Griggs International Academy - GIA

Universidade Adventista de São Paulo –

UNASP

What are the Blue Zones?

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Health – Senior

Name of the Teacher

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Humanity is always looking for a way to stay young forever or do not die, by doing

plastic surgeries, taking different medicines, going to see doctors who claim to have the

perfect treatment for that, but only a few go to the most basic solution: eating well and

exercising. These are two fundamental things to determinate how long people will live and

how well they would get older. Even though is not an easy way, it is the best one to achieve

the goal of longevity, and maybe in some years that will be something else, but at this time, it

is the best doctors could recommend to their patients.

But there are people in the world that live a lot more than others, that were able to

achieve the goal of a lot of people, and there are places where these centenarians live. Their

life is a little bit different because "scientific exploration has shown some basic factors as

being behind a long lifespan: a plant-based diet; regular, low-intensity activity; an investment

in family; a sense of faith; and purpose", as Badri N Mishra's article said. These places are

called Blue Zones and there are five of them all around the globe, Mediterranean Greece,

Okinawa Japan, Sardinia Italy, Loma Linda California, and the Costa Rican peninsula. To

understand how they managed to live a healthy and longer life, we need to take a look in their

lifestyle, based on eating well and exercising. (Secret of Eternal Youth; Teaching from the

Centenarian Hot Spots (“Blue Zones”))

One of the Blue Zones is Okinawa, in Japan. This place is known for being home to

centenarians and where elders (80-90 years old) live as 50 year-olds. Still according to the

Secret of Eternal Youth, "the real encouraging factor is not that people reach these ages, but

they grow old in a much better state", so seniors can have an active sex life, and risks of heart

attack, Alzheimer’s and other diseases is very low. (Secret of Eternal Youth; Teaching from

the Centenarian Hot Spots (“Blue Zones”))

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The Okinawan diet is based on plant foods grown in volcanic soil, which is full of

vitamin C and polyphenol that gives dietary fiber and potassium to the villagers. The oldest

eat more vegetables and low-calorie meals, so they stay with a low BMI and have "clean

arteries, low cholesterol, and low homocysteine." Another important factor is hobbies like

sports, yoga, gardening, besides others. That makes them feel part of a community and be

connected not only with the environment, but with themselves too, making the risk of

depression very low. To feel part of the community, it is also important to have a social life,

where people take care of each other, reducing stress levels. (Secret of Eternal Youth;

Teaching from the Centenarian Hot Spots (“Blue Zones”))

Now talking about the diet in all Blue Zones, most of the things they eat are plant

foods and meat is very limited (in some places, like Loma Linda, California, they do not even

eat it) and in some special days of the week or month, they fast and always eat by the 80%

rule, which, according to the article of Healthline, "means that they stop eating when they

feel 80% full, rather than 100% full" because it prevents them from eating more calories than

necessary. Fasting also prevent cancer and delay aging, extending longevity, according to

Healthline article about benefits of fasting. (Why People in "Blue Zones" Live Longer Than

the Rest of the World)

National Geographic published an article about the Blue Zones inhabitants, including

their nine principles that help them live a happy, long life, and the fourth and fifth principle

talked about plant-based diet and the 80% rule, which is based on eating the quantity of

calories you need, not the amount you want. Eating healthy is important because "...good

nutrition energizes and sets the tone for work and learning", so schools where students walk

and eat properly improve their studies. The plant-based diet "is nuanced by local varieties of

greens, herbs, beans, tubers, and fresh fruits" with a little (or no) meat, and it is very much

influenced by the school that plants their own food and does not have any fast foods nearby,
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giving only healthy options to the students diet during school time. And most people think

that exercise is the best, most efficient way, to lose weight, but actually it is not: diet is. That

is one more reason why it should be more important in people’s lives. (Missouri Journal of

Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance)

The first Blue Zone principle is called Move Naturally and it basically explains that

the human body is not made to sit and stay put for a long time working or studying. Linda

Putman, in her book called Workplace Wellness that Works, explains "that workplace

wellness is really about ‘getting back to doing what we naturally do’ – which is move." So,

schools should have short breaks for the students to walk and refresh their minds, besides

physical education, as the schools in the Blue Zones already do. (Missouri Journal of Health,

Physical Education, Recreation and Dance)

