9 Lifestyle Habits of the World’s Healthiest, Longest-Lived People
Aging is inevitable, but the way we age can be influenced by our choices. If you're on this website, you likely want to age healthily. The Blue Zones—regions where people live significantly longer and healthier lives—offer insights into how we can slow down the aging process. In this article, you'll learn about nine proven principles that can help delay aging.
Blue Zones
Dan Buettner, an award-winning journalist, author, and researcher in longevity, studied regions around the world where people live considerably longer and healthier than the global average. His research led him to five regions: Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Nicoya (Costa Rica), and Loma Linda (USA), known as the Blue Zones. Inhabitants of these zones have the highest life expectancy (often over 90 years, with many centenarians) and the lowest rates of chronic diseases and middle-age mortality. What can we learn from them? The Blue Zones share several common factors contributing to longevity, which Buettner has dubbed the ‘Power 9.’
Fun fact: The name "Blue Zones" comes from how these areas were marked on a map during the research, using the color blue.
Lifestyle Choices
Only 20-30% of our lifespan is determined by genetics, while about 80% is influenced by our lifestyle choices. This means that we don't necessarily need to move to a Blue Zone to benefit from their healthy lifestyle; we can apply these principles anywhere to extend and improve our own lives.
Power 9
These are the Power 9 of the Blue Zones:
1. Natural Movement: Incorporate movement into your daily life, like gardening or household chores. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk instead of driving.
2. Purpose: Define your personal reasons for getting up every morning. In Japan, this is called ‘ikigai,’ and in Costa Rica, ‘plan de vida’—something worth living for.
3. Downshift: Reduce stress through yoga, meditation, prayer, or a nap.
4. 80% Rule: Eat mindfully and stop when you're 80% full. Hara hachi bu is a Confucian concept that teaches you to eat until your stomach is 80% full. In Okinawa, it's recited as a mantra before meals.
5. Plant-Based Diet: Focus on plant-based foods with beans, lentils, and other legumes at the center. Centenarians in the Blue Zones eat meat up to five times a month.
6. Wine at 5: Enjoy a glass of quality wine occasionally, preferably with food and in the company of friends.
7. Belong: Be part of a faith-based community and attend a service weekly, as this could add up to 14 years to your life.
8. Loved Ones First: Prioritize your loved ones. Invest time and energy in strengthening family bonds. We live longer thanks to the emotional and physical support of family.
9. Right Tribe: If you lack family ties, surround yourself with a social network that encourages positive and healthy behaviors.
These simple but effective habits can help us live long and healthy lives, no matter where we live. Which principles will you integrate into your daily life?
Source: Bluezones.com