Big Sky Book Club

Community leaders and residents meet to discuss healthy tips for living a long and balanced life

By Leslie Kilgore EBS CONSTRIBUTOR

Longevity. It’s a term that many are discussing, analyzing, critiquing and even attempting to master in our current world. There are podcasts, Netflix documentaries, support groups, supplement companies and plenty of books and websites dedicated to the subject of how to live a quality and healthy life into old age.

One of the current experts on this subject is Dr. Peter Attia, who, alongside Bill Gifford, wrote the New York Times Bestseller, “Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity.” His book and modern philosophies for living a longer and better life are the subject of Big Sky’s first book club.

A partnership between the Big Sky Community Organization and the Big Sky Community Library, the idea for a book club came out of discussions between Eileen Coil, recreation and wellness director for BSCO, and Erica Oglevie, library coordinator at the Big Sky Community Library. The club meets every Monday at BASE from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. to discuss Attia’s book while also partaking in one healthy activity as a group.

“It’s a fun way for Big Sky residents to read, connect and actively practice recommendations from Dr. Attia to live a long and healthy life,” Coil said.

The goal of the first book club is to support community members on a healthy journey into old age through a book which many claim can be life changing when it comes to forming healthy habits and proactive choices at any age.

“It’s been great to see people in their 20s to 80s collectively discussing the book and then participating in tai chi, balance and cardiovascular techniques in hopes of staying healthy and strong,” Coil said.

The group has discussed Attia’s book while also focusing on wellness topics that people of all ages and backgrounds are currently interested in. The first week addressed strategizing an individual plan for being a centenarian in good health and advocating for your own wellbeing with medical professionals. The second week focused on building a body framework and the importance of stability and balance as we get older. The next two weeks will address good nutritional choices and metabolic health, and how to maintain good sleep habits and mental health into old age.

“The staff at the Big Sky Library are excited to experience the opportunity to take the library outside of our four walls and into the community,” Oglevie said. “I’m hoping to expand the wellness collection in collaboration with BASE and use BASE’s convenient and localized community space for other book clubs and more programming events in the future.”

Both Coil and Oglevie mentioned that all Big Sky residents are welcome to attend the last few sessions about the current book. They also hope to feature more books in the future that promote health, community and reading.