The second principle is purpose, because no one is defined by their work. All people

need a hobby, and Blue Zones’ schools work with that, by having painting lessons,

woodworking time, sewing and knitting lessons. Most schools do not have a large curriculum

with health and other life skills, but it is important to prepare their students for real life,

because, as the article from Missouri Journal of Health said "the activities seem to serve a

greater purpose – to develop life skills, and encourage independence and responsibility." The

knowledge children and teenagers will take out of school is the type they can use in a daily

life basis. A school cannot only influence a student, but their parents, their relatives, and the

city as a whole. (Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance)

Very similar to the first one, the third principle is about taking a break, where people

should have an interval during work and study time to rest, but this principle focused in

breathing, taking a nap, doing some yoga to relax the body, keep their emotions controlled

and their minds sharp. Everyone needs a time to breath because after hours focusing on
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something, our mind gets tired. That is called Directed Attention Fatigue (DAF), something

that happens after the brain attention mechanisms are used for a long period of time. Based

on that, the Blue Zones’ populations take a break to recharge their energies, doing some

breathing exercises to clear their minds. (Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education,

Recreation and Dance)

They also exercise every day because although the diet is really important to define

their aging, so is exercising because it can lead to, still according to the Healthline article,

"reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and overall death." So, it improves their health.

Blue Zones also influence people to get enough sleep (seven hours per night) and daytime, 30

minutes naps, helping to avoid heart diseases, stroke, improve their memory, lower blood

pressure… (Why People in "Blue Zones" Live Longer Than the Rest of the World)

Most of the Blue Zones’ populations are religious communities, and that helps with

their health as well because, according to some Pubmed studies, it reduces the risks of having

depression. Other small things they do that help are: putting people with different ages to live

together and having a healthy social network that supports all kinds of people and helps them

improve their health. (Why People in "Blue Zones" Live Longer Than the Rest of the World)

Their principles include good relationships as well: the last three principle are basically

saying having right tribe, a community, and putting loved ones first. All of them talked about

how they have a supportive community where everyone takes care of each other and

participate in each other’s lives, sharing their ups and downs without any shame. The

environment becomes a lot more relaxed and cleaner when people respect each other.

(Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance)

If this principles and information were out there all this time, why do people, most of

the time, live such a poor, unfulfilled, life? There is something called The Pleasure Trap,
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which is how people always choose the easy, fast way to live. This “trap” is based on how

society became superficial, by seeking only pleasure, avoiding any pain, and conserving

energy. And it happens in all areas of life, every day: exercising, eating, working. Blue Zones

broke this superficiality and made people healthier by using the hard, more fulfilling way of

life. Living by The Pleasure Trap means always going after the tasty food, easy to chew and

with more calorie density, to eat only a little bit to sustain themselves through the rest of the

day, not worrying about their health and what they really need to live a proper life.

The human body is actually made to an herbivore diet. Anatomically, humans have

most of their characteristics just like herbivores: flat teeth, jaws that move side to side, acid

stomach, the need of fiber (that comes from plants), a big intestine to digest plants (because

meat can get spoiled before the digestion), besides others. If the body is made to a plant-

based diet, why humans act like omnivores? The animal products consumption came from

culture and now it is so normalized that is difficult to visualize a life without it, but it is not

impossible.

It does not matter where people live or how much money they have: it is always

possible to improve themselves with all or some of the Blue Zones principles. Including them

in a routine is the first step to live better, and if a lot of people start doing that, the impact

would be bigger. With a big impact, more influenced other people would be and maybe

changes in the city could be done, by schools. As said it before, schools can make a

difference around all the environment they surround, so if they start to influence a new

lifestyle, students and their families can improve as well. If people decide to incorporate

some of the Blue Zones habits, they may live longer.

The world still has a lot of potential to build and coordinate more Blue Zones, and this

term is not as known as it should. If more people hear about these places, more influence
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their principles would have. Nowadays information is everywhere: there is documentaries,

Instagram accounts, posts, and articles just about vegan lifestyle. One of the documentaries is

called “What The Health”, available on Netflix, and it focus in how a plant based diet and

exercising can improve people’s bodies, even to take them out of medicines they usually need

due some medical condition. It gives examples, interviews, and exposes how the animal

industry is bad not only to the animals, but for the population. After watching, people can

really see the impact and may change their lives to live in a better body and in a better world.

The thing is: if people get to know this information but do not do anything about it, no one

will change their minds and actions.

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Works Cited

“Secret of Eternal Youth; Teaching from the Centenarian Hot Spots (‘Blue Zones’).”

PubMed Central (PMC), 1 Oct. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822182.

