I was thinking about Blue Zones. If you don't know what they are, they are areas in the world where people traditionally live longer than average. People tend to focus on the diets of these people trying to suss out the secret of their longevity. Their diets are full of vegetables, beans, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats (you know, that crazy stuff our doctors are always talking about, when we mention some new fad diet), but it's only part of the picture. The Blue Zones are Okinawa, Ikaria, Sardinia, Nicoya Peninsula, and Loma Linda. What truly set them apart is they live in surroundings that nudge them toward good behaviors. The streets are built for people, not cars, they naturally move every hour, eating is more communal, slower, with conversation. They have fewer mechanical conveniences, this promotes more activities as a community. Being alone isn't the same option as it is in most modern lives. The Community is necessary to thrive. Health and longevity is about so much more than what you eat. But most of us don't live in communities like this, so how do we change this?

Believe it or not, but I think Churches used to play this kind of community function after towns grew into cities. Bringing people together with common interests, promoting fellowship, communal dinners, social outreach. Doesn't that sound nice? Too bad it's mostly became what it is now, but there are some exceptions out there worth checking out. Doing this in a non-religious context would be really great.

@RickiTarr churches, synagogues, any faith group can do this! I fully agree that they used to do this better than they do it now