Blue Zones

 

Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative to help make healthy choices easier for everyone in Southwest Florida. Naples is one of the healthiest cities in the United States; the women have the greatest longevity in the country. To maintain our quality of life through the years, Mayflower supports us in making healthy choices.

Blue Zones Project is based on Dan Buettner’s book “The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer by the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.” He interviewed people who lived in areas of the world with the most centenarians and looked for commonalities for their longevity. From this he derived the Power 9. They are:

1. BELONG: By belonging to a church and attending service 4 times a month, we can add 4-14 years to our lifespan.

2. RIGHT TRIBE: Surround yourself with people who support positive behaviors.  The Blue Zones calls them “moai” after the Japanese word that defines a social support group that continues through out their lives.

3. PURPOSE: Wake up with purpose each day and add 7 more years of good health to your life.God gives us purpose to wake up each day and embrace the ability to help one another.

4. FAMILY FIRST: People who stay connected with their families maintain a strong self-esteem and a clear purpose.

5. DOWNSHIFT: Reverse disease by finding a stress relieving strategy that works for you. By slowing life’s pace and de-stressing, we reduce inflammation in our body and foster a greater sense of well-being.

6. MOVE NATURALLY: By finding ways to move more, building activity into your routine and lifestyle, you will burn calories and feel better. WALKING is the one activity that all successful centenarians do.

7. PLANT SLANT: Put more vegetables on your plate. Think more beans, whole grains, and garden vegetables as the cornerstone healthy menu. This was a common factor with all the centenarian food choices, less meat, more nuts, more fruit and vegetables.

8. EAT TO 80% FULL: Decrease calories by consciously reminding yourself to stop eating when 80% full. The Japanese say this as, “Hari Hachi Bu”. Use smaller plates and tall narrow glasses to help reduce quantity of food and drink consumed.

9. GRAPES OF LIFE AND SOCIAL TIME: Introduce a social time into a daily routine with friends to destress and enhance well-being.

In 2017, Mayflower was the second faith-based organization that chose to become a part of the Blue Zones initiative because we support their goal of maintaining a healthy, productive lifestyle. We support one another as we’re walking this walk!

To learn more about the Blue Zones, please visit http://www.southwestflorida.bluezones.com . All of Mayflower’s Blue Zones activities are open to the public as well as our congregants.

Walking Moai

Mayflower’s Walking Moai originated with our Blue Zones commitment. A Moai (moe-eye) is a longevity tradition in Okinawa, Japan. It is deeply ingrained into the social system of the island and is a social support group that start in childhood and extends throughout their lives, often into the members’ 100s. Even though we’re no longer in our childhood, we are creating a new Moai to support us as we walk for health and friendship!
Another powerful habit of long-lived societies is to move naturally. At Mayflower, we have combined these two habits and created our Walking Moai! By extension, we touch on a “Purpose” to get up on Tuesday mornings and we “Down Shift” to reduce the stress in our lives during our walks.

Mayflower’s Walking Moai meets every Tuesday at 8:30 AM. You don’t need to attend Mayflower to walk with us. Our walking pace can be adapted to your speed. Some members power walk and many others stroll, visiting with new friends and admiring the beauty of God’s nature!

Look for the Blue shirts! If you need a shirt, just ask Janice and she will get you one. They’re free to all walkers!

Tuesday, December 10th at 8:30 at Baker Park, up the steps in the parking lot by the main entrance.

Tuesday, December 17th at 8:30 at the Botanical Gardens by the main entrance.

Tuesday, December 31st at 8:30 at the Greenway Park by the main entrance in the back area of the Zoo.

Tuesday, January 7th at 8:30 at Freedom Park, by the main entrance to the walking paths.

Tuesday, January 14th at 8:30 at Eagle Lakes Park by the main entrance by the walking paths.

Tuesday, January 21st at 8:30 at the Botanical Gardens by the main entrance.

Tuesday, January 28th at 8:30 at Sugden Park, by the main entrance near the picnic tables.

Potluck Moai

  Centenarians in all five blue zones areas enjoy much lower rates of chronic disease like obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. They eat a plant-slant diet of whole foods; fruits and vegetables are present at every meal, lowering inflammation and increasing immunity.

Because of the holidays, our next dinner will be January 8th at 5 PM.  You are invited to bring a dish and share a meal with new and old friends!  You will be surprised how much you enjoy the variety of dishes with more nutrition!  We have compiled a cookbook of previous dishes.  You may purchase one at a dinner.  

“Come Find Out What Your Purpose Is” at an enlightening afternoon as we discover together our purpose for the life we are living now! Our purpose is to use the gifts and abilities within us. Discover yours! Periodically, Mayflower sponsors, in conjunction with the Blue Zones Project, a Purpose Workshop. Watch for further details in the weekly Bulletin and the Masthead newsletter. These are frequently paired with a Plant Slant meal!