Blue Zones
Lifestyle Habits of the World’s Healthiest, Longest-Lived People.
Blue Zones are the top 5 regions in the world where people live the longest, and are healthiest. They are:
Okinawa, Japan
Sardinia, Italy
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Ikaria, Greece
Loma Linda, California
There are 9 evidence-based common denominators among these regions:
Move naturally
The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that encourage movement as part of their everyday life.
Purpose
They all have a strong sense of purpose. Having a compelling reason to get out of bed in the morning is worth up to 7 years of extra life expectancy.
Down Shift
Stress leads to chronic inflammation, which is associated with every major age-related disease. What the world’s longest-lived people have that we don’t are routines that reduce stress. Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap, and Sardinians do happy hour.
80% Rule
People in the blue zones stop eating when they are 80% full. They eat their largest meal in the morning and their smallest meal in the early evening.
Healthy Diet
They eat mostly plant-based. Local produce is the cornerstone of most centenarian diets.
Happy Hour
People in all blue zones (except Adventists) drink alcohol moderately and regularly. Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. The key is to drink 1-2 glasses per day with friends and/or with food. And no, saving up all week and having 14 drinks on Saturday does not have the same effect.
Faith-Based Community
The majority belong to some faith-based community. Denomination does not seem to matter. Research shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add 4-14 years of life expectancy.
Family First
People in the blue zones put their families first. This means keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in their own homes. This lowers disease and mortality rates of children in the home too. They commit to a life partner, which can add up to 3 years of life expectancy, and invest in their children with time and love. They’ll be more likely to care for you when the time comes.
Right Tribe
The world’s longest lived people either chose, or were born into, social circles that support healthy behaviors and lifestyle. Research shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious.
Blue Zone Lifestyle
As you can see, most of the answers lie within their lifestyle and environment. While we may not be able to fully replicate the lifestyles of these cultures given the developments of modern society, there is certainly a lot we can learn from them and incorporate into our lives.
Only about 20% of how long the average person lives is determined by their genes. We have the capacity to optimize our health span well into old age and add years onto our lives with simple lifestyle choices. Getting older doesn’t mean we need to age poorly.
The goal is not to live as long as possible, but to live as healthy and as vibrantly as we can, for as long as possible.
