by Joseph Casciani
Blue Zones are geographic areas around the world where people have lower rates of chronic disease and are home to some of the world’s oldest people. These five geographic areas stood out on a world map when research scientists were plotting locations where there were extremely high rates of centenarians. The researchers, Dan Buettner and his colleagues, have identified traits and lifestyle factors that are common to the oldest of the old living in these Blue Zones. Although there may be other such areas as yet unidentified, the Blue Zones thus far include the Greek island Ikaria; Okinawa, Japan; the Ogliastra Region of Sardinia; Loma Linda in southern California; and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.
Is your lifestyle consistent with those traits shown to be common to longevity? Surprisingly, research published in 2016 on the topic of longevity is showing that genetics probably accounts for only 25 to 30% of a long life, while a whopping 70 to 75% is decided by lifestyle. This suggests, of course, that we have more control over our life span than previously thought and that modifying our diet and lifestyle will promote successful aging, and needless to say, makes us members of the Living to 100 Club.
Lifestyle Factors Common to the Centenarians Living in the Blue Zones
- Move their bodies a lot – walking, chores, gardening, moving naturally and often
- Alcohol in moderation – drink alcohol moderately (maximum of 1-2 drinks/day)
- Social circles – social engagement, healthy social circle and network; social roles, family and neighbor connections; religious and spiritual or not, belonging to some community
- De-stress – having a lifelong purpose, devoting oneself to passion or a duty; stress reducing activities and lifestyle; positive outlook on their future and connected to their future
- Committed to families and friends – especially those who support healthy lifestyles
- Diet – diets composed of whole-plant foods: vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts; eat meat rarely (3-4 oz, and no more than 5x a month); grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables; no refined sugar; beans, corn, and squash; honey, wild greens; brown rice
- Enough sleep – 7 hours per night and occasional napping during the day
There is a website dedicated to the Blue Zones containing a wealth of information for those interested in this subject, including checklists, a life expectancy calculator, recipes, and articles.
Collection of Books and Resources on Diet and Lifestyle
The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Live the Longest
The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People
The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100
The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons From the World’s Happiest People
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
Ikaria: Lessons on Food, Life, and Longevity from the Greek Island Where People Forget to Die
Okinawa Diet: Eat Like the Longest Living People on Earth
The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy Foods” That Cause Disease and Weight Gain
The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age
There’s a phrase dating back to the 16th century, Forewarned is forearmed and another from the same time period, A word to the wise is enough. These phrases seem to have the same connotation: be alert to the facts staring at us. Let’s learn more from what the experts are telling us about living longer and make a decision to push back against the tide.