Blue Zones
I’d like to introduce you to the work of Dan Buettner. Along with National Geographic, Buettner set out to discover the world’s longest-lived cultures. He has identified five geographic regions with the greatest number of healthy octogenarians – the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Ikaria in Greece, Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Okinawa in Japan, and the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, CA. He named these regions the BLUE ZONES.
Having successfully learned where people live the longest, he then sought to discover evidence-based common characteristics between these cultures. In addition to eating primarily plant-based, these regions have the following nine characteristics in common:
1. Move Naturally – People live in environments where movement is built into the fabric of their culture. They walk in their villages, garden, and live largely outdoors.
2. Purpose – Waking up and knowing why you are here is key to living a long healthy life. Having a sense of purpose adds up to seven extra years of life expectancy.
3. Down Shift – People in these regions don’t have less stress, they just have excellent daily habits to cope with their stressors – meditation, prayer, napping, or regular social hour with friends.
4. 80% Rule – People in the Blue Zones stop eating before they are stuffed. They eat only until they are 80% full, and they eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening.
5. Plant Slant – The longest-lived people eat plant-centered diets, with a heavy emphasis on legumes and nuts, and with meat eaten an average of only five times a month.
6. Wine @ 5 – People in all Blue Zones (except the Adventists) drink alcohol moderately and regularly with friends and usually over food. Heavy alcohol use is not seen. Buettner advises that if you don’t drink, you shouldn’t start.
7. Right Tribe – Having a tribe to call your own will add years to your life. It is important to have strong social connections and a community to rely on and celebrate with.
8. Loved Ones First – Families are central, and there is a strong commitment to the care of children and elders.
9. Belong – The longest-lived individuals belong to some type of faith-based community, denomination does not matter. Having a faith that you share with others is the key.
If you are interested in how to live in excellent health into your 80s and 90s, you might enjoy Buettner's numerous books, podcasts, or Ted talks. For me, his work made clear which life elements I have down (plant-based eating, loved ones first, and right tribe) and which I need to actively bolster (downshifting, moving naturally, and 80% rule). His work provides a bevy of evidence as to why plant-forward eating is key to a long life, while encouraging you to also think about the non-food ways you might increase your happiness and longevity.
I encourage you to check him out.
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