Did You Know Verona Walk is a Blue Zones Project Participating Organization
What is a Blue Zones Project?
Answer: Using secrets discovered in the original Blue Zones- rare longevity hotspots around the world where people are thriving into their 100s – they help people live longer, better through behavior change and community transformation programs, lowering healthcare costs, improving productivity, and boosting national recognition as great places to live, work and play.
MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICE THE EASY CHOICE
We spend 90 percent of our time in the same places, and that environment dictates how easy it is to make healthy choices, or how difficult. By using the Power 9®, the nine secrets of longevity, to improve where we live, work, learn, and play, we make it easier to get up and move, eat healthy, make new friends, find a reason for being—and live longer, better.
MOVE NATURALLY
The world’s longest-lived people live in places that nudge them to move naturally. Working with city planners, schools, and worksites, we reshape communities so people naturally move more each day without thinking about it. We make it fun to leave home and participate in activities, enjoy an active commute, or easily walk to restaurants.
EAT WISELY
People make hundreds of food decisions every day. We help make healthy choices easier. This means working with grocery stores, restaurants, and worksites to offer and bring attention to foods that are more nutritious and tasty. And schools to implement programs and policies that help children create healthy habits.
CONNECT
The people we surround ourselves with, even friends of friends, strongly influence our health. We create connections in a community—between individuals and community organizations, faith based and community groups, and other social activities—so you can easily connect with your right tribe. As we say, belong to live long.
RIGHT OUTLOOK
Research shows that having a reason to wake up can help us live up to seven good years longer. Through mindfulness and purpose workshops, we teach people how to shed stress, live in the moment, and connect with their innate gifts. Then we help them find opportunities to match their passion with commitment to deepen their sense of purpose.
Andrea Posner
Posner is a member of the VeronaWalk Homeowners Association, which comprises 1,920 homes. As a Blue Zones volunteer, Posner has served in numerous roles, beginning with the retail food committee dedicated to educating restaurants and grocery stores on the benefits of adding Blue Zones plant-based options, as well as promoting Blue Zones-approved certification.
“When a former VeronaWalk Homeowners Association board member read about another community receiving Blue Zones recognition, he said, ‘If they can, we can.’ Since I was already involved, I offered my help. The next thing I knew, I was congratulated, named as chairperson and put in charge of forming a committee. We needed 480 signatures from HOA families who would agree to take the Blue Zones personal pledge. We got 600,” Posner recalls.
“We also started three Blue Zones Moais, a concept from Okinawa, Japan, which roughly means meeting for a common purpose. Our potluck moai meets for 10 weeks to learn how to cook plant-based meals. We also have a restaurant and walking moai. I’ve been part of a walking moai for two years and I appreciate the friendships and social networks I’ve formed,” notes Posner.