Longtime Paradise Cove resident aims to create a blue zone in the Cove with a little help from her friends
She’s a descendant of the Visigoths and of El Cid — the 11th-century Castilian knight who served in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers. You remember learning about him, either in elementary school or in that old eponymous movie where he was portrayed by Charlton Heston, starring opposite Sophia Loren.
Her 17th-generation grandfather is King Ferdinand III, who was canonized in 1671 and was known for ensuring a good quality of life in his land by taking care not to overburden his subjects with taxation, fearing, as he said, the curse of one poor woman more than a whole army of Saracens. One wise, perceptive guy!
This generation’s iteration of that wise, determined, and successful clan is manifested in one Flora Sanchez of Paradise Cove.
The proprietor of Flourishing with Flora, she’s a yoga instructor — all are welcome to attend her thrice a week yoga classes. She’s also a certified ayurvedic healer who freely gives to others advice from that system of medicine which is centered on the idea that disease is caused by an imbalance or stress in a person’s consciousness.
She’s a lady with a big dream who needs big support to start developing a blue zone in Paradise Cove.
“I’ve been smiled upon,” the vivaciously optimistic Sanchez declares. “I’m in a position where I can now smile upon others and bless them!”
What’s all this talk about a “blue zone”?
Soooo, what’s a blue zone anyway? It’s a region in the world where people enjoy a high quality of life and have exceptionally long lives, well beyond their 80s. They include the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa Island; Loma Linda, California; and Sardinia, Italy, all areas with the lowest rate of middle-age mortality and dementia.
Developing a blue zone doesn’t take much physical space. Rather, it takes those participating in the effort being in a good, positive, happy headspace.
Sooooo, how are Florez and her team going to form a blue zone in Paradise Cove? She ticks off the elements of her long and ever-evolving to-do list to accomplish the nascent goal. She’s already on her way.
First, Sanchez had to get the blessing of Steve Dahlberg, a member of the Kissel family who manages the Cove through its Paradise Cove Land Company, to install two box gardens in empty spaces.
“Steve gave me his blessing for the garden projects,” Sanchez said. “We will have a residents’ meeting to determine where to place the garden at the top of the park and one will be near the laundry room across from my home.”
Her home, dubbed the Healing Hut, is one of those wonderful, tiny but terrific trailers in Paradise Cove, a space blessed by fresh ocean breezes.
Dahlberg requested renderings of the proposed gardens.
No problem. Enter stage left Britton Glynn of Glynn Design Build who kindly provided the renderings.
“Every single person I talk with has loved the idea for the Cove to have the gardens,” Sanchez said. “We will develop a healthy, supportive community, perhaps in the future having two to three community meals in our clubhouse using ingredients from our biodynamic gardens.”
Sanchez is well-known in Malibu’s wellness community.
“I’ve taught yoga for years, am an ayurvedic healer and help people with massage and bodywork,” she said.
According to Beach Cities Health District in Redondo Beach, a decades-old organization that focuses on preventive health, which serves Hermosa, Manhattan and Redondo beaches, forming a blue zone in one’s community optimizes residents’ health.
“Blue zones” was a phrase first coined by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer, fellow, and journalist during an exploratory project in 2004. The project began in Okinawa and then set out to explore other regions in the world with high longevity. There are several power principles for blue zones derived from habits practiced by those residing and thriving in such regions whose life practices are fulfilled, authentic, and healthy.
One of those principles is to move naturally — walk, don’t drive, walk a dog, take steps instead of elevators, and just keep moving!
“In our blue zone, people will be able to plant and tend to a garden and studies show that when doing so, one raises her dopamine level naturally,” Sanchez said. “We’ll keep doing my yoga classes three times a week and perhaps practice Reiki or tai chi. Those who are interested can join a group that goes down to the beach and puts their feet in the water in harmony and synchronicity with the tides. We’ll also have walking clubs so that participants can encourage one another.”
Knowing your purpose is another principle. For the Okinawans, who are in one of the world’s nine recognized blue zones, “know your purpose” is called, “Ikigai” and the Nicoyans call it “plan de vida.” Simply stated, both of those phrases translate to “why I wake up in the morning.” Whether to help others, be introspective and create your own world of wonder and purpose, or pursue one’s interest, a person gets to know his purpose by taking an inventory of her life and being mindful of her values, passions, gifts, and talent.
Know why you ARE!
“We all need to follow our gifts, and creating the blue zone with a supportive team of people and community donations and possibly a grant is my next level of following my gifts,” Sanchez said.
“Positive pack” is another principle, which notes that the world’s longest-living people are either born into or choose to create social circles that support healthy behaviors. In Malibuese, it distills down to having a tribe you socialize with, a tribe you support, and that supports you. Ikarians enjoy tight-knit communities that social frequently, while Okinawans build “moai” groups of five friends that commit to each other for life.
Antoher principle is “belong” — all but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed in the original blue zones studies belonged to a faith-based or civic community that organically provides opportunities to develop strong social relationships, which those studies found, can add years to one’s life.
“Down shift” is another way to phrase efforts to reduce stress because it causes inflammation, which is associated with every major age-related disease. The world’s longest-living elders have routines to shed stress that they have instilled into their mental memories so they’ve become habits. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors. Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap and Sardians do happy hour. Friends at five gatherings are also useful — and fun!
Less is more
“Hara hachi bu,” the 2,500-year-old Confucian mantra before meals, reminds Okinawants to stop eating when they are only 80 percent full. Some easy tricks to pull that off include using tableware that is only 10 inches in diameter and tall, skinny glasses and eating one’s smallest meal in late afternoon or early evening.
Having what is known in blue zone parlance as a “plant slant,” helps as well, as in eating little meat and only that of the highest grade while partaking of fruits and vegetables galore as they have disease-fighting nutrients. Also, one is nuts if he does not eat a couple of handfuls of nuts a day.