The “Blue Zones’” Secret: Lifestyle Practices for Longevity

Researchers have found that the world’s longest-living individuals have three things in common: they love deeply, eat a little less, and form close connections. In this blog, we discuss how you might use their findings to enhance your personal well-being.

Today’s Australian babies are expected to live until they are 85.4 years old for females and 81.3 years old for males. Even though that is at least ten years longer than the global average reported by the UN, Australia cannot be deemed a “blue zone” because of this.

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Blue zones represent areas where the average life expectancy is far above average, with residents living to be 100 years of age or older. About 2000, Sardinian physician Giovanni Mario Pes and demography researcher Michel Poulain devised the initial notion. In 2004, they collaborated with Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow, to determine five prominent blue zones worldwide:

• Sardinia, Italy
• Okinawa, Japan
• Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
• Icaria, Greece
• Loma Linda (in San Bernardino County), United States

The percentage of centenarians—those who live to 100—is so high in each of these places that the local population can be considered exceptionally long-lived.

A Look Back at the Blue Zones

This longevity seems to be a result of the way of life in the area; people’s daily routines, diets, and even the people they spend their time with seem to have an impact. Diet, exercise, and quitting smoking are all cited by researchers as critical components, but so are ties to the community and a feeling of purpose.

The good news is that practically anybody can include these activities into their daily routine, offering a realistic route to a longer, healthier life.

Healthy Diets

Our health is greatly influenced by our diet. Sardinians may not cook the same food as their long-living Okinawan counterparts, but they do share certain similar food kinds and eating customs.

There is a tendency for blue zone diets to consist primarily of plant-based foods. The majority of centenarians in these areas limit their consumption of meat to five times a month, and lentils and beans—especially those of the soy, broad, and black bean varieties—play a major role.

These long-lived people also don’t overeat. Eating until you’re only 80% full may hold the key to a long life, even if it may be difficult to resist the urge to take another serving of your favourite dish.

Exercise Naturally

A common complaint of many individuals is that they don’t have enough time in their hectic schedules for exercise. But for some people, they find that going to the gym on a regular basis or training for big events like marathons keeps them motivated and in good physical shape. However, it requires work.

Conversely, people living in the blue zone obtain the majority of their exercise from their regular daily activities rather than adding to them. This unplanned exercise can take many different forms, such as walking around town rather than using a car to conduct errands or taking care of a garden as part of their chores.

Basically, it boils down to moving more and sitting less.

Community Is Essential

Researchers believe that the individuals we surround ourselves with may have an impact on longevity in addition to having a significant emotional impact on us. People who live in the blue zone usually devote a lot of their time and resources to their friends and family.

Families in blue zones frequently reside next to or even with elderly relatives so they may help care for them. Elderly family members create enduring relationships by playing with and caring for younger generations.

Locals in the blue zone also maintain a close-knit circle of devoted friends who will stand with them through good times and bad.

Perspective and Mentality

Another characteristic that the five areas designated as “blue zones” have in common is a cheerful outlook. Blue zone residents typically told researchers they had found a purpose in life that kept them upbeat and driven.

Research indicates that having a purpose in life can extend one’s life by up to seven years, despite the fact that it may appear ethereal.

Additionally, blue zone natives manage stress in different ways. Although stress is a normal and occasionally beneficial biological reaction to difficulties, excessive or unproductive stress can negatively impact your health and wellness. Every major age-related disease has been linked to chronic inflammation in the body, which is a result of stress.

Locals in blue zones have adapted appropriate stress management techniques. These differ depending on the location; for example, Okinawans spend time honouring their ancestors, whereas Costa Ricans take naps to relieve stress.

Live Up to this Ideal

So, if we want to live longer, should we all relocate to Okinawa or Sardinia? Obviously not. However, the lives that the longest-living people in the world share demonstrate the impact that healthy habits have on life expectancy.

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You might be able to extend your life by a few years by implementing them into your way of living.

We can benefit from the same health advantages that people in the blue zones enjoy if we adopt even a few of these practices into our daily lives.

This might be as easy as cutting back on meat dishes once a month, walking home one day a week, or signing up for a neighbourhood organisation to meet new people.

Visit Blue Zones at bluezones.com to learn more about the lifespan of the region.

For more tips and financial advice, contact our Success team today!

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