Blue Zone Research Paper

Blue Zones: Creating a Universal Health Blueprint

“Have you called Jenny yet?” and “Weight Watchers, because it works!” are two slogans that American’s have heard year after year. In the past decade, the United States has begun to put a strict focus on health and living longer by focusing strictly on diets. However, that is only one approach to the search for well-being. In 2004, Dan Buettner, an author and researcher from National Geographic, began to focus on the tactics of other areas in the world and whittled them down to find the world’s best practices for wellness. With a team of highly distinguished researchers that ranged from gerontologists to demographers, Buettner travelled the world to find what he describes as the, “areas where

These regions are named Blue Zones. Before this research was conducted, the strategies to longevity had always been a secret, but the people of the Blue Zones are uncovering their lifestyles to

However, the southern Californian city differs from other U.S. cities due to its large population of Seventh-day Adventists. In fact, Loma Linda has the highest concentration of Adventists anywhere, causing a strict focus on health (Cornish). Buettner defines Seventh-day Adventists as “conservative Protestants who...evangelize with health and celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday instead of Sunday” (Buettner, 30). The Adventists’ diet is based from the words of the Bible: eating a diet of grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and excluding “unclean” foods like pork or shellfish. Furthermore, the only cited drink is water, while wine and coffee are frowned upon (Buettner, 31). Because of these restrictions, most Adventists have naturally become vegan or vegetarian. Buettner, as quoted in Can ‘Blue Zones’ Help Turn Back the Biological Clock?, found that “...Seventh-day Adventists have a life expectancy that’s nine to 11 years greater than that of other Americans” (Cornish). Transitioning to vegan or vegetarianism has produced healthier individuals, as shown by a study done by Michael Orlich, showing that Adventists that are vegetarian are more protected from colorectal cancer due to high-plant intake (Chen). Diet can be praised for the source of the Adventists’ health, but other practices benefit their livelihoods as well.