Robertson, Ruairi. “Why People in ‘Blue Zones’ Live Longer Than the Rest of the World.”

Healthline, 29 Aug. 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/blue-zones.

Miller, Therese. “Creating Blue Zones: Global Perspectives in School Health and Physical

Education.” Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, edited

by Kathleen M. Haywood and Scott Strohmeyer, Missouri AHPERD Journal, 2017, pp. 5–

9.

Link, Rachael M. “8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science.” Healthline, 30 July

2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits.

Gallegos Yuvienco, Jemps. “The Pleasure Trap: Why Food That’s Bad for Us Tastes Really

Good.” Lifestyle.Inq, 13 Nov. 2018,

www.google.com.br/amp/s/lifestyle.inquirer.net/313256/the-pleasure-trap-why-food-thats-

bad-for-us-tastes-really-good/amp.

Course
Student's
full name
ESSAY RUBRICS
4 - Exceeds 3 - Meets 2 - Needs 1-
Category Score
Expectations Expectations Improvement Inadequate
The author’s The author’s
The author’s
purpose of purpose of
purpose of writing
writing is very writing is
is somewhat clear,
clear, and there is somewhat clear,
and there is The author’s
strong evidence and there is some
evidence of purpose of
Understanding & Insight of attention to evidence of
attention to writing is 3
audience. The attention to
audience. The unclear.
author’s audience. The
author’s
extensive author’s
knowledge and/or
knowledge and/or knowledge
experience with
experience with and/or
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the topic is/are experience with the topic is/are

evident. the topic is/are limited.
evident.
Introductory Introductory
Introductory
paragraph paragraph
paragraph
contains a clear contains a
contains a clear Introductory
thesis. However, statement that
thesis of main paragraph
the following may be construed
idea with clear contains no
Thesis / Main Idea Structuring suggestions as to
support as a thesis or main
clear thesis 4
sentences are not idea. However,
how the body of statement or
necessarily, or there is little
the essay will main idea.
only vaguely structural support
support this
connected to the in the following
thesis.
body paragraphs. sentences.
Body
Body paragraphs paragraphs are
Body paragraphs
Body paragraphs provide clear unrelated, or
are vaguely on
provide clear connections to marginally
topic, but lack
evidence and thesis statement, connected to
Body / Evidence and Examples ample examples but may be need
clear connections,
essay topic. 4
evidence and
supporting thesis more examples or Examples and
examples of thesis
statement. concrete evidence is
or main idea.
evidence. weak or
nonexistent.
LL is used LL is used, but LL is never or
Linking Language (LL) correctly and mistakes are LL is seldom used. almost never 3
often evident. used.
Closing paragraph
Closing paragraph
provides a clear
concludes essay
conclusion
in satisfactory
successfully Conclusion is weak
manner.
stating the and at times Conclusion is
However,
author's position, confusing in terms nonexistent
author's position
clearly taking into of author's with little or no
and / or an
account GIA position with little reference to
Closing Paragraph / Conclusion values and
effective
reference to main proceeding 3
restatement of
judgment, as well idea or thesis. GIA paragraphs or
main idea or
as containing an values and author's
thesis may be
effective judgment are not position.
lacking. GIA
restatement of clear.
values and
the main idea or
judgment are not
thesis of the
very clear.
essay.
A total of 3
primary and
At least 3 primary
secondary Less than 3
sources have
sources have sources have been No sources
been used and
Sources are correctly cited
been used and used and are cited have been 4
are cited with incorrectly in text cited.
in text and
minor errors in and Bibliography.
Bibliography
text and
Bibliography.
Very few
Most sentences
All sentences are Some sentences sentences are
are well
well constructed are well well
constructed and
Sentence Structure and have varied
have varied
constructed, while constructed, or 3
structure and others contain sentence
structure and
length. serious errors. structures are
length.
all very simple.
Some formatting
There was
Perfectly Basic MLA requirements
disregard for
Formatting according to MLA requirements were met in parts
formatting 3
requirements. were met. of the work, but
rules.
not in others.
The author makes
Writing includes a
Writing includes a few errors in The numerous
number of errors
no or only very SPAG, but they do errors in SPAG
Spelling Punctuation & Grammar (SPAG) few minor errors not impede the
in SPAG, that
interfere with 3
interfere with
in SPAG. reader's understanding.
understanding.
understanding.
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Total
Final Grade = Total Score / 3.6 Score
30
FINAL GRADE 8.3 B
Number grade Letter grade