{"id":2149,"date":"2016-04-10T14:54:15","date_gmt":"2016-04-10T14:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sbrsport.co.za\/?p=2149"},"modified":"2016-05-22T11:32:06","modified_gmt":"2016-05-22T11:32:06","slug":"a-review-of-the-book-blue-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sbrsport.co.za\/?p=2149","title":{"rendered":"A review of the book, “Blue Zones”."},"content":{"rendered":"

I have just finished reading the book, \u201cThe Blue Zones\u201d by Dan Buettner. The book is published by National Geographic. This article contains some of the highlights that I found in the book.\u00a0\"blue<\/p>\n

The book examines communities, known as Blue Zones, where people have in greater concentrations managed to live longer and healthier lives. Teams of scientists have gone into these areas to try and ascertain what life style habits these old age people share. The goal of the book is to get people like you and I to live longer and healthier lives.<\/p>\n

I get to see people of all ages at SBR Sport. We have looked after a number of teens and lots of people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. There is however, a growing group of people that we are seeing in their 50s, 60s and 70s, that are seeking to train regularly, and indeed, also compete.<\/p>\n

I would highly recommend that you buy the book. In the interim, here some quotes from the book and then some thoughts afterwards.\u00a0\"blue<\/p>\n

On enjoying your life and finding purpose in what you do.<\/strong>
\n\u201cFor instance, people talk about workaholics as being at higher risk from stress related illness. But there is no evidence that workaholics are necessarily a higher risk if they really are enjoying what they\u2019re doing.\u201d Pg 17.
\nThat came as good news to me, because I find myself completely obsessed with what I do.<\/p>\n

Buettner looks at the lifestyles of Sardinian shepherds and writes the following:
\n\u201cEveryday hikes taken by Sardinian shepherds can burn up to 490 calories an hour: to get the equivalent, try 120 minutes of brisk walking (about 3.5 mph \u2013 that\u2019s 7.7 kph<\/em>), 90 minutes of gardening, 2 hours of bowling, or 120 minutes of golfing (be sure to carry your bag).
\nI have hash-tagged a number of our posts as follows – #movementismedicine: \u00a0I firmly believe that.\u00a0\"blue<\/p>\n

On flavonoids:<\/strong>
\n\u201cSardinian red wine isn\u2019t the only place to find flavonoids. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables and dark chocolate also contain them. Studies have shown that a diet high in flavonoids is associated with a reduced incidence of certain cancers and heart disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

On humor and family:<\/strong>
\n\u201cFinally, for me, Sardinia\u2019s most important longevity secret lies in the unique outlook and perspective of its people. Their hardship-tempered sense of humor, which may seem quite caustic and persnickety to outsiders, helps them shed stress and diffuse feuds before they start. Their fanatic zeal for their families has always protected them from a historically hostile world by providing cooperation in times of hostility.\u201d p56
\nIt is interesting that the communities with unusual levels of longevity often have had to undergo extreme difficulty and stress. The quote from Epictetus, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”, comes to mind.<\/p>\n

Your mom was right when she told you too eat your vegetables:<\/strong>
\nDr Greg Plotnikoff\u00a0makes the following statement when looking at how many vegetables Okinawans eat, \u201cOkinawans see vegetables. I see powerful anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer drugs,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t just wake up one day with cancer. It\u2019s a process, not an event.\u201d Pg 89.\u00a0\"blue<\/p>\n

It seems as if all the communities studied eat diets rich in plants and fruits. They seem to eat less meat than what you would expect. None of the communities eat highly processed diets with almost all the communities being too poor (or should that read, too rich) to eat takeaway foods.<\/p>\n

On Vitamin D:<\/strong>
\nAgain, quoting Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, \u201cI think vitamin D is an important ingredient in the longevity recipe,\u201d he said enthusiastically, as if just struck by an epiphany. \u201cYour skin manufactures vitamin D when it comes into contact with the sun. Without vitamin D, we increase our risk from nearly all age-related diseases including many types of cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and even autoimmune diseases like MS (multiple sclerosis). Pg 94.\u00a0\"blue<\/p>\n

Later on the same page, \u201cVitamin D in our bodies controls key elements of the immune system, blood pressure, and cell growth, and is important for cancer regulation. And in the test tube, vitamin D kills the cancers that most often kill Americans.\u201d
\nObviously, though, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and so you are going to need to decide how much sunlight you should get. I am however convinced that most people caught up in a 21st<\/sup> century life style do not get enough sunlight.<\/p>\n

A few closing thoughts:<\/strong><\/p>\n