NICOYAN PENISULA IN COSTA RICA
Nicoya is an 80-mile peninsula just south of the Nicaraguan border. This community is home to some of the happiest people in the world and a thriving natural environment!
Nicoya Peninsula biodiversity is large and they have a common goal to preserve nature for future generations. They are even close to running completely off renewable energy. They understand that healthy environments nourish and provide longevity for their people.
"A healthy natural environment permits healthy humans. On the flip side, a fish living in a polluted fish bowl or water, won't survive long. What we are saying is that a thriving human species is dependent on a thriving natural environment, Costa Rica, reminds us of this"
5 CORE MEDICINES AND PRINCIPLES FROM COSTA RICA
They have common daily practices and rituals that promote their individual and collective longevity.
- Work: Nicoyan enjoys the physical work of all their lives. They are always involved in daily chores and regularly take in the sunshine, which helps their bodies produce vitamin D for strong bones and healthy body function.
- Connection: Nicoyan centenarians tend to live with their families, and children or grandchildren provide support and a sense of purpose and belonging. They maintain their social networks and get frequent visits from neighbors.
- Work & Lifestyle: Successful centenarians have a strong sense of purpose. They feel needed and want to contribute to the greater good. They call it a “plan de vida” or reason to live, which propels a positive outlook among elders and helps keep them active.
- Food: They eat a mostly plant-based diet including plentiful supplies of squash, corn, and beans. They eat fortified maize and beans and utilize the indigenous Chorotega roots.
- Lifestyle: A simple life allows them to also live a relatively stress-free life.
FAMILY IS MEDICINE
Like the Okinawans, Ikarians, and Sardinians. Nicoyan centenarians tend to live with their families, and children or grandchildren provide support and a sense of purpose and belonging. This is a circular economy of wisdom sharing and support!
SATURATION OVER RESTRICTION
Rather than restricting diets, Nicoyans look to saturate their body each day with clean air, fresh water, and nutrient-dense food from their thriving natural environment. Their water has the country’s highest calcium and mineral content. Healthy environment, healthy spring water, and healthy people! It makes sense when we consider that we are over 70% water internally!
A SIMPLE LIFE IS A STRESS-FREE LIFE
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this beautiful culture is that living a simple life, allows them to also live a relatively stress-free life.
"Simplicity is bliss"
HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT = HEALTHY HUMANS
Sustaining healthy natural environments, food from mostly plant-based sources, working with a sense of purpose “plan de vida,” maintaining social networks for support over their lifespan, spending more time outside and simple daily practices are the secrets to longevity for Nicoyan people.
SUMMARY
As we end the era of industrialization. Some cultures like Costa Rica, amazonian tribes, Bhutan, and seemingly less developed countries. Are now starting to lead the way in terms of human health and well-being.
Why? Well, the modern human is the only species that destroys and pollutes the environment in which it is trying to survive. The cultures and communities of the world that resisted progress at the expense of the natural world, are soon to be some of the most abundant communities. Maintaining their values for good soil, clean water, clean air, and a culture that is built on connection, community, and supporting each other. Isn't that ironic as we enter the age of information and singularity?
Perhaps we need to pause for a generation, in this "age of information". Using this information to start an age of integration and restoration, balancing human development with the natural world.
Realizing that nature can survive without human beings, but human beings can't survive without a healthy natural environment.
And no, flying to the desert on Mars isn't an option. Spend that energy, time, and resources on planting seeds in this generation for trees that we may never sit under.
Curious Questions To Self?
- Do you too live a simple life?
- Do you have a positive outlook and bias for our future together?
- Do you work to live, enjoying the movement in between?
- Do you support your natural environment, understanding that it is your life support system too?
REFERENCES
This is directly referenced from the best-selling amazon SelfCare Book "Lifestyle Medicine For the People" by Rory Callaghan. If you would like to read more content like this. Grab the free online chapters of the book or a hard copy.
We have done our best to reference everyone’s expert opinions, peer-reviewed science, and original thoughts, all references available here and referenced in the text.
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