A Blue Zone represents an area in the world where people are known to live longer, healthier and happier lives. There are only five of them in the world, with Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (part of the Nicoya Peninsula) represented in the five! ‘Live fast, die young,’ may be your motto. I’ve lived that life too. But there’s something about the slow living in a Blue Zone that makes me feel good in my body, mind and soul (is that word too spiritual for you?) and excited to pop out of bed every day. Here I will share my experience of how living in a Blue Zone has affected my life and perhaps those of others too.
People living in Blue Zones are said to practice natural forms of exercise on a daily basis, have healthy diets, feel a sense of community, experience a sense of life purpose and indulge in a healthy amount of sleep. Our barefoot beachfront paradise is typically referred to as ‘slow living.’ Don’t get me wrong, we’re not sitting around doing nothing here. Quite the opposite, in fact. We’re moving and grooving but it’s different to the stereotypical western culture. Santa Teresa is located in a remote location on the Pacific side of the western peninsula of Costa Rica, where there’s no Amazon Prime to fulfill instant gratification. One relies on a deep sense of community for support and each individual typically shares a sincere connection with nature.
The old connotation that surfers are lazy is antiquated and outdated. There are always exceptions to the rule, however, dedicated surfers who seek out the best waves on a consistent basis are first to rise in the morning, check the waves, pack the boards on top of the car, load the wax, sunscreen, hats, change of clothes, water bottles and anything else you might need. I compare surfing to my days of playing ice hockey, where we would travel around with these huge bags that could fit five of us inside and arrive to the rink hours in advance to get prepared. The warm climate, glassy waves and early sunrises also make this lifestyle more inviting compared to others. The surfer’s life is a physical one and we haven’t even entered the water yet. With a large community dedicated to agriculture, others may find exercise farming, walking and gardening.
Our diet is similar to other regions in Central and South America, heavily based on fruits, vegetables and legumes. Some of our typically plates that you can find at Sodas (local restaurants) are Gallo Pinto for breakfast and Casado for lunch and dinner. Gallo Pinto includes eggs, rice, beans and fried plantain (I always add avocado when available too). You can typically choose between fish, meat or vegetarian casados that are accompanied by rice, beans, vegetables and salad. The fish is particularly fresh in most cases. Patacones are another way to experience the sweet local plantains, and are essentially smashed plantains that are fried to a crisp. No flavor is spared in our diet. You may be thinking, ‘everything seems fried,’ and that is a fair observation. Hey, nobody is perfect. But when you compare it to the preservatives in other foods, you will notice that we are eating nutrient rich foods from our local soils with no preservatives. These foods, rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, are known to fight chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
A sense of community or social network can be found in a variety of ways in many different regions around the world. I’ll share an example of how my community showed up to support me just last week. It was dark out and I noticed people walking around with flashlights around the house and my intuition told me that something was off. I texted a friend to ask what I should do but didn’t think much of it and turned off the lights to go to bed. Moments later, I hear a brigade of people show up to my house asking, “where are they?” People I knew and didn’t know had showed up in the middle of the night in order to secure my safety. Everything worked out in the end and I was deeply touched by the outpouring of support I received.
It is said that people in a Blue Zone experience a life purpose (ikigai) well into old age. Personally, growing up in a western culture I found it hard to discern between what I am meant to do versus what I am supposed to do or can do. Or maybe that was just my experience! In Costa Rica, tourism is the leading source of GDP, directly contributing 4.8% to the total GDP in 2019 (OECD iLibrary). My sense is that many people find what they are passionate about—whether it be surfing, botany, horticulture, animals, fishing—and share that passion with the people that come to visit our tropical oasis. These are jobs or hobbies that can be sustained through elder years. Why stop doing something that lights you up?
Sleep is a topic that can be discussed up, down and sideways for days. Personally, I feel less urgency in my day-to-day life in Costa Rica. I spent the early years of my career working on a trading floor in ‘fight or flight mode’ for most of the time. And western cultures tend to quickly resort to sleeping aids to wind down at the end of the day, resulting in lower quality sleep. In Costa Rica, I feel more in sync with my circadian rhythm, often rising and winding down with the cycle of the sun. Because I know, the sooner I get to sleep, the better chance I have the be the first in the lineup for those glassy waves in the morning (yes, like a kid on Christmas morning!).
There are pros and cons to everything, including western cultures versus the one I live in Costa Rica. Western cultures are stereotypically filled with stimulation, attractions and fun. One is no better than the other. Personally, I enjoy experiencing both! I have simply highlighted above the differences that I have experienced living in a Blue Zone versus a western culture. Come check it out for yourself!
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Pura Vida!
Alexandra
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