Explorer Dan Buettner and his team of scientists travelled the world to identify the characteristics of communities where people lived longer and enjoyed a high quality of life in their old age
There exist five regions globally where inhabitants outlive almost everyone else on the planet. These areas, dubbed ‘blue zones’, were discovered by explorer Dan Buettner and his team of scientists due to their remarkable longevity.
The team embarked on a global expedition to find communities where people not only lived longer but also maintained a high quality of life into their twilight years. They identified five such regions: Sardinia in Italy, Loma Linda in the US, Ikaria in Greece, Nicoya in Costa Rica, and Okinawa in Japan.
Despite being geographically distant, these regions share common traits that contribute to their residents’ long and fulfilling lives. Buettner firmly believes that lifestyle and diet are the keys to their longevity, and he compiled a list of shared characteristics across these five communities based on evidence, reports Surrey Live
Here are Buettner’s top 9 tips for a longer life:.
1. Embrace natural movement
Buettner noted that the world’s longest-living people don’t “pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms” Instead, they live in environments that promote daily physical activity, such as tending gardens and performing household chores manually rather than using machines.
2. Discover your sense of purpose
According to Buettner, knowing your purpose can add up to seven years to your life expectancy.
3. Learn to manage stress
While stress is a universal experience, those who live the longest have developed routines to “shed” this stress. For example, Ikarians take naps, Sardinians enjoy happy hour, and Loma Linda Adventists turn to prayer.
This is crucial as stress can lead to chronic inflammation.
4. Timing of meals
In regions with the highest life expectancies, people typically consume their smallest meal in the late afternoon or evening, and refrain from eating again for the rest of the day. Okinawans follow the principle of ‘hara hachi bu’, which translates to stopping eating when your stomach is 80% full.
According to Buettner, this practice “could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it,”.
5. Dietary choices
The majority of centenarians primarily consume beans, with meat being included in their diet only about five times per month.
6. Alcohol consumption
Apart from the Adventists, individuals in other Blue Zones moderately and regularly consume alcohol. Buettner suggests that the key is to enjoy one-to-two glasses of wine daily with friends and food.
In Sardinia, they prefer Cannonau wine, known for its flavonoids with antioxidant properties.
7. Faith matters
Studies indicate that attending faith-based services four times a month can add between four and 14 years to life expectancy. It’s not by chance that all but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed by Buettner and his team were part of a faith-based community.
8. Prioritizing family
Prioritizing family is a hallmark of those who enjoy longer lifespans. In these communities, it’s common for grandparents and parents to reside close by or even under the same roof, with individuals committing to lifelong partners and “invest in their children with time and love”.
9. Choose your friends wisely
Individuals who live longer tend to surround themselves with friends who promote healthy living. This is significant because studies indicate that behaviors such as smoking, obesity, happiness, and loneliness can spread through social groups.
