長壽不是偶然，而是被培養出來的...
- josephyu4
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
當 Marge Jetton 滿一百歲時，她沒有停下腳步，反而為自己更新了五年的駕駛執照。
她說，真正支撐她走到今天的，不只是好習慣，而是她的基督信仰。
Marge 住在美國加州洛馬林達（Loma Linda），這個地方因 Dan Buettner 在 國家地理 報導的「藍區（Blue Zones）」研究而聞名。
當地許多居民（其中不少來自 基督復臨安息日會），平均壽命比一般人長四至十年。
他們的關鍵，不是秘方，而是一種可持續的生活方式：
• 簡單、以植物為主的飲食（穀類、水果、堅果、蔬菜）
• 避免吸煙、酒精與垃圾食物
• 規律的休息與生活節奏
• 穩固的群體與家庭關係
• 由信仰帶來的人生方向與盼望
Marge 說得很樸實：
「人生需要有人引導，也需要一個偉大的盼望。
上帝是一位值得同行的好朋友。」
這句話讓人想起那首熟悉的詩歌——以及 Alan Jackson 所唱的
What a Friend We Have in Jesus (耶穌恩友，看圖)：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWu2HCJ92c
信仰不只是神學，而是一種朋友般的同行。
當然，安息日會只是眾多例子之一。
藍區研究也指出：
• 日本沖繩：重視社群與共同用餐
• 地中海地區：簡單飲食、日常活動、社交連結
• 義大利薩丁尼亞：家庭、使命感與生活節奏
對信仰人士而言，重點其實很清楚：
我們不需要轉換宗派，
卻可以學習健康的飲食文化與自律的生活方式。
讓自己的信仰成為「紀律的監督者」，引導我們如何善待這個
屬於基督的身體——聖靈的殿。
原來，長壽不只是活得更久，
而是讓信仰、節制、群體與日常選擇彼此對齊，使生命得以興盛。
（資料來源：Dan Buettner《藍區》研究，國家地理 National Geographic） https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/longevity-blue-zones-dan-buettner-archival
Longevity is cultivated—not accidental ...
When Marge Jetton turned 100, she didn’t slow down—she renewed her driver’s license for another five years.
What keeps her going, she says, is not just good habits, but her Christian faith.
Marge lives in Loma Linda, California, a community long studied by scientists and first brought to global attention by Dan Buettner in National Geographic as part of the Blue Zones research. People there—many of them from the Seventh-day Adventist Church—tend to live 4–10 years longer than average.
Their secret is not a miracle cure, but a way of life:
• simple, mostly plant-based foods (grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables)
• avoiding smoking, alcohol, and junk food
• regular rest and rhythm
• strong community life
• and a clear sense of purpose shaped by faith
Marge puts it simply:
“We need someone to guide us in this life, and we need great hope.
God is a good friend to have.”
That line reminds me of the old hymn—and the song recorded by Alan Jackson, What a Friend We Have in Jesus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWu2HCJ92c) —faith expressed not in lofty terms, but in "friendship" and "trust."
Of course, Adventists are only one example among many.
The Blue Zones research also highlights:
• Japan (Okinawa): strong community bonds and shared meals
• Mediterranean regions: simple foods, daily movement, social connection
• Sardinia: purpose, family, and rhythm of life
For people of faith, the takeaway is clear:
we don’t need to change our denomination to learn from healthy food cultures or disciplined living.
We can adopt wise practices—while letting our own faith be the “hall monitor”, guiding how we care for the body, which Scripture calls the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Longevity, it turns out, is not just about adding years to life, but about aligning faith, discipline, community, and daily habits so that life can truly flourish.
(Source: Dan Buettner, Blue Zones research, National Geographic) - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/longevity-blue-zones-dan-buettner-archival
________________________________________
Comments