How the Blue Zones project reshaped a healthy life in Petaluma

Blue zones also organized a series of workshops for use for local high school students, which helped them to better imagine where and how they could volunteer in the community.

Then, to help establish links with students who wish more volunteer opportunities, the leaders of Blue Zones organized a community volunteer summit in partnership with Casa Grande High School and 20 local non -profit organizations. Nearly 800 students participated.

“After the students met with non -profit organizations, they returned to the excited and activated class,” said Professor David Signat. “Their writing on what they saw and found reflected this excitement – an authentic learning experience and a bridge in action in their community.”

Trip to well-being

After community survey data showed that clinical depression was raised in Pétaluma women and that in men have shown a higher weight and high blood pressure, the leaders of the blue zones began to organize physical and mental well-being events for free residents.

This includes her free weekly yoga sessions on Monday evening, led by Dana Christian Lee of Incary Yoga, with courses at the Blue Zones Project Office at 8 Fourth St.

Eastwood said that his own journey to well -being included these yoga courses, as well as the Blue Zones Challenge application – which follows food and daily activity while providing advice on nutrition and energy while reducing stress – helping him achieve his health goals in the middle of a greater sense of the community.

“All these tools came with the remarkable price of zero dollar and my personal commitment to take the time to prioritize my own well-being,” said Eastwood.

The leaders also launched a series of 10 -week walking groups, one on the east side of the city and another on the west side. The West Side Walking Group meets on Wednesday at 7 a.m. at McNear Park and the East Side Walking series takes place on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Leghorns Park.

Meanwhile, Blue Zones organized a number of demonstrations of cooking and nutrition discussions. It is said that participation in these events is considered by hundreds.

The application is free for residents with a Petaluma postal code in Bluezones.com/chalengeapp. Information and registration for community yoga and other events are on BluezonesprojectPetaluma.com/events.

Among the many initiative partnerships – which include cool Petaluma, Aqus Foundation, Cafe Puente, Santa Rosa Junior College and Healthy Petaluma – Warwick underlined the 10 -week 10 -week series of the Petaluma Health Center for members of the Spanish -speaking community.

“We plan to manage this quarterly because it was a really successful partnership,” said Warwick.

There are also a series of art studios for teenagers for students from 9th to 12th year who bring together young artists twice a week for five weeks in partnership with Artaluma. The program is from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays at the Downtown Studio at 145 Keller St.

Warwick stressed: “We don’t come to tell people how they are supposed to be healthy. We arrive and learn what Petaluma wants to achieve this goal, and how can we get there in partnership with them. ”

Evolution of politics

One of the main objectives of the Blue Zones project is to change and improve policies and infrastructure in Petaluma and guarantee that these policies increase equity and sustainability.

This effort, led by De León, focused on three political areas: the built environment, food systems and alcohol.

More specifically, the Blue Zones project managers were involved in active transport plans and active streets of the city of Petaluma, as part of its objective of improving streets, intersections, buildings, houses and sidewalks to promote more “natural movement”, socialization and a variety of options for residents in the way they live, work and play.

For example, in the category of blue areas of “the built environment”, managers called for improved lighting along the leisure trails and in parks to “improve the night user experience and encourage more people to use these areas at night,” said León.

On the food policy side, the group wants to ensure that residents have access to affordable healthy foods in places where they spend their time. Like a way of doing so, Blue Zones works with the city to revitalize the Petaluma exhibition park and use it as the third location for a regular producer market, completing the current on Walnut Park and the Lucchesi Community Center.

Blue zones also works with organizations like Redwood Empire Food Bank and Petaluma People Services Center’s Meals on Wheels Program to connect people who need support with access to essential foods.

The blue areas have also helped the local non -profit organization Una vida to guarantee a subsidy of $ 15,000 to extend its resources, said Warwick, who “helped them to be able to provide more food support to the community that needs it”.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Blue Zones work with grocery stores and markets to implement changes that attract more people to healthier options, such as having a heavier presence near the store’s front entrance. Many stores are already participating in this, Warwick said.

Although blue areas do not have direct control over the cost of food, the organization promotes opportunities where people can access free quality or low cost foods.

According to Warwick, the objective is to have at least 50% of local schools, 10% of restaurants, 25% of grocery stores and at least 10 of the 20 best employers working to become an organization “approved by the Blue Zones project”.

Overall, 5,745 people have now engaged with the Petaluma blue zones project,, The leaders said, and he attracted around 32 community partners.

“I think the greatest strength we have is our ability to establish relationships within the community,” said Warwick. “There is no shortage of good people who do an excellent job here in Petaluma.”

Publisher’s note: The paragraph of the third for the attention of this story has been updated to reflect the correct percentage of local schools – 50% – that the leaders of the blue areas hope to designate “the blue areas approved by the project”.

Amelia Richardson is an editor for the Argus-Courier. It can be contacted at Amelia.richardson@arguscoure.com or 707-521-5208.