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https://nordictimes.com/health/the-blue-zones-where-people-live-the-longest-in-the-world/

Health

The blue zones: Where people live the longest in the world

The blue zones refer to five different areas in the world where the population lives and stays healthy longer than anywhere else in the world. For example, there are more 100-year-olds, and fewer middle-aged people are becoming ill. What then, do the people in the blue zones do differently than the rest of us?

Published 1 January 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Sardinia has the most centenarians per capita in the world. The island is one of several counted as "blue zones".
4 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The blue zones as a concept were coined by Dan Buettner, who calls himself a “discoverer”. Buettner made himself known earlier by cycling around the world, setting a number of records in the Guinness Book of Records. He has written several books about the blue zones and in 2004 put together a team along with National Geographic to investigate what the secret is behind the people in the blue zones living and being healthy for so long. Five areas in the world are usually referred to as blue zones:

Seventh-day Adventists

Seventh-day Adventists is a church that has made itself known for emphasizing the importance of a healthy life. In Sweden, the church previously owned the brand Hälsans kök (The Cuisine of Health), under which they marketed various vegetarian products. The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California, are a group that has been studied for a long time, not just by Buettner’s group. A large proportion of them are vegetarians and vegans and physical activity is an important part of their daily lives.

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria is an island in Greece and is characterized by the very low incidence of dementia and the very low mortality rate in middle-aged people. At Ikaria, life flows at a leisurely pace and many make their own wine according to old traditions.

Sardinia

In Sardinia, more specifically in the region known as Barbagia, lives the population group that has the most male centenarians in relation to the population in the world. The people traditionally live as farmers or shepherds. The research suggests that they may be descendants of an earlier Bronze Age civilization that was displaced by an invading population and thus driven up to the highlands of Sardinia.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

Nicoya is a peninsula in Costa Rica that comes in second place when it comes to male centenarians, after Barbagia in Sardinia. They also have the lowest mortality rate in the world among middle-aged people. In Nicoya, not only do people grow old, but just like in the other blue zones, they are active and healthy until they pass away.

Okinawa

Okinawa is an island south of Japan where the population has traditionally lived largely on sweet potatoes and fish. Okinawa has the largest proportion of female centenarians in the world.

Based on Buettner’s research, below are some tips for you who in our society want to follow some of the habits in the blue zones.

Everyday exercise

In the blue zones, moving around is part of everyday life. Most people live traditional lives where they work in the field, in the garden, fish or look after the animals. This means that they never have to think about training or exercise as a separate activity. This can be difficult for you who have a job where you mostly sit at a desk all day. A solution can be a lunch walk, a desk where you stand or maybe even a small exercise bike you put under the desk and pedal a little to and fro during the day.

Purpose of life

In the blue zones, everyone states that they know the purpose of their lives, something that few could probably do in the western world. Feeling that life is meaningful is a prerequisite for mental health and it also is evident in how long people live and how happy they are. This is also related to the next item.

Relaxation and de-stressing

Stress is a part of life, even for the people in the blue zones. The difference is how they handle it. Meditation, prayer and reflection are some examples of what they all do, but which very few of us do. In addition to this, the stress level for us is often significantly higher. People who profess to be genuinely religious, no matter what religion they are, live longer and consider themselves happier than others. Studies have shown that those in the West who participate in a religious gathering four times a month live on average four to fourteen years longer than others.

They do not eat until stuffed

Several of the blue zones have traditions that prevent overeating, such as “hara hachi bu” in Okinawa, which means that you should stop eating when you are 80 percent full. Maybe we can also assume that you are not offered cake every week at work in the blue zones? Not eating too much can be easier said than done, but if you try, it probably has some kind of effect.

Mostly plants in the diet

The diet in the blue zones is largely plant-based, supplemented with cheese, fish or meat. Beans are also something that reappears in all the blue zones in different forms and is usually eaten daily. This means that the energy in the diet comes mostly from carbohydrates, 65 percent approximately. It can be said that the diet in the blue zones is starch-based, mostly from root vegetables, whole grains and beans. This is easy to follow in our society, where food from all corners of the world is available all year round.

Alcohol

Alcohol is consumed in all the blue zones except among the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda. However, people are very rarely drunk and the alcohol is always consumed with food or in social contexts.

Social context

Family, friends and society are factors that play a major role in health. In the blue zones, everyone has somewhere where they belong. They have strong social networks and always put the needs of their families first. This is a very stark contrast to Western society, where the self-realisation of the autonomous individual is often portrayed as central.

The term “blue zone” has gained great popularity and today Buettner works with an entire organisation behind him to try to improve the health of the American population with the blue zones as a model. Perhaps the Swedish population can also be inspired by the lifestyle in the blue zones to live healthier and happier lives in modern society.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/health/doctor-testifies-about-vaccine-injuries-in-us-senate-hearing/

Health

Doctor testifies about vaccine injuries in US Senate hearing

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 31 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The American anesthesiologist Dr. Robert Sullivan testified before the U.S. Senate in a hearing titled "Voices of the Vaccine Injured".
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

An anesthesiologist with 20 years of experience told US senators how he developed a life-threatening lung disease after covid-19 vaccination. Dr. Robert Sullivan was one of the witnesses in a Senate hearing on vaccine injuries held by the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee organized a hearing on July 15 titled “Voices of the Vaccine Injured” where people who claim to have been injured by covid-19 vaccines were able to share their experiences. Dr. Robert Sullivan, a licensed physician and certified anesthesiologist with over 20 years of active practice in Maryland, was one of the key witnesses.

Dr. Sullivan described a dramatic change in his health condition after vaccination. The same month he received his first mRNA dose, he had been featured in the Wall Street Journal’s fitness column for his aerial circus performances.

— I was strong, healthy, and thriving. Just three weeks after my second dose, I couldn’t go up a flight of stairs without gasping for air, Sullivan told the senators.

The doctor developed constant chest pain, heart arrhythmias and overwhelming fatigue. An echocardiogram later confirmed damage to his heart and lungs.

— The diagnosis was pulmonary hypertension. I had damage and narrowing of the blood vessels in my lungs, restricting blood flow and straining the heart. This isn’t like regular high blood pressure.  Pulmonary hypertension is usually progressive and fatal even with treatment. There is no cure, Sullivan explained.

The system didn’t respond

Dr. Sullivan reported his injury to VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), the US system for reporting vaccine adverse events. Despite VAERS collecting his medical records, he never heard from the US health authorities FDA or CDC.

— I believed in the system. I believed I would be heard. When I wasn’t, I channeled that disbelief into collaborating with the British Medical Journal on a report about the system’s failures. What I learned is chilling. If you are harmed, you are on your own., Sullivan said.

He explained that most doctors he knows have never heard of VAERS, and even fewer understand that there are mandatory reporting requirements. Sullivan was never taught about VAERS during his medical education and stated that it still isn’t taught.

Research predicted the problems

During his own research, Dr. Sullivan discovered that a scientist from Georgetown University had predicted exactly his type of injury in the same month the vaccines began rolling out.

— He warned that spike protein, exposure, whether from the virus or from the shot, could harm the blood vessels in the lungs and placenta, Sullivan recounted.

The doctor referenced studies showing that spike protein from the SARS-1 virus also caused vascular damage in animals, and that many hospitalized covid patients develop pulmonary hypertension.

Broad vaccination perspective despite personal injury

When Senator Johnson asked about doctors’ attitudes toward vaccines, Dr. Sullivan surprised by explaining that he is still “enthusiastic about vaccination” and that he sees covid injections as something entirely different.

— I’m not vaccine injured. I’m injured by an mRNA therapeutic. I was very careful in my testimony to use the word shot, Sullivan clarified.

He explained that training for vaccines is now limited to memorizing the schedule, but that the hidden cost of injuries is not studied or taught.

Spike protein toxicity

Senator Johnson raised the question of spike protein toxicity and criticized that many symptoms are now attributed to “long covid” instead of potential vaccine side effects.

— There are many ways to lose with this new MRI technology. There are problems with the nanoparticle. There is a separate set of problems with synthetic mRNA. It persists in some people 700 days and counting now, Dr. Sullivan responded.

He explained that when the body is instructed to manufacture a protein that is presented on the cell surface, it creates a precondition for autoimmune disorders, and that the spike protein itself is biologically active.

—  It was published in December 2020, although not widely known, that that was causing damage to placenta and to lung, Sullivan added.

Dr. Sullivan concluded his testimony with an appeal for recognition and transparent information for patients, emphasizing the importance of truly informed consent in all medical treatment.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/study-pfizers-covid-vaccine-may-cause-eye-damage/

Health

Study: Pfizer’s covid vaccine may cause eye damage

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 22 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to the study, the covid vaccine may cause the cornea to thicken and reduce the number of important cells that keep vision clear.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Turkish researchers have discovered that Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine can cause changes in the eye’s cornea that could potentially lead to vision problems. The study, which followed 64 people over three months, shows that the vaccine can make the cornea thicker and reduce the number of important cells that keep vision clear.

The researchers measured changes in the cornea’s inner layer, the endothelium, before the first vaccine dose and two months after the second dose. The results showed that both doses led to thicker corneas, fewer endothelial cells, and greater variation in cell size.

Specifically, corneal thickness increased from 528 to 542 micrometers – an increase of approximately two percent. At the same time, the number of endothelial cells decreased from 2,597 to 2,378 cells per square millimeter, a loss of about eight percent.

“The endothelium should be closely monitored in those with low endothelial cell counts or who have undergone corneal transplantation,” the researchers warn in the study published in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology.

Short-term impact without symptoms

In the short term, the changes suggest that Pfizer’s vaccine may temporarily weaken the endothelium, even though patients did not experience any clear vision problems during the study period. For people with healthy eyes, these small changes are unlikely to affect vision immediately.

However, if the changes persist for several years, they could lead to corneal swelling or blurred vision, particularly in people with existing eye problems or those who have undergone corneal transplantation. A thicker cornea and reduced cell density can contribute to conditions such as corneal edema or corneal decompensation, which in severe cases can cause permanent vision loss.

Need for long-term studies

The research team emphasizes the importance of long-term studies to see if the changes persist months and years after vaccination. An ophthalmologist can use special microscopy to check if someone has a low endothelial cell count.

The study adds to a growing list of concerns regarding Pfizer’s covid vaccine. In May, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forced Pfizer and Moderna to expand warning labels about risks of heart damage, particularly for men between 16 and 25 years old.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/foods-you-shouldnt-keep-past-their-best-before-dates/

Health

Foods you shouldn’t keep past their “best before” dates

Published 22 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Much of the food we eat is still good after its best before date. However, you should be more careful about keeping certain foods for too long.

In Europe, two durability markings are used for food: “best before” to show when quality may start to deteriorate, and “use by date” for products that quickly become unsafe to eat. The latter marking is uncommon and mainly applies to sensitive foods. Opened packages often have shorter shelf lives, but this can vary.

Frozen and dried foods often last longer than their best before dates. Even fresh products like eggs, milk and butter keep longer than indicated on the packaging.

Consumers are often encouraged not to be too strict about throwing away food that has reached its best before date, in order to reduce food waste. In 2023, each Swede threw away an average of 16 kilos of food as food waste, according to Avfall Sverige (Swedish Waste Management).

Despite these recommendations, there are exceptions where you should be more careful about throwing away food when it reaches its expiration date, writes Land.se.

Herring and cured salmon

Cured and smoked fish can contain listeria bacteria, which can be dangerous for small children, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. Since the bacteria cannot be detected by smell or appearance, it’s important to follow the use by date. Opened packages should be consumed quickly.

Baltic herring, herring, tuna, mackerel and anchovies contain a considerable amount of the amino acid histidine. This amino acid is later converted to histamine when certain bacterial species thrive after the fish has been stored too warm for several hours. This can cause histamine poisoning, which can produce symptoms such as rash, diarrhea, nausea and heart palpitations.

Bread

A sure way to know when bread should be thrown away is when you see a mold spot. Unlike cheese, where it’s okay to cut away the mold and then eat it, this doesn’t apply to bread. The visible mold is probably only part of it – the rest of the mold fungus consists of long invisible threads that can be present throughout the bread slice.

Meat and poultry

Usually meat, poultry and shellfish have a use by date marking, which means it can be dangerous to health to eat after that date. However, you can freeze it before the last day if you don’t have time to eat it all, then it can keep in the freezer for a longer time – depending on the type of meat.

Ground meat, such as minced meat, is particularly sensitive to bacteria. Often it’s decomposition bacteria that make the mince smell and taste bad – there’s rarely a risk of disease transmission but it makes the mince inedible.

Yogurt and fresh cheese

Often yogurt, fresh cheese and crème fraîche keep past their best before date, but if you see the slightest mold formation, you should throw them away. Since the products contain a lot of water, there’s a risk that mold toxins spread throughout the entire food product.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/pharmaceutical-giants-top-researcher-on-covid-vaccine-nothing-was-safe-and-effective/

Health

Pharmaceutical giant’s top researcher on covid vaccine: “Nothing was safe and effective”

The criticized covid vaccinations

  • Joshua Rys, a leading regulatory researcher at pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), now confirms on hidden camera what mainstream media dismissed as "conspiracy theories".
  • "Do you have any idea the lack of research that was done on those products?" Rys asks rhetorically in the clip, among other things.
  • The slogans "safe and effective" that surrounded the mass vaccination campaign were, in his view, a direct lie from the authorities.
  • "This was just, let's test it on some lab route models, analyze and see if it works and stuff like that, and just roll it to the wind and see what happens", he adds.
Published 16 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The hidden recording confirms many concerns that have surrounded the COVID vaccines.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Joshua Rys leads the creation and implementation of regulatory strategies for new and existing products within Johnson & Johnson in his role.

— We run the whole soup to nuts. Not only are we working on the products, but everything that has to do with the drug. We have to make sure that you understand how to use the drug, how to be able to prescribe certain pieces of information, how to communicate that to the patient, he explains his role.

In front of independent journalist James O’Keefe’s OMG hidden cameras, he confirms that Johnson & Johnson was well aware that the preparation was not safe and effective.

— Do you have any idea the lack of research that was done on those products? You shouldn’t be surprised that this happened. It was pretty much the government kind of made a deal with pharmaceutical companies and kind of pressured the pharmaceutical companies, because we’re not going to say no to the government.

— I mean, none of that stuff was safe and effective. We didn’t do the typical test. The typical process, that’s why it takes so long to get a product on market, the typical process is all this clinical trial testing and stuff in a small population, Rys continues.

— This was just, let’s test it on some lab route models, analyze and see if it works and stuff like that, and just roll it to the wind and see what happens, he adds.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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