THE BLUE ZONES OF HAPPINESS: LESSONS FROM THE WORLD'S HAPPIEST PEOPLE
From The New York Times bestselling author of The Blue Zones Solution comes…
"The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People”
Hawaii is highlighted in book as Buettner explores how his findings have positively shaped communities
October, 23, 2017 - The New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner has dedicated the last fifteen years to helping people live healthier, more fulfilling lives. This work has resulted in three New York Times bestselling books (The Blue Zones, Thrive, The Blue Zones Solution). It also inspired one of the largest community well-being improvement initiatives in America. Blue Zones Project, which was brought to Hawaii by HMSA, is now established and flourishing statewide in eight communities.
Now, in a timely and eye-opening new book, THE BLUE ZONES OF HAPPINESS (National Geographic Books; on-sale as of October 3, 2017), Buettner turns the spotlight from health to happiness revealing surprising secrets of the world’s happiest places—and shows us how we can all apply the lessons of true happiness to our own lives.
In the book, Buettner highlights the story of Theresa Zendejas, a resident of Hawaii Island who, at 80 years old, turned her life around with help from Blue Zones Project. “I was getting heavier and heavier, and I couldn’t really walk that much,” she said. This lack of mobility had a deep impact on her happiness and her health. Hawaii has the lowest rate of obesity in the nation at 22 percent but it continues to grow and, according to Hawaii’s Department of Health, could reach 50 percent by 2030.
One year later, Zendejas was growing her own garden, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, connecting socially with friends, and going for regular walks with her Moai (walking group). She lost more than 40 pounds and gained a new, more optimistic perspective on herself and her community, “That first Blue Zones Project event really opened my eyes.”
Blue Zones Project is a well-being improvement initiative designed to support longer, better lives through permanent changes to environment, policy, and social networks. Based on the lifestyles in the original Blue Zones® areas, pockets of the world where people live longer with less chronic disease and higher quality of life, Blue Zones Project is now in more than 40 communities across the country.
Blue Zones Project Hawaii has already engaged more than 10,000 individuals. The community is benefitting from over 70 approved organizations, policy audits and workshops from national experts and other Blue Zones Project events regularly statewide.
For more information on how to get involved in Blue Zones Project in Hawaii and for a complete list of cooking demonstrations, purpose workshops or volunteer opportunities, visit hawaii.bluezonesproject.com.
About the Author
Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and the founder of Blue Zones, an organization that helps Americans live longer, healthier lives. His groundbreaking work on longevity led to his 2005 National Geographic cover story “Secrets of Living Longer” and three national best-sellers, The Blue Zones, Thrive, and The Blue Zones Solution. His forthcoming book, The Blue Zones of Happiness will be published by National Geographic in October 2017. He lives in Minneapolis and can be found on Facebook and Twitter and through his website bluezones.com.
About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is inspired by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and The New York Times best-selling author who identified five regions of the world—or Blue Zones®—with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 42 communities in nine states have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 3.3 million Americans nationwide. The movement includes three beach cities in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.
About HMSA
At HMSA, caring for the people of Hawaii is our promise and our privilege. Working with employers, providers, government decision makers, and consumers, we aim to reach our Māhie 2020 vision of a community health system: a system to support the many health and well-being programs and projects that are already underway in our state. We reach out to people where they live, learn, work, and play, so we can empower each and every person to take control of their own health and well-being.
HMSA is the most experienced health plan in the state, covering more than half of Hawaii’s population. As a recognized leader, we have a commitment to develop reliable, affordable health plans; support members with clear, thoughtful guidance; and embrace our responsibility to strengthen the health and well-being of our community.
About National Geographic Partners LLC
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children's media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers ... and reaching over 730 million people around the world in 171 countries and 45 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit http://natgeotv.com/ or http://www.nationalgeographic.com/, or find us Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
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Learn more at hawaii.bluezonesproject.com
