Change people's lives at home and around the world
March 2023
In five cities across the world, the number of residents who live to age 100 is 10 times higher than the US average. Dubbed “Blue Zones” by New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner, the following cities are home to the healthiest people on earth:
Researchers, including students from BYU, are discovering why people living in these communities enjoy such good health. Led by public health professor Randy Page, a group of BYU wellness and exercise students traveled to Ikaria, Greece, to learn about eating, living, and cooking the Mediterranean way.
“One of the secrets of the Blue Zone . . . is to start every day with gratitude,” says student participant Emily Flake. “Be grateful for the people you have around you and the day before you. Make the most of it.”
Flake says seeing people live healthy, fulfilled lives was just what she needed to round out her education. “As an exercise science student, that is what I am interested in for myself and others: to live lives that are going to be long and healthy and full of joy.”
Since returning, the students are eager to share what they learned during their time in Ikaria. Here are their top 10 tips for healthy living:
At an excavation site in northern Mexico, BYU archaeology students and professors recently discovered artifacts that have been buried for 1,000 years, including pottery sherds, hammer stones, maize kernels and — intriguing at a location 250 miles inland — a shell bead from the Pacific Ocean.
Kika graduated in 2023 and began her career in language services, a culmination of her experiences at home, abroad, and—finally—at BYU.
Video: Using drone-captured and ground images and applying GPS systems for accuracy, a civil engineering student assembled a 3D model of the BYU campus.
