some of the oldest people in the world. They begin each meal with a prayer. These areas are: Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Ikaria, Greece. Why People Live So Long On Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula - TravelAwaits Blue Zones: Diet, Lifestyle & Tips on How to Live Longer They are joined by 42 other centenarians in the Nicoya Peninsula, located in the 5 blue cantons: Nicoya, Santa Cruz, Hojancha, Nandayure and Carrillo (according to data from Jorge Vindas, a field researcher for the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone Association). One Nicoyan, a centenarian, said he knew death would eventually come for him but it is the love for his children that motivates him to keep going every day. Nicoya, Costa Rica: A Puzzling Blue Zone Diet Light on Vegetables and High in Carbohydrate and Sugar. For those who might need some meal ideas, Dan Buettner, wrote the Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook. In the future, when we do emerge from the current pandemic, many cities and companies will revisit well-being as a main topic for their citizens and employees. Lunch is the main meal in Costa Rica (its better for your digestion to eat a bigger breakfast and lunch and a lighter dinner). Support the Blue Zone Communities in Costa Rica Costa Rica Retreat Center in the Blue Zone - Soltara 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. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Blue Zones: How The World's Oldest People Make Their Money Last - Forbes Contents1 Is Costa Rica considered [] 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. Swimming holes dot the peninsula too, including beneath the Montezuma waterfall. O segreto da Zona Azul de Nicoya. Nicoya is famous for being a marvelous playground for surfers all over the world. Everything You Need To Know About the Blue Zone in Costa Rica Butterflies in Costa Rica The Best Places to See Them, Irazu Volcano Visit the Highest Volcano in Costa Rica, 20 Free Things to Do in Costa Rica That Youll Love, Costa Rica Rental Car Discount Save Up to 20%, The feeling of a sense of purpose in life. Win-win! 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 surroundings dictate ways of operating, not personal decisions. By Ty and Charlene Bollinger. 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. I had visited the famous Costa Rica "must-see" spots - Arenal, Manuel Antonio, the cloud forest, the Osa Peninsula - some of them a few times. Having worked with the pioneers in mind-body research and psychoneuroimmunology. Barra Honda is on the peninsulas northeast about a half hours drive from the town of Nicoya. Try spending quality times with your loved ones. I cant blame you. Were Thomas (the German) and Sarah (the US-er). There are common factors that exist in these populations, such as good physical and mental health, a healthy traditional diet, respect for the family, deep faith, constant mobility, and a purpose in life. mobile app. Living Past 100: The Okinawan Diet and Blue Zone Centenarians Thanks to the peninsula's reputation as one of these Blue Zones, Nicoya has become a haven for digital detox. Montezuma: Best Hotels in Costa Rica. Toss gently. Buettner had spent several years before penning the article leading expeditions including tracing Darwins route in the Galapagos and Marco Polos trip along the Silk Road. Montezuma is great for long beach walks and jungle hikes. Nicoya is located far off in Northeastern Costa Rica. Possessing the highest density of biodiversity of any country in the world, it is also labeled as one of the 5 "blue zones", a term coined by National Geographic author Dan Buettner, describing places where a high percentage of the population lives active . Rare species like pumas, ocelots, and margay cats make their home here too. Blue Zones: Why Residents in the Nicoya Peninsula Live Longer than 90 Years We met in Virginia, moved to Germany, and now live in sunny Costa Rica. The Blue Zone Diet: Costa Rica's Secret to Living to 100 - Culture Trip Technology permeates everyday life and Nicoya is the perfect place to go for a digital detox. 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. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Buettner approached National Geograhic with his idea and they agreed to help fund his research. 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. To my delight, Costa Rica has its own Blue Zone - 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. People often consider the impact of global decisions on future generations through legislation. In other words, people in these zones to live longer than any other areas in the world. These centenarians help teach us the value of those important little things," said Mauricio Ventura, Minister of Tourism, with pride. 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 proper mindset about longevity is not about aspiring to live to a very old age, but to enjoy the best quality of life possible during the last ten years we live, says Alvaro Cedeno-Molinari, a former Costa Rican diplomat and ambassador who works intensely promoting bioliteracy, regeneration, and well-being as holistic healthy mindsets. 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. "The five cantons of the peninsula continue to appear with greater longevity and we've confirmed this everywhere we've investigated. Lane cites the impact of COVID-19 on minorities like Blacks and Hispanics throughout Chicago. Living the Pure Life in Nicoya, Costa Rica - Viva Tropical This goes along with the decision to widen the country's tourism offerings and venture into industries with high potential, such as wellness tourism. The reason why they are called "blue zones" is a curious story Exploring the Blue Zones of Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula 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. Add the red onions, sliced radishes, tomatoes, orange supremes, cilantro and 3 tablespoons oil to the cabbage. They are eye-opening and heart-tugging. This calcium leads to stronger bones and the ability to stay physically active at a later age. The Adobe Rent-A-Car discount includes.. DISCOUNTED SMARTPHONE USAGE WITH UNLIMITED DATA. Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula is a Blue Zone for long life | Enchanting What we can incorporate about Nicoya into our culture is the sense of purpose Nicoyans enjoy. Is the Nicoya Peninsula good for a Wellness getaway? They have groups of friend with whom they share healthy habits.". Eco-tourism is a natural must in this out-of-this-world scenario, where everything that happens is in a quiet, lovely pace. We met in Virginia, moved to Germany, and now live in sunny Costa Rica. Book a transfer from your hotel, opt for a shuttle or public bus, or take a domestic flight to one of the peninsulas larger towns. The Peninsula is covered by spectacular beaches that host nature's best. 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. For most of their lives, Nicoyan centenarians ate a traditional Mesoamerican diet highlighted with the three sisters of agriculture: squash, corn, and beans. And a breakfast rich with antioxidants helps to protect a persons cells from disease. 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. 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. I feel lucky to have found this information, though the credit doesn't belong to me, but rather to the older residents. In the southern part of the peninsula, Santa Teresa is a popular surf area that sprawls for miles along the coast. 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. That is when brands, businesses and cities will be able to look at Blue Zones like the one in Nicoya and find a model to follow. Old people often have too little calcium in their bodies. This provides the nutrition they need to work hard during the day. Black bean starter To a small pot over medium-low heat, add one can of rinsed black beans. The centenarians of the Nicoya Peninsula have also captured the interest of the Institute of Social Studies in Population (Instituto de Estudios Sociales en Poblacin, IDESPO) of the National University (Universidad Nacional) of Costa Rica, which is carrying out a study on the subject this year. For most Americans, an entrance ramp for a new lifestyle change is through their mouth, Buettner says. Youre sure to be on the path to a long and healthy life after the four-handed Abundance Treatment, which combines Reiki, Shiatsu, Swedish massage, sound and aromatherapy, and acupressure. O que so Zonas Azuis? Costa Rica is generally a healthy country because its government decided that education, healthcare, and protecting the environment are more important than funding its armed forces and it abolished its army in 1948.