At last, I understand how serendipity landed us in our home on Calle de Jordán. The name of our street makes up the first four words of an article in a recent issue of the Economist. The piece, “Why southern Europeans will soon be the longest-lived people in the world,” addresses longevity and highlights our street.
Fabio and I have already nailed some practices for living a long and healthy life. We eat a mostly plant-based diet, though it does contain a large variety of cheese. (We are in Spain after all). We get more than enough daily exercise in the gym and walking 12,000 steps. We don’t smoke. Despite how often I mention albariño, we don’t drink alcohol more than twice a week. (There are exceptions, of course). Fabio, for the past year, has amped up his daily routine to age in good health. He swims three times a week. He sleeps seven to eight hours a night with a set wind down period and bedtime, avoids screens, and nods off at a room temperature less than sixty-five degrees. He measures the quality of slumber with an Oura Ring. The only, and the most important longevity factor we lack, is an active social life. Now that we live on Longevity Street, some may rub off on us.
The author of the article, Lane Greene, the Economist’s Spain correspondent, should know. He and his wife, son, and Golden Retriever used to live in our building. When they resided here, they formed a frequent part of our social life at the Plaza de Olavide, the circular park surrounded by bars and restaurants that lies steps from our door. Lane’s article cites the day care center for pensioners up the block and the number of elderly men and women assisting their even older parents get around.
Spain hasn’t registered on the list of blue zone areas―Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California―a place with a high percentage of people who live in good health after eighty years old due due to physical activity, low stress, a whole foods diet, and a vigorous social life. Maybe Spain will make the cut.
The article says that Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal are catching up to affluent countries such as Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan in terms of life expectancy. Even though the former countries don’t have the highest gross domestic product, which boosts health and long life, they will be among the top fifteen nations achieving a longer life expectancy by 2050.
Diet contributes to longevity, but Spaniards are not known for particularly healthy foodstuffs. Typical tapas include potato chips, fried fish, sardines, jamón ibérico, olives, cheese, and white bread. I gasp for air thinking of the number of Spaniards who smoke. They drink alcohol and inhale nicotine more than other Europeans. At the same time, Spaniards stride ahead of their continental counterparts in the average number of steps walked daily―5,936―according to a 2017 study.
Spaniards live in densely packed cities where it’s easy and more convenient to walk to a market, post office, restaurant, or shoe repair shop. We stroll to a bookstore, art and music schools, print shop, tailor, natural food store, bakery, and podiatrist, among other amenities within a block or two of the Plaza de Olavide. Coffee shops abound. Frequenting these spots means we develop relationships with the employees. How’s your family? How’s business today? It’s going to rain this afternoon. These chats add more emotional and social depth to every day and contribute to a longer life.
The renovation of the plaza has increased social activity in and around it, though some neighbors get grumpy about that because the space beckons residents and visitors alike. The city closed to vehicles the block of each street abutting the plaza and installed benches, gardens, and trees.
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In the plaza, two new ping pong tables attract wannabe and able players. Fabio and I played one morning last week. I won’t report on who won two of the three games. Friends and families sit around tables to eat, talk, and play dominoes. Old and young gather on the benches. Children run around the two play areas. Wooden lounge chairs like you’d find at the beach call to anyone looking to relax.
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The other night after a walk, Fabio scored a bench while I dashed home to get chips and beer. We watched the kids and dogs romping, elderly ladies chatting, parents helping toddlers walk, and boys and girls spraying each other with squirt guns. It wasn’t the beer that made us tipsy. It was the happiness of observing this vibrant community of people of all ages, enjoying the summer evening at the corner of Longevity Street and the blue zone plaza. That’s going to take us a long way into a happy and healthy future.
Nice column, great life! I now have clearer understanding from ship conversations of why you like living in Spain so much. Much evidence in this lovely piece.
To your good health!!