Blue Zones -- Costa Rica -- National Geographic

Family Focus
Photograph by Gianluca Colla
On Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, a roughly 80-mile-long finger of land south of the Nicaraguan border on the Pacific Coast, researchers identified a group of villages with a significantly higher rate of longevity than the rest of the country. Dan Buettner traveled there to explore what makes a Blue Zone in a developing country.
Centenarian Don Faustino and five generations of his family are pictured on the Nicoya Peninsula in 2007. Nicoyan centenarians tend to live with their families, and children or grandchildren provide support and a sense of purpose and belonging.
—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest
Land of Sun
Photograph by Stefano Amantini, Corbis
The Nicoya Peninsula is located on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, and its climate allows Nicoyans to get plenty of sunshine. Regular sun exposure helps their bodies produce vitamin D for strong bones and healthy body function. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a host of problems, such as osteoporosis and heart disease, and regular, “smart” sun exposure (about 15 minutes on the legs and arms) can help supplement nutrients received through diet.
—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest
Hard Work
Photograph by Gianluca Colla
A Costa Rican senior works the land on the Nicoya Peninsula. Centenarians here seem to have enjoyed physical work all their lives. They find joy in everyday physical chores, and this likely plays a key role in the region’s longevity. In addition to physical work, Nicoyans eat fewer calories, which appears to be one of the surest ways to add years to life.
—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest
Sense of Purpose
Photograph by Gianluca Colla
A senior Nicoyan woman relaxes for a portrait. After waking up at 4 a.m., she bakes tortillas for a couple of hours and walks five miles to the village to sell them. In addition to keeping hard at work, successful centenarians have a strong sense of purpose—a plan de vida for the Nicoyans. They feel needed and want to contribute to a greater good.
—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest
Community and Tradition
Photograph by Gianluca Colla
Children celebrate a birthday with their families on the Nicoya Peninsula. Strong social networks seem to play an important role in longevity. Nicoyan centenarians get frequent visits from neighbors. They know how to listen, laugh, and appreciate what they have. Modern Nicoyans also embrace a common history. Their roots to the indigenous Chorotega include a traditional diet of fortified maize and beans, which may be the best nutritional combination for longevity the world has ever known.
—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest