May 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 47

contributing to long life).
* Wine @ 5: People in Blue Zones
drink alcohol regularly but in moderation (shout out to my fellow
wine lovers). The key word here is
" moderation " - the Blue Zones
philosophy is one to two glasses
per day with friends and food.
* Right Tribe: The world's longest-living people choose social
circles that support healthy behaviors. Studies show that smoking, obesity, happiness and even
loneliness are contagious, so social networks are key to living a
healthy lifestyle.
* Loved Ones First: Families come
first for those making it to 100+.
These communities keep family members close by, especially
aging parents and grandparents,
and they spend time with their
children as a family unit.
* Belong: Faith is an important
part of the Blue Zones culture,
with most people belonging to
some sort of faith-based or spiritual group.
What Buettner shared that day
about his discovery of the Blue
Zones and the Power 9 stuck with
me on a personal and professional
level. On a personal level, I was eager to examine how my own lifestyle lives up to the Power 9 (I'm
pretty solid on the social circles,
sense of belonging, purpose, movement and wine @ 5!) and where it
falls short (managing stress, re-evaluating my diet, spending more time
with family). On a professional level, I couldn't help but think about
the role of parks and recreation
within this philosophy, and how
the benefits that parks and recreation provides are connected to
so many of these positive lifestyle
characteristics.

Where Parks Fit into the
Power 9
Move Naturally: Park and recreation facilities, amenities and programs support most communities
in their efforts to move more. While
that may take place in a more structured setting (e.g., group exercise
classes, sports programming and
chronic disease prevention programs), parks and recreation is
often responsible for creating and
maintaining environments that foster natural movement, including
establishing and expanding trail
networks that connect neighborhoods and support active transportation or developing community
gardens that require physical labor
to maintain plots.
Down Shift: In most communities, parks and recreation is the provider and protector of green space
and of natural ecosystems and habitats. Several studies support the
idea that more green space results
in greater mental health for com-

munities, including improvements
in the ability to manage stress. In
addition to connecting people to
green space, parks and recreation
provides ample activities that focus
on managing stress and anxiety,
such as arts and cultural enrichment activities, yoga, tai chi and
meditation opportunities.
80% Rule and Plant Slant: Parks
and recreation also has a significant
role in promoting healthy dietary
habits, including providing meals
to youth and older adults attending
programs, promoting community
gardens and farmers markets, and
working with youth, older
adults and families to improve
nutrition knowledge and change
behaviors. In 2018, NRPA even
released a set of plant-based
diet resources (www.nrpa.org/
committohealth) for
agencies
providing nutrition education
to youth, families and older
adults in their communities.
These plant-based resources offer
alternatives to animal proteins and

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Parks & Recreation

May 2019 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2019 - Parks & Recreation