25 Amazing Health Discoveries from the Blue Zones
There are five zones around the world where people tend to live the longest, healthiest lives. These are called the Blue Zones. They include Sardinia, Italy; Northern Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, CA; and a remote Greek island. World renowned explorer and National Geographic writer, Dan Buettner believes that “we know there’s a recipe for longevity and that 75 percent is related to lifestyle, and we’re figuring it out.” Below is a list of 25 amazing health discoveries, lifestyles, and simple changes that have come from this region and can be easily done in your own home.
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Have a purpose
By figuring out what gets you out of bed, you can achieve one of the most important keys to longevity. By doing this, your life expectancy is 70 percent higher than that of someone who doesn’t know. Keeping a sense of purpose and goals for each day leads to longer, healthier lives for both men and women.
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Stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full
A recent study on mice determined that those who ate less calories lived longer, despite other lifestyle changes. Those who eat less can even burn more calories than those who eat more and exercise. The Okinawans do so regularly and maintain one of the highest life expectancies on the planet.
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Build your own cultural of longevity
Make sure as you get older to surround yourselves with the right people. It is essential that you have things in common, and that they have a sense of respect for their elders.
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Incorporate work, religion, and volunteering in your everyday life
A job gives you purpose to your day, so try to hold onto it as long as you can. Making spiritual connections is also important for inner peace, as well as companionship. Those looking to branch out by volunteering can use a website that places volunteers by area and interest, such as Volunteer Match.
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Stay in school
Research by James Smith, a health economist at the RAND Corporation, suggests that education plays a key role in longevity. Dr. Smith, along with other researchers, determined that a few extra years of school, along with continued education into adulthood, improves both mental and physical health. Seniors are also less likely to be diagnosed with dementia if they have higher IQs, according to this study.
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Don’t worry, be happy
Research by the University of California at San Diego, discovered that optimism and the ability to cope were the most important factor in happiness and aging. Another study concluded that the happiest Americans are the elderly. Those who found the most joy in their lives were those who were still working into their sixties and seventies.
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Exercise
Don’t have time to go to the gym? Neither did this Greek man, who rode his bicycle everyday until he was 102. Physical activity can be found all around us, whether it is cleaning your home, going for a walk, or playing with children.
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Eliminate stress
Stress can lead to bodily inflammation and may contribute to hypertension. From exercise to meditation, stress can be combated in many ways. A list of 20 easy ways to eliminate stress can be found on Zen Habits.
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Quit smoking
Rarely found in Blue Zones, cigarettes have been proven to increase the risk for heart disease, cancer, and shorter life span. Stopping this habit is difficult due to the nicotine withdrawal, but smokers can immediately feel a difference in their health once they’ve stopped. The American Cancer Society has a Do’s and Don’ts Guide for Quitting Smoking, along with QuitLines and other support.
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Stay away from pollution
There are many things an individual can do to eliminate pollution from their homes and offices. By doing simple things such as getting rid of leaf blowers and keeping up with ozone alerts, you can avoid a great deal of pollution. A list of 50 ways to help fight pollution can be found here.
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The Okinawa Diet
With a life expectancy of 86 years old for females and 78 years old for males, this diet is worth a look. For a small fee on this site, you can join the hundreds of Americans who are choosing this diet for longevity. By increasing fruits and vegetables, and reducing meat and processed foods, you can eat as the Okinawans do.
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Eat more olive oil
This oil has one of the highest contents of monounsaturated fat, which is useful for cholesterol maintenance and prevention of heart disease. It has also been shown to combat digestive troubles, colon cancer, and other ailments. An individual’s experiences on the olive oil diet, along with various recipes, can be found here.
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Red wine
These wines are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help slow the aging process. Sardinian canonau wine has the world’s highest levels of antioxidants. A list of the benefits of red wine can be found here.
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The Klotho Gene
This gene is named for the Greek Fate purported to spin the thread of life and is reported to contribute to the life expectancy in humans, according to a team led by Johns Hopkins scientists. Although the exact influence of this gene is not known, Hal Dietz, Ph.D., a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, believes it has a clear association with life expectancy. But until the research is complete, there is no benefit to knowing the status of one’s Klotho gene.
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LRP5 Gene
The role of this gene is mostly to determine bone mass density. Variations of this gene can cause osteoporosis, yet those individuals who maintain a healthy bone density tend to live longer, healthier lives. Although research is still in the early stages, discoveries on this gene could prove useful in determining longevity.
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The 40 Year Makeover
Stewart Burton smoked three packs of cigarettes a day, drank nine beers a night, and followed with several shots of liquor and various drugs. Although he was only 25, his actual age came in around the sixties. By having a doctor move into his home, Stewart learned how to eliminate his destructive lifestyle and return to his actual age.
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Keep your family close
Most people in Blue Zones live not only near their nuclear families, but extended ones as well. This provides a vital and constant connection to those who know you best and have shared your experiences for a lifetime.
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Tiste
This is a drink made from rice and cocoa in Nicoya, Costa Rica. It can also be made with corn and is distinct for its red color and chocolaty flavor. Two home recipes for tiste can be found here.
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Mugwort Sake
Also known as Artemisia vulgaris, mugwort is a tall growing plant that can be found all over the world. It is made into a sake by the people of Okinawa and thought to be a key ingredient in their longevity. A recipe for Mugwort tea can be found here.
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Have more fun
Quite possibly the easiest to do, fun can be found in various forms. You can play games or sports with others, have sex for the release of aggression and creation of intimacy, and even alcohol in moderation is recommended by the Blue Zone lifestyle.
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Grow a garden
Studies show that growing a garden can improve your health, save you money, and bring you closer with family members who work on it. It also provides a set time for the day when you can connect with nature and relax. A simple and easy guide to growing a garden in your backyard can be found here.
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Get a tan
With Vitamin D deficiency on the rise, there is no cheaper or quicker way to get a dose. By spending a small amount of time in the sun, not tanning bed, doing light activity, you can live longer just as the elders in the Blue Zone do.
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Workout right
Joints such as the hips are like tires and once you wear out the tread, the joint needs to be replaced. By trading exercises like jogging with pilates or yoga, you can still get the benefits of a natural workout without the stress to the body. Articles on how to accomplish this can be found here.
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Do holistic exercises
By practicing natural movement, such as yoga, tai chi, and even meditation, you can combat things such as heart disease, mental illness, and even stress. Elders in the Blue Zones habitually perform some type of natural movement on a daily basis, and it is usually done outside. The site, eHow, has an array of videos on how to do meditation, along with yoga and tai chi.
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Take the Blue Zone Vitality Compass Quiz
After a quick registration at this site, you will be asked a series of questions on your current lifestyle. You will then get answers for your overall life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, biological age, and your number in Blue Zone years.
Do you have to move to a Blue Zone to live a long life? The short answer is no. These inhabitants act as examples to live by, making it entirely possible to create your own Blue Zone with these 25 discoveries in your own home or community.
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