“We all make time for the things we believe in,” Missouri Highlands Health Care CEO Karen White said. “Time and money is what it all comes down to. I believe that the right time is now.”
White was speaking about the Blue Zones program she would like to incorporate into the Poplar Bluff community. Last month, White and representatives from the Blue Zones organization held a public meeting on the Three Rivers College campus as a way of introducing the Poplar Bluff community to the Blue Zones community.
A decision is expected in March from the Blue Zones organization about whether or not Poplar Bluff may fit into its program.
“Why Blue Zones? Why here?” White asked the crowd. “Why, here, do we lose friends, family and neighbors 15% earlier than other places in the nation?”
That question is initially what motivated White to seek out information about Blue Zones, but it continues to drive her to make positive change within this and neighboring communities.
Blue Zones is a program that focuses on areas with a higher longevity rate as well as a better overall quality of life than what is considered normal for people beyond the age of 80. During the presentation in January, the Blue Zones focused on were Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; and Ikaria, Greece. In those particular areas, the average life span is considerably longer, and the people of those areas maintain certain nutritional guidelines and higher levels of activity.
“I’ve had some people tell me, ‘You’re just trying to turn everyone into vegans with this,’” White laughed. “But that’s not even close to the truth. Programs like Blue Zones help people maintain awareness of their nutritional needs and emphasizes the importance of eating more vegetables and considering the quality of the animal protein a person is ingesting.”
Blue Zones organizers have since held multiple small meetings with different people from the Poplar Bluff community in a focus-group setting to address any questions or concerns they may have had. They have been gathering data about the region and have also met with regional officials, as well as locations like the Butler County Health Department.
“The people from Blue Zones will be back here for another meeting on March 21 to present their conclusions,” White explained. “When we’re talking about a community-level program, we have to consider certain things like cost, infrastructure and things of that nature. Salaries and building expenses can add up quickly.”
White went on to explain she believes now is the perfect time for this program to start.
“When you look at all that is happening with Poplar Bluff, and the growth and expansion, I think that now is the perfect time to start focusing on something like Blue Zones for the good of the growing community,” she said.
White said partners are currently seeking grant money and all avenues are being explored to help establish Poplar Bluff as a Blue Zone.
“I’m hoping that some insurance companies might want to get involved and sponsor this, because it benefits them,” White stated. “When you consider that this program focuses precisely on making changes that can positively affect chronic health conditions... that means fewer doctor visits, fewer hospitalizations, less medication. It’s something that I would think insurance companies would want to be a part of.”
White said she is hopeful for the future of Poplar Bluff as a Blue Zone.
“I’m looking forward to the meeting we’ll have in March,” White remarked. “They will offer their conclusions, and hopefully we will have a plan to move forward with implementing everything.”