Adapted from the Marin Magazine July 2022 article by Maria De La O
Marin County, CA has always been a mecca for health and wellness. In fact, a 2022 report from the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation lists Marin as no.1 in the country in the US for community health and well-being over time, a designation that’s held for 12 of the 13 years that the rankings have been compiled. While wealth is a big factor in keeping healthy and boosting longevity, here are six reasons why Marin County is an ideal place to age well.
1-Exercise
In Marin, we can exercise both indoors and outdoors year-round. With a variety of options, such as yoga, Soul Cycle and barre workouts, there are plenty of gyms and classes to keep you moving. If you enjoy nature, then you can explore the rolling hills with innumerable hiking options. Plus, there’s swimming, running, surfing, kayaking and mountain biking (which was invented here!)
2- Food
Marin is a leader in fresh, local and organic ingredients. Between the plentiful farmers markets and local and organic dairies and small farms that make their homes live county, you can always find healthy food here. The Agricultural Institute of Marin operates nine farmers markets in Marin, San Francisco and Alameda County so there are plenty of farm-fresh options.
From a quick stop for fast food in the form of vegetable burgers at Amy’s Drive Thru in Corte Madera to plant-based meals at Active Culture in Novato, Marin is a leader in the healthy food movement.
3-Community
In January 2020, the county board of supervisors approved the Age Forward plan that puts for a framework to make Marin more age-friendly. The Age Forward initiative involves collaboration with all the county departments, specifically housing mobility options, community services, disaster preparedness, social connection and services in unincorporated areas.
Lee Pullen, director of Aging and Adult Services states that “40% of Marin residents over the age of 60 are living alone.” What this means is that the community and the services that it has to offer will be able to help more people, especially those who are older and potentially isolated, thrive in Marin.
If you’re searching for a faith community, there are over 150 churches and synogogues which provide activities and programs to explore your spiritual development.
4-Healthcare
Marin has access to top alternative and western clinicians to slow aging. Alternative therapies include acupuncture, massage, homeopathic medicine, naturopathic doctors, high-dose IV vitamin treatments, cryotherapy and many more.
Marin also offers healthcare for those seeking help with Western medicine, such as MarinHealth, which is affiliated with UCSF and has won awards, especially in the areas of age-related issues, such as heart failure, strokes and diabetes. There are also five locations for the Marin Community Clinic where patients with no insurance or who are underinsured can see a doctor.
5-Stress Management
Marin offers innumerable ways to combat the stress of daily living. A big one is access to nature. From state parks to open reserves, nature is all around us to hike, bike, stroll or even view from a car. You can experience seaside views from Highway 1 or forest landscapes near Mt. Tam as an easy remedy to let go stress and anxiety.
With spiritual programs offered at Green Gulch, Spirit Rock and Anubhuit, Marin is a long-time hub for meditation. One can find many yoga centers here to ease and maintain stress-free lifestyles with a variety of types including Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Bikram and many more.
6-Education, Arts and Culture
Education has long been known to keep us—and our brains young and healthy. Marin is filled with famous writers, actors, musicians and business leaders to populate the county with forward-thinking ideas and creativity.
If you want to focus on wellness, health education programs include those from Huckleberry Youth Programs, Kaiser-Permanente, Marin Health, Marin City Health and Wellness Center and others. The Osher Marin Jewish Community Center offers a large number of in-person/Zoom classes and lectures for any age on topics of art, travel, history, music and dance to keep hungry learners stimulated.
The Buck Institute on Aging, which opened in 1999 offers community education programs in its 1,400-square-foot education center focusing on subjects including the future of aging, regenerative medicine, specific age-related diseases and the role of exercise and health.