All the Best

Our Secret to Finding Health & Happiness

Bit by bit, the world is being let in on our secret.  As writers and artists and chefs and surfers and vacationers come through Santa Teresa, they’re discovering the magic that makes us one of only five Blue Zones in the world.

A Blue Zone is a place where residents live measurably longer lives. Researchers identified five regions where people have the highest life expectancy or the greatest proportions of people who reach the age of 100.  The Nicoya Peninsula, home to Santa Teresa and Florblanca, is one of these.  The others are the Barbagia region of Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; and Okinawa, Japan.

These researchers studied the people and cultures of these areas to uncover the secrets to living a longer, healthier life.  Now, as more people visit these areas, the secret is getting out.

Vogue revealed our town of Santa Teresa as an “idyllic, healthy oasis.”  Well + Good reports that “the energy here is like an amplifier and allows a healthy spirit to thrive.”  The Happy Planet Index has ranked Costa Rica as the number one happiest country overall, with high rankings in life expectancy and wellbeing.

We’re thrilled to share the secrets to our health and happiness, the very same ones that a team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists discovered for their Blue Zone report.

You can apply these to your life wherever you are in the world.  And you can always come visit Florblanca whenever you need a special dose of light and energy.

Our Secrets to Health and Happiness

1. Move Naturally

In Santa Teresa, we live simply and locally.  We walk, we garden, we cook and maintain our land and homes.  We move naturally all the time, and don’t save all our movement for 30 minute workouts 3 times a week.  Our physical chores provide routine, physical fitness, and a sense of purpose.

1. Plan de Vida

What gets you out of bed every morning?  What drives you and motivates you?  Your sense of purpose, feeling needed, and having a desire to contribute is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.

1. Less Stress

While we all experience stress at different times, we also have routines that reduce stress. We surf, practice yoga, meditate, we enjoy the rains of the Green Season.  We slow down and take it all in.

1. Mindful Eating

We eat slowly and mindfully, not indulging until we’re full. We savor the flavors of our local dishes, eat light dinners, and avoid snacking.

1. Plant-Heavy Diets

We eat very little meat and rely on healthy beans, fruits, vegetables and local, fresh-caught seafood for our meals.

1. Family First

We put family first, taking care of older generations nearby or in our homes. We commit to our loved ones and our children for life.

1. Community

We listen, laugh, and dine with our family, friends, and neighbors. We contribute, offer and receive help as we need it, and embrace the traditions of our culture and community.

As you can see, there are really no secrets here.  At Florblanca, we live an unplugged, unhurried life where a great deal of our time is spent outdoors. We eat fresh, local food and we dine with our family and neighbors. We soak up the sun and we welcome the green season.  People visit us from all over the world to reconnect with these values.

We invite you to incorporate these secrets into your everyday life. Find your purpose and try to articulate it. Connect with your community. Call your mom. Simplify your diet. And start a routine that lets you slow down and live in the moment.