This Country Holds The Secret To Living Until 100

National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner has conducted an extensive study on longevity and discovered five “blue zones,” where a large number of people are living to be at least 100. These centenarians were not decrepit, sick, and suffering when they passed, but healthy, and leading active and happy lives. Upon examining these regions further, he discovered what these communities had in common, and uncovered some valuable secrets to leading a long, healthy, and happy life.

The Blue Zones

The five blue zones are: Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. The Nicoya Peninsula has five cantons where middle-age morality is lowest and centenarians are the most abundant. These cantons are: Carillo, Hojancha, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Nandoyure. What these cantons have in common, Buettner found, was that the residents were part of strong faith communities, had deep social networks, engaged in regular low-intensity physical activity, and ate a similar diet. Within these cantons on Guanacaste’s Nicoya Peninsula, heart disease, many types of cancer, and diabetes are hardly seen.

Sun and Water

People living on the Nicoya Peninsula are not lacking in vitamin D, which is a vitamin and a hormone. Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium. When your skin is exposed to the sun, it can produce this hormone on its own. Vitamin D plays a key role in bone health and in reducing the risk of stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and heart disease. The tap water available on the Nicoya Peninsula has high levels of calcium in it; there is more calcium in the water on the Nicoya Peninsula than in any other part of the country. The combination of vitamin D and calcium helps to promote stronger bones, meaning fewer fatal falls and fractures among the elderly, and far less heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

The Traditional Nicoya Diet

The traditional diet on the Nicoya Peninsula consists of black beans, bananas, plantains, papaya, squash, pejibaje, yams, and homemade corn tortillas. Nicoyans eat black beans pretty much every single day and they are often paired with white rice. Black beans are high in antioxidants. Plantains are high in potassium, soluble fiber, and carbohydrates. Papaya is rich in vitamins A, B, and C and also contains an enzyme that fights inflammation. Chronic inflammation is rooted in most degenerative diseases. Yams are high in vitamin B6. Pejibajes are loaded with vitamins A and C, and squash has high levels of carotenoids. That is a mouthful of essential vitamins and minerals. Nothing in this list of staples, you’ll notice, is processed or contains preservatives. All of these foods are locally grown and freshly prepared daily.

Corn tortillas are typically eaten with every meal. On the Nicoya Peninsula, corn tortillas are traditionally freshly made every day and are made using a very special process that plays a major role in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other staple foods. The corn is first soaked in lime and water before it is ground up into a flour. This first step helps to release the niacin that is contained in the corn. It is the niacin that helps the body absorb calcium, iron, and other valuable minerals. It is believed that the combination of making tortillas this way and then pairing them with the above foods allows the body to take full advantage of all the nutrient goodness.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.