However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Many Nicoyans choose to walk from one destination to another instead of driving. Whether this pandemic impacts the average lifespan of people around the world or not, a lot can be gained by studying five specific regions in the world where people seemingly effortlessly live to over 90 years in age. All Rights Reserved. "The five cantons of the peninsula continue to appear with greater longevity and we've confirmed this everywhere we've investigated. Blue zones are regions where some of the oldest and healthiest people live. Nicoya. Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Costa Rica is home to one of the five original blue zones regions, the Nicoya peninsula, with a high number of centenarians in excellent health. Get to Know the Secrets of Costa Rica's Blue Zone How many blue zones are in Costa Rica? - 2023 By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Try spending quality times with your loved ones. The surroundings dictate ways of operating, not personal decisions. A three-course farm-to-table dinner with a tour of the organic garden is available Mondays and Thursdays. The five blue zones are: Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. If you want to really embrace the Nicoya Peninsula blue zone vibe, head to any small village in the area. This is why the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) launched the Wellness Pura Vida country strategy, which seeks to position Costa Rica as a wellness destination with a difference, which offers unique, transforming experiences. Come to Nicoya, Costa Rica, One of the World's Five 'Blue Zones' The Nicoya Peninsula has a high concentration of people over 100 years old and a low incidence of health problems like cancer or heart disease. I have been exploring the data reported by National Geographic and Dan Buettner in the Blue Zones Solution: . 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. Blue Zone: Nicoya, Costa Rica - Plant-Based Life Foundation By Ty and Charlene Bollinger. Also, the environment just exudes joy. Most people in this area never move. The beautiful view of the beaches may also have a hand in this. Thomas Ramsauer / Shutterstock. Exploring the Blue Zones of Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula The Nicoya Peninsula is on Costa Ricas north Pacific coast. The Blue Zones - Wonderlust Speaking of work, finding work/life balance is a constant challenge for many. Nicoya Peninsula - A Blue Zone In Costa Rica | Villa Firenze Research shows that 30% of longevity comes from genes, and the remaining 70% from lifestyle. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Buettner approached National Geograhic with his idea and they agreed to help fund his research. Barrio La California, Were Thomas (the German) and Sarah (the US-er). Oftentimes, this helps maintain healthy and supportive relationships within their communities, and develop a strong sense of faith and purpose along the way. Spirituality and religious involvement/ beliefs. People often consider the impact of global decisions on future generations through legislation. Conzcanos. Blue Zones: Diet, Lifestyle & Tips on How to Live Longer While starting the day off with rice and beans may not be an ideal breakfast for most people, the key to a healthy breakfast is one rich with protein, complex carbs, and antioxidants (minus the preservatives). Why is the Nicoya Peninsula considered a 'Blue Zone?' Do you have any questions about the Costa Rica Blue Zone? A stay at Nantipa will help you have a true Blue Zone adventure, especially if you book its transcendental wellness experience. Nicoyas west and south coasts are the most popular for visitors and offer a wide range of accommodations and access to the peninsulas wilderness and activities. Predominantly catering to families, this 402-room property has four restaurants, including for surf and turf and Japanese, two pools, a nightclub, and a 200-seat amphitheater. Every morning, at dawn, before the men of Nicoya ride their horses through the mountains of the Costa Rican peninsula, they eat a healthy breakfast. Check out all of our favorite travel companies. These cantons are: Carillo, Hojancha, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Nandoyure. What we can incorporate about Nicoya into our culture is the sense of purpose Nicoyans enjoy. However, both towns have a more touristy vibe to them. This goes along with the decision to widen the country's tourism offerings and venture into industries with high potential, such as wellness tourism. WED LOVE IF YOUD ADD IT ON PINTEREST! 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. Results were also shared from the research carried out by the demographer Luis Rosero and Dr. Elizabeth Lopez, both from Costa Rica, who made significant contributions on the subject of healthy longevity. Currently, three emblematic examples of this Blue Zone include the centenarians Jos Bonifacio "Pachito" Villegas, from Pochote de Quebrada Honda, Nicoya, who rides a horse every day at age 100, Trinidad Espinoza, who recounts anecdotes from Costa Rica in the 1930s continuously while she feeds her chickens, and Dmaso Mendoza, age 102, who, on receiving a visitor, always talks about her years as a dancer and how she enjoys the company of the five generations of her family in Santa Ana de Beln, Carillo. But other factors are at play, especially in Nicoya, an 80-mile peninsula just south of the Nicaraguan border. Old people often have too little calcium in their bodies. Lunch is the main meal in Costa Rica (its better for your digestion to eat a bigger breakfast and lunch and a lighter dinner). So, having extra-hard water may help keep Nicoyans' hearts strong, and longer. Those who want to enjoy the pura vida life for more than a week or two often end up here, given Santa Teresas gorgeous beaches, busy nightlife, and excellent wifi. Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula joins Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Lima Linda, California, and Icaria, Greece as one of the world's five blue zones. All rights reserved. A hike from the town of Montezuma will bring you past several cooling-off pools on your way to the three cascades of this waterfall, perhaps the most visited one on the peninsula. It includes the five cantons of the Nicoya Peninsula: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya. A way of life that keeps cells young in one region of Costa Rica We can start making healthier choices today, thus living more enriching lives and encouraging others to adopt similar healthy ways of living. "Year after year, our surveys indicate that its the Costa Ricans themselves that set our destination apart, and it's certainly always a marvelous experience to spend time with the older generation. Your email address will not be published. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Blue Zones, those special places on earth where people live longer and healthier lives, first came to prominence in the ground-breaking book by Dan Buettner, Blue Zones. Everywhere you go in Costa Rica, youll hear pura vida! and soon feel the freedom to adopt the pura vida lifestyle yourself. In Nicoya, Costa Rica, where average incomes are among the nation's lowest, the average lifespan is 85 among the world's highest. On the peninsulas southeast coast is Tambor, with Nicoyas most southerly airport. Guevara lives in the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica. For most Americans, an entrance ramp for a new lifestyle change is through their mouth, Buettner says. Dan Buettner is really the man behind Blue Zones, so I suggest you start your interest with him. Inadequate calcium means weak muscles -- including the heart. 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. It is not unusual for many generations to live on one property or in very close proximity to each other. He cautions though that one of the reasons Nicoyas centenarians live so long is that they dont have high incomes, which means theyve had to do physical labor since they were young, their meals are light and mainly of vegetables and legumes, and they cant afford a lot of protein or processed foods. Blue Zones Nicoya desarrolla alimentos, bebidas y suplementos inspirados en los centenarios de la. It is believed that one factor which may contribute to the high number of Nicoyan centenarians is the high calcium content in the water. San Jose, Costa Rica 10104. Casado - the Blue Zone lunch | The Garum Factory Sign up for theBLUE ZONES free weekly email where webring youexclusive interviews, cutting edge longevity news, and fresh tips for living longer, better. Costa Rica as a whole is a happy place. Nicoyas interior where most of the centenarians and almost-centenarians live and northeastern coast are less visited by tourists but still have much to offer. 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. The information and example set by the inhabitants of the Blue Zone of Nicoya are highly valuable, and some of the life habits can be emulated, planting a blue seed throughout the country. Enjoying good health conditions shouldn't depend on economic or technological factors, but rather on protective factors that are evident and proven in the region. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This Central American nation isnt that far from the U.S. geographically, but it is way ahead of us in longevity. It is the reason why the founder of Omega Institute set up Blue Spirit in Nosara and a Longevity center.