What is your Plan De Vida Today?

 Singapore is so urbanised and densely populated, much more than the popularly identified current Blue Zones of age longevity - Ikaria on Greece; Loma Linda in California; Nicoya in Costa Rica; Ogliastra in Italian Sardinia and Okinawa, south of the main Japanese islands.

Yet Singapore has attained number 5 in the world rankings for age longevity.

I reckon each of the so called Blue Zones has unique characteristics that contribute to humans living longer than most. 

Strong family relationships give inner joy. However, we cannot choose our relatives and how they behave - good or not so good - is not our personal responsibility.  Overseas migration has destroyed the safety of having family nearby.

So the saying is true that having a good neighbour or friend is more important when family is living so far away. 

Most of the Blue Zones see its people having their share of restorative hours of night time sleep and afternoon naps. 

In Singapore, most residents do not drive private vehicles as they can be costly to buy, maintain and run (especially for essentially depreciating assets).  This translates to the common person on the street having to walk more each day as part of their regime, instead of being seated for too many hours driving ( as in the the  capital cities and rural regions of-  Australia). 

Having a strong purpose in life at whatever age - and keeping busy each day with such a purpose is an important characteristic to have.  Call it whatever, such a philosophy and practice is not confined to the terms Ikigai or Plan De Vida. 

Growing and having access to your own plant based sources of food is vital.  You do not have to solely depend on commercial shops to get your daily intake of greens when you can pluck them from what you grow in your own abode.  This is not easy for Singapore. 

On average, the serving size of food provided in Singapore eateries is less than those sold as the norm in nations of the Anglosphere.  Reflect on the ridiculous size of Big Macs, huge chunks of grilled meats and towering sandwiches that would not fit most mouths.  In the identified Blue Zones, most people eat only to statisfy half fullness of the stomach, except in Singapore. 

Dietary habits and nutrition are naturally factors contributing to sustainable overall health, immunity and anti-inflammation levels for each person.   The norm in societies like Nicoya, Okinawa and Ikaria  is not to overeat - and eat less processed foods.  Such consumption patterns contrast with other societies over fed on fast food, canned products and stuff overladen with salt and sugar, resulting in high case numbers of obesity, mental depression and medical drug addiction.  When you go to so called supermarkets anywhere in the world, most things along their aisles are over processed, supplemented with things to extend shelf life and with many ingredients altered from their natural state. 

A so called higher standard of living as measured by GDP per capita by itself is not a good indication of factors optimal for living longer.   Such economic measures omit or deemphasise the role of significant contributions to a quality long life. 

Social cohesion and networking effectiveness are important to giving most meaning when living longer.  A system embedded to encourage continuation of lifetime long friendships from childhood, like Moai in Okinawa, Seventh Day Adventism in Loma Linda and the Kopi Tiam gatherings in Singapore, helps. 

Over commercialisation of lifestyles in urbanised areas can translate to feelings of personal isolation even in crowded neighbourhoods.   Aged care can become dehumanised when delivered by paid agencies and robots instead of by family members. 

The dominance of monetary achievement, competitiveness and vibrancy is not observed in the five Blue Zones, except in California. 

Cultural norms practising and prioritising shared values, instead of auto relying on litigation, adversity and obsession with 'me' instead of 

"us", add to better conditions when living longer.  Village and communal practices, handed down through the generations to ensure survival and togetherness, or in the form of positive religious and cultural traditions, can provide better mental and physical environments. 

Most contemporary cities and nations, that fall prey to manipulating politicians and social systems that divide and rule, are bound to be stuck in strife, uncertainty with negative change and never ending geopolitical rivalry. 

Having the optimal size of community and ease of access to life's basic essentials in the rituals of daily life also smoothens out the experience.  It is interesting to note

that most of the Blue Zones do not have the best medical facilities, unlike in Singapore. 

No matter where you are, each person has to make effort and time to have a better quality of time extended to us on Earth. It is our own personal attitude in all aspects of life that determines whether we create our own Blue Zone. 

So what is your Plan De Vida for today? 

#yongkevthoughts