“Blue Zones” – the 9 keys to longevity

If there is one dream common to all people, it is to live long and in good health. People of all nations of the world wish this for themselves on their holidays, science struggles in every way to realize this ideal, and the individual seeks to improve his habits and thinking so that he may live to a dignified old age while retaining his mind and independence.

Learn more in this article from AlphaLife Sciences.

Maybe you’ve heard of so-called “Blue Zones”?

These are geographic areas with lower rates of chronic disease and higher life expectancy. The term was coined by Dan Buettner, the National Geographic explorer who studied places around the world where people live unusually long lives.

His research began in 2004. Although the initial study was completed after several years, research and updates continue to this day, with new books, articles and data being published on these areas.

Büttner and his colleagues circled these areas with blue circles on a map and began calling the places “Blue Zones.” They noted such in Italy, Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, and the Seventh-day Adventist community of Loma Linda, California, USA. The team researched and analyzed the lifestyle and genetic factors associated with longevity of the people living there.

There is no doubt that genetics plays an important role in both the length and quality of life, but there are other factors that seem to matter a great deal as well.

According to numerous studies, only 20-30% of longevity is due to genetics. Other factors include environment, lifestyle and diet.

Discoveries about the Blue Zones way of life matter to all of us. Let’s take a peek into the daily lives of the people there and try to unravel the secrets of longevity.

How the people of the “Blue Zones” eat

Diet is extremely important for a person’s overall health. It is common among all Blue Zones that 95% of the food of the people there is of plant origin. It turns out that the long-lifers are not vegetarians, but they consume meat relatively rarely – only about five times a month. Their diet is rich in:

• Vegetables – a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals that reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer;
• Legumes – beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas, which contain a lot of fiber and vegetable protein;
• Wholegrains – help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of colon cancer;
• Nuts – rich in healthy fats, fiber and protein.
• Fish is also an essential part of the diet in some “Blue Zones”, such as Ikaria and Sardinia for example. In these places it is a major source of the important omega-3 fatty acids.

Long-living people do not eat much, often fast, eat slowly and stop before they have reached fullness. Research shows that eating slowly increases feelings of fullness and helps with weight control. In addition, in “Blue Zones,” people eat their smallest meal size in the late afternoon or early evening and then don’t eat until the next day.

With regard to alcohol, it is consumed in many of the Blue Zones, but always in moderation and limited quantities. Excessive alcohol consumption is known to increase the risk of mortality.

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What is the physical activity of the people in the “Blue Zones”?

Today, science has given us ample evidence of how important physical activity is for both heart and bone health. It is also important for mental health.

People in longevity zones are mostly on foot, active all day, working in the garden, doing their own housework. Conversely, the Western lifestyle spares us a lot of all this movement, and often modern man literally gets sick from lack of physical activity.

How many hours do long-timers sleep?

Today, science gives us plenty of evidence of how important sleep is for our physical and mental well-being. However, rest time is often neglected in favour of more work or play.

Long-livers don’t live like that. They sleep according to the natural rhythm of their bodies and often take short afternoon naps.

Studies show that the optimal sleep duration is about 7 hours per night. If you want to live longer, it’s a good idea to stick to this sleep-wake rhythm.

What is social life like in the Blue Zones?

In the Blue Zones, many of the people are religious. Faith and religious practices are associated with lower levels of stress and depression. Most of the longevity people have a clear meaning and purpose in life.

There are also very strong family ties and healthy social contacts in these communities. Older people live together with their families, friendships are especially important, loneliness is hardly an unknown condition.

The Nine Keys to Longevity – Power 9

The Blue Zones reveal 9 scientifically-based healthy habits common to long-lifers around the world that slow the aging process. The research team “translates” the results of their Blue Zones research into accessible language, giving us the all-important formulation of the 9 Keys to Longevity (Power 9). Get the best of them for yourself!

1. Natural movement

The world’s longest-lived people don’t lift weights, don’t always take energy supplements, don’t run marathons or go to the gym. Instead, they live in environments that naturally prompt them to move during the day. For example, they grow gardens and do not use mechanical appliances for household and garden work.

2. Purpose in life

In Okinawa they call it “Ikigai” and in Nicoya it’s “plan de vida” – both phrases meaning “why I wake up in the morning”. Discovering a personal calling can add up to 7 years to a life.

3. Stress control

People in the “Blue Zones” are also experiencing stress. Chronic stress leads to inflammation is the body, which is associated with all the major diseases that occur with aging.

What sets centenarians apart is that they have daily rituals to relieve stress – Okinawans honor their ancestors, Adventists pray, Icarians take afternoon naps, and Sardinians enjoy “happy hour.”

4. The 80% rule

The Okinawan wisdom “Hara hachi bu”, a 2500-year-old Confucian maxim, teaches people to stop eating when they are 80% full. That 20% difference can be crucial in maintaining a healthy weight.

People in the Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and do not eat again for the rest of the day.

5. Plant-based diet

