BLUE ZONES

Lessons from the Blue Zones!

Lifestyle Habits of the World’s Healthiest, Longest-Lived People

Blue Zones are specific geographic regions across the globe where people live significantly longer lives than the global average. Many live past the age of 100.

1. Move Naturally

The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. They grow gardens and don’t have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work. They spend time outdoors soaking up daily sunshine. 10 minutes before 10am of Vitamin D leads to healthier and stronger bones.

2. Purpose

The Okinawans call it “Ikigai” and the Nicoyans call it “plan de vida;” for both itranslates to “why I wake up in the morning.” Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.

3. Downshift

Even people in the Blue Zones experience stress. Stress leads to chronic

inflammation, associated with every major age-related disease. What the world’s longest-lived people have that we don’t are routines to shed that stress. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Ikarians take a nap and Sardinians do happy hour. In times of stress, Adventists turn to God. Prayer is their biggest stress-reliever. They also spend optimal amounts of time giving back to their communities. They take every opportunity to pay it forward with acts of service.

4. 80% Rule

“Hara hachi bu” – the Okinawan, 2500-year old Confucian mantra said before meals reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full. The 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it. People in the blue zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then they don’t eat any more the rest of the day.

5. Plant Slant

Consuming a predominantly plant-based diet, especially beans and legumes with meat eaten only rarely. Beans, including fava, black, soy and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets. Meat—mostly pork—is eaten on average only five times per month. Serving sizes are 3-4 oz., about the size of a deck of cards.

6. Belong

All but five of the 263 centenarians we interviewed belonged to some faith-based community. Denomination doesn’t seem to matter. Research shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add 4-14 years of life expectancy. Blue Zone communites value social connections. They spend a lot of quality time with friends and family, experiencing greater long-term health as a result.

7. Loved Ones First

Successful centenarians in the blue zones put their families first. This means keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home (It 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 morelikely to care for you when the time comes).

8. Right Tribe

The world’s longest lived people chose–or were born into–social circles that supported healthy behaviors, Okinawans created ”moais”–groups of five friends that committed to each other for life. It’s their “village” that they see as a safe space to help them through stressful times. When members of a moai need financial or emotional assistance, the others are readily available to support them.

The average person’s life expectancy could increase by 10-12 years by adopting a Blue Zones lifestyle!