Loma Linda Blue Zone: Why Do Its People Live Longer Than the Rest of the World?

In California, there is a community where people are living longer, healthier lives than the US average. Also known as Loma Linda, this city was recognized as one of the remarkable models of longevity worldwide.

The Secret to Long Life

The regions in the world with high longevity are known as Blue Zones. These areas have residents who live longer and stay healthier into old age compared to average people. Dan Buettner, a New York Times-bestselling author and an American National Geographic Fellow, founded the concept.

People living in a Blue Zone share common practices that lead to longer, healthier lives. They experience only a fraction of the diseases that burden people in other parts of the developed world.

America's Only Blue Zone

Loma Linda in California is one of the world's five original demographic blue zones, joining Ikaria in Greece, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Sardinia in Italy, and Okinawa in Japan. In this city, men can live up to 89 years, while women can reach 91.

What makes Loma Linda especially interesting is the fact that it is a city within San Bernardino County. Yet, its community of 9,000 residents lives around ten years longer than those outside the city.

Loma Linda earned the designation as a Blue Zone in large part due to its significant population of Seventh-day Adventists, an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination. Members of this religious group are known for their lifestyle, which centers on exercise, community involvement, and reduced stress. Buettner says Adventists are 20% or 30% healthier than the average American.

Residents of Loma Linda also eat differently from their neighboring communities, with plenty of access to plant-based and whole foods. Nuts, black beans, and avocados are the major components of their diet. These superfoods are also a staple of other Blue Zone cuisines.

Some Seventh-day Adventists also refrain from eating shellfish, refined foods, and red meat, especially pork. A study of 81,000 Seventh-day Adventists from the US and Canada revealed that even consuming a small portion of red meat was associated with a two-fold increase in heart problems.

Seventh-day Adventists do not consume alcohol, and caffeine and nicotine are also forbidden for their religious followers. This makes them different from residents of other Blue Zones, like those in Ikaria, Greece, and Sardinia, Italy, who enjoy indulging in wine.

Like other people from the Blue Zone region, Loma Linda residents give priority to the community. They share potluck dinners at church, where they share hearty meals and socialize.

Fitness is another factor contributing to high longevity in Loma Linda. The fitness center at Loma Linda University is open to all residents, including its diet and exercise programs. People are also encouraged to spend time outside to get fresh air. After sharing potluck dinners, it is common for families to go on nature hikes.

Lastly, residents of Loma Linda make sure to de-stress and enjoy life. For members of Seventh-day Adventists, Saturday is Sabbath, which means that it is a day off from work and school. During this day, the people do not work or engage in secular activities and instead look for ways to be rejuvenated.