As some of my readers may know, I just returned from my honeymoon in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is one of my favorite places in the world. Yes, the beaches are beautiful. Yes, the jungles are lush. But the real reason Costa Rica is such a special place is that the people there live a wonderfully healthy, relaxed, communal, and peaceful lifestyle. In fact, 60-year-old Costa Ricans have the longest life expectancy of anyone in
the world! In other words, if you are middle aged and live in Costa
Rica, you are more likely to reach a healthy age 90 than your
counterparts worldwide.
This may be surprising since costa rica is considered a developing country and spends less than 15% of what the US spends on healthcare. So what's the secret?
This is not just good genes! Genetics only play a small part in lifespan and health. Lifestyles are the main determinants for how long you live and how healthy you feel! So as a health coach, it was my duty to all my current and future clients that I spy on the "Ticos", the word for local Costa Ricans, to see what the secret is to their healthy lives. Based on my observations and the current research on the longevity of Costa Ricans, here are my conclusions on the secret to Pura Vida, the costa rican greeting to mean "Pure Life".
1.) Rice + Beans + Fresh Fish + Fruit + Vegetables = Long Life (& Very Budget Friendly!) Diet
Typically, Costa Ricans eat a simple diet of mostly plant-based foods like rice, beans, vegetables and an abundance of tropical fruits from the trees in their own backyard. Yum! The countries most typical dish is called "Casados" which is a plate with rice, beans, cabbage salad, cooked vegetables, plantains (cooked banana-like fruit), and sometimes your choice of meat (fish, pork, chicken). In the coastal area of the Nicoya peninsula where the lifespan is the longest, the dish is usually made with fresh fish and seafood. This dish is so delicious, so satisfying, and so healthy. What makes it even more healthy is that portions are normal size and dinners are eaten with family and community. The beans and rice combo are a great source of protein and fiber, and it is one of the cheapest meals you can make. Buy beans and brown rice in bulk and you can feed your family healthy meals on a tight budget!
2.) Leave the car at home, turn off the lawn mower, and carry your groceries.
In Costa Rica there aren't many people in workout shorts running on the beach or spending hours in the gym. But Ticos stay active through farming, surfing, bike riding, "mowing the lawn" with machetes, carrying groceries and other supplies, and the best exercise of all: walking. They walk to the bus, to their neighbors house, to the grocery store. Exercise is built into their everyday lives.
3.) Community, Community, and More Community:
As the Costa Ricans show us, to be healthy you've got to belong to something, and better yet belong to a group that supports you in being healthy. Costa Ricans are part of small, family-oriented communities in which everyone knows and supports each other. Social living is a part of daily life. Research from the Framingham Studies show that smoking, obesity,
happiness, and even loneliness is contagious. Your friends and family have a long-term impact on your health and
longevity. Taking stock in who you hang out with and expanding your
social circle to include healthy-minded, supportive people might be
the most powerful thing you can do to add years to your life. This is why Sprout Wellbeing's mission is to create community around healthy living. Come join a Sprout Wellbeing activity to meet some inspiring, supportive people, and you will add years to your life!
4.) The "Pura Vida" (Pure Life) Perspective:
Pura Vida is a Costa Rican greeting for hello and goodbye, and is also used as a response to most things. Things go well, "pura vida". Things go badly, "pura vida". Pura vida embodies a positive perspective on life, one in which Ticos enjoy what comes along and don't try to control what they can't. Costa Ricans also live at a slow pace, which may annoy a tourist waiting for their meal at a restaurant or sitting on the bus waiting to get somewhere. Tico's are ok with slow, expect slow, and enjoy slow. They live in the moment and enjoy it even if there's someone waiting in their restaurant for their dinner of Casados....and the Tico waiting for their Casados is not stressing that their dinner is taking too long! This shift in perspective and expectations greatly reduces stress and we know that stress is the main cause of the chronic inflammation that is associated with every
major age-related disease. Because we live in a faster paced culture here in America we need to be sure to find ways to relieve stress such as taking moments to breathe deeply throughout our day, pray or meditate, and exercise. So accept what life brings, live in the moment, and live slow!
5.) “Plan de Vida”:
Costa Ricans know why they wake up in the morning, their purpose, their "plan de vida" or "plan of life".Want to live long? Do an internal inventory. Be able to articulate your
values, passions, gifts and talents. What are the things you like to do
and the things you don’t? Then incorporate ways to put your skills into activities you truly enjoy and give you meaning in your life.
6.) Family, Family, and More Family:
Costa Rican's put family first and build strong family relationships. Living in a thriving family is worth half a dozen extra years of life
expectancy. Invest time in your kids, nurture a close
relationship and consider keeping your aging parents nearby.
7.) Access to preventative healthcare & education
Costa Rica disbanded their army in order to fund things like healthcare and education. Not only does this create a peaceful country, but also provides education and basic health coverage for preventative care to every Costa Rican. Both the healthcare and education system have great outcomes. In fact, kids in the US would probably feel behind if they tried to go to school in Costa Rica. And many people from the US, Europe, and Canada choose to have their surgeries in Costa Rica because of high quality of care at reduced prices.
8.) The Sunshine Vitamin
With a never ending summer, Costa Rica weather ensures that all Ticos get their share of Vitamin D which is a vitamin we can only get from being in the sun or from supplementation. The understanding of the important functions of vitamin D are increasing with each new research study suggesting vitamin D has key roles in many functions of our body and may have effects on osteoporosis, depression, prostate and breast cancer, and even diabetes and obesity. Of course, sun exposure also has an important downside which is that too much of it will lead to skin cancer so I don;t advocate tanning or going without sunscreen, but ensuring sufficient vitamin D is crucial to health especially for us living in Pullman where almost everyone is Vitamin D deficient in the winter. Talk to your doctor about your vitamin D levels and possible supplementation of this important vitamin.
Let's Learn from the Centurians!
Do you want to see how many years each simple life change can add to
your life? Check out the research on communities that have Centurians
(people who live past 100):
http://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/power-9/
Do
you want to know how your lifestyle is affecting your lifespan? Take
the Vitality Compass survey to see what your life expectancy is based on
your life habits:
http://apps.bluezones.com/vitality/
You can add healthy years to your lifespan by each simple change you make to your diet, lifestyle, perspective, and environment. You don't have to do all the changes and definitely not all at once! Each change can add years to your life independently. Take one small step at a time. Pura Vida!
