Blue Zones

In 2004 Dan Buettner wrote a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC cover story about the "Secrets of Long Life" which led to that issue becoming one of their top selling of all time. In 2008 Buettner expanded this theme in a best selling book The Blue Zones which examined lifestyles in four areas of the world (parts of Sardinia, Okinawa, Costa Rica and California) with populations who had many long lived people and high average life expectancy. In each area scholars had confirmed the accuracy of age records and looked at possible factors for the longevity which was not genetic since genetically similar groups of people in other areas did not have such long lives.

Buettner identified commonalities in all these areas:

     A whole food plant based diet which included little dairy, meat or seafood

     An active lifestyle with daily physical activity

     Strong family and community support 

     Minimizining stress

     Having a life purpose and spirituality

Buettner was so impressed with what he discovered writing the article and book that he organized The Blue Zones Project, an attempt to create areas of healthiness and longevity. Individuals, community leaders, churches, businesses, schools, restaurants and grocery stores are recruited to improve the lifestyle of all in the community. Nine areas in the United States with millions of people now participate including Fort Worth, Texas; Southwest Florida; and Hawaii. Areas with the longest history in the program are seeing success in weight loss and other health markers as well as student attendance and academics.

Man is a social animal who responds to family, friends and community. Enlisting community support to improve lifestyle and thereby health, quality of life and longevity is an exciting goal which Buettner and his colleagues seem to accomplishing.

     

                                     CHIP

Hans Diehl was a student in public health and epidemiology in the 1970's when he heard claims of miraculous health results in people with serious chronic illnesses at the nearby Pritikin Clinic in Santa Monica. He visited this clinic and asked to see a summary of their results but was told no such evaluation existed. Diehl took leave from school to review patient records at the clinic. After several months he realized he had found his life's work because the documented health benefits of a Pritikin diet were so much better than anything he had ever encountered from other medical interventions. He worked for the Pritikin Clinic for a short time but soon realized that it served only the affluent since average income people could not afford it. Pritikin himself spent many hours counseling at no cost for anyone who contacted him after reading his books, but the clinic was too expensive. Diehl resolved to start programs allowing everyone to learn and benefit from Pritikin's work. He joined the faculty at Loma Linda Medical School where he is now president of the Lifestyle Medical Institute. In 1988 he started CHIP (Community Health Improvement Project.) His book Health Power has sold more that 2 million copies in 21 languages; a recent list included Dr. Diehl as one of the 20 "super heroes of the modern health movement."

The Surgeon General has determined that over 75% of disease in the United States is lifestyle related. CHIP successfully reduces weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar through lifestyle change, principally diet, with stress management also emphasized to enhance quality of life. CHIP trains volunteers to start and assist local community programs around the world. These local programs work with groups and individuals to facilitate lifestyle change, empowering individuals to take charge of their own health. Informational literature, video presentations, cooking classes and networking support this training. CHIP's three month, 40 hour intensive lifestyle intervention course has been taken by over 70,000 people with more than 350 cities in North America, Asia, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand hosting CHIP units. Faith based groups, businesses, schools and community organizations have used CHIP successfully.

Since 2000 Rockford, Illinois, a city of 150,000, has been the site of an ongoing CHIP project with 3000 participants and 25 local restaurants committed to support the project by offering at least five healthy CHIP compliant meals. Grocery stores, workplaces and medical centers have joined CHIP in this effort. Alumni meetings allow participants to continue to learn and support each others' efforts.

The state of Wisconsin Teachers' union sponsored a CHIP program for some of its members with serious chronic diseases. Each participant saved the teachers' health plan $3500 over the next two years. As a result some insurance plans now pay for CHIP training.

                                               https://www.chiphealth.com