More than 100 companies support the Blue Zones Project
The
Three other organizations have joined the
More than 100 businesses, organizations, residential communities or government agencies have embraced the initiative by adopting a series of actions or policy changes for employees to have at their exposure to make healthier choices in daily practices. The idea is that opting for a healthy snack or taking a walk during a break will become habit and replace less-healthy behaviors.
The Florida Blue branch office at
"Our mission at Florida Blue is to help people and communities achieve better health, which perfectly aligns with the goals of the
Hatfield has 21 employees at the Coconut office, ranging from sales people to customer service representatives and a handful in small clinic for basic screenings. To gain Blue Zones status, they developed walking maps around the area, bring in fruit on Mondays for healthier snacks and order healthier food for meals, he said.
"We started about a year ago, making these changes," he said. "It's just little tweaks that have gone a long way."
Employees are losing weight, are feeling more mindful and healthy, he said.
It Starts With Your Wellness helps people relieve anxiety and stress for clients, has been recognized as a Blue Zones project company for offering guest speakers on various health-related topics and helping to convince people to be use non-sugary beverages in office settings.
Plan B Connections helps members connect to organizations and causes for volunteering, according to
"I connect people to opportunities, to other people," Cook said, whose career was in career counseling before moving to
With Plan B, she helps people get connected to others with like-minded activities, which can be helpful when people are actively looking for a new job or want to help others get linked to charitable organizations. She organizes small get togethers for breakfast meetings and painting groups for the Empty Bowls fundraiser to help feed the needy that's held in
Getting involved in volunteer-based programs, or staying connected with others, is one of nine principals of the Blue Zones project for better health and greater longevity. Social isolation and loneliness can contribute to declining health and that's backed up by research, Cook said.
"It is about life purpose," she said.
The "Power Nine" include moving naturally by being physically active, knowing your purpose in life, taking time to relax, having a healthy social network and putting loved ones first. A popular activity is to form walking groups, or walking moais, to use Blue Zones terminology.
Other Blue Zones principles include participating in a religious community, limiting alcohol consumption, eating a plant-slant diet and stopping to eat when you are 80 percent full.
Project consultants work with communities to identify strengths and gaps, and offers tools and resources so employers, schools, restaurants, grocery stores and other entities can take various steps to make healthier choices easier.
The
Celebration Beach church gained Blue Zones recognition by becoming a tobacco-free campus, incorporating stretching and moving, developing a well-being series and promoting volunteerism.
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