"Preachy. I think it comes off as a bit preachy," said my Main Man in reaction to the first draft of this blog post.
"Really?" I said. "I tried not to make it sound like that. What do you think I should I do?"
"I don't know," he said.
"But I'm just reporting the research," I said.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't say it," he said, "but people don't like to hear that sort of thing, so be prepared."
So there you have it. I've come to the last of the "Power Nine Principles" identified by Dan Buettner in The Blue Zones and Thrive, but this one is tricky because it's most likely to produce some sort of defensive reaction--especially in those who are accustomed to valuing independence over the interdependence stressed in most faith communities.
The last several weeks I've been writing about what it takes to live a long, healthy and productive life based on the work of Dan Buettner, a National Geographic reporter, who reviewed volumes of research on longevity, consulted with experts from around the globe, and traveled the world to interview people living in areas that foster the greatest number of centenarians. These regions feature an unusually high number of persons still actively engaged in life well into their 80s, 90s and even beyond 100. Although these "blue zones," occur in very diverse cultures located in Europe, Asia, North America and Central America, most of the long-lived persons tended to share a number of common factors--something Buettner labels as the "Power Nine Principles."
Not surprisingly, aspects of diet and exercise are included in four of the nine, but five additional factors unrelated to food and physical activity are also critical to one's health and longevity. If you've been following from previous weeks you know they include having a good social support system, good relationships within one's family, practicing ways to reduce stress, and having a purpose for living. There is one more principle I have not yet discussed, namely the importance of participating in a faith community on a regular basis.
According to Buettner, "People who belong to a faith-based community--regardless of the particular faith--and attend at least four times per month may live as much as 14 years longer than people who don't (Thrive, p. 227). Apparently researchers are not sure if "churchgoing makes you happy or if happy people tend to be religious," but they agree that joining a faith-based community "stacks the deck in favor of happiness" (p. 169, Thrive).
I saved this principle until last, in part, because I know a number of people who might object. They've been hurt by a religious community. They no longer find the values and activities of the faith community where they grew up meaningful. They don't know how to go about becoming part of a faith community or know anyone religious with whom they want to associate. There are any number of barriers or challenges to making this part of their lives. For these people, even reading about this principle can create feelings of judgment, guilt or discomfort.
At the same time, I also know people who find great comfort, encouragement and support from the relationships they've made with people in their family of faith. The values of their faith and a relationship with a Being beyond themselves give them meaning and purpose. They are also much more likely to engage in any number of healthy behaviors. According to Dr. Gary Fraser (Blue Zones, p. 288), people active in a faith community are "physically more active, less likely to smoke, do drugs, or drink and drive. People who attend church have a forced schedule of self-reflection, decompression, and stress-relieving meditation, either through regular prayer or from sitting quietly during religious services."
Others have noted that religious communities tend to foster "denser social networks," higher self-esteem and self-worth, and more positive expectations. All of these help to reduce stress, which contributes to greater health.
So what's the take away for those not actively engaged in a religious community?
Buettner suggests giving it a try and not giving up until you've experienced a number of different options. Once you settle on one that appears to be a good fit, he advocates that you join in, i.e., that you participate in one or more activities designed to help you become acquainted with others. It's not just visiting or observing that seems to make a difference. Those who become engaged with their faith seem to experience the greatest benefit.
And what about those who are already active participants with a family of faith? Well, they could share this post with their minister or clergy person. It might make a good sermon illustration.
Dr. Jennifer Baker
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