Blue Zones article archive

Staying healthy while having fun, By learning from the lifestyles of people living in Blue Zones, experts in healthy living and longevity recommend an hour of exercise five times a week. There are four different types of exercise: strength, flexibility, balance and endurance.

Hara hach bu: Eating with intent, A lesson we learn from Okinawa, Japan, one of the world’s Blue Zones, is that we must eat with intent. While traveling in Okinawa, Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest,” encountered a common denominator among the island’s centenarians. Before each meal, the elders would utter the phrase, “Hara hachi bu.”

How to ‘blue zones’ in April: Learn about program, Blue Zones is alive and well in Albert Lea, as presented by Project Lead Cathy Malakowsky at the Albert Lea Public Library’s lunch and learn program on April 13. Watch a video recording of the presentation on the City of Albert Lea YouTube channel.

How to ‘blue zones’ in March: Put loved ones first, In his research of people living to be 100 years old or more, author Dan Buettner found that putting their families first was an important element of healthy living.

How to ‘blue zones’ in February: Belong by volunteering, attending event, As Valentine’s Day approaches, this is an ideal time for people to consider their sense of belonging beyond a romantic relationship.

Be good to yourself, January, a time of resolutions, clean slates and fresh starts. This year, the Albert Lea Blue Zones Leadership Team encourages you to be good to yourself.

Stay active: Take the winter walking challenge, The Blue Zones Albert Lea Leadership Team challenges everyone to keep walking this winter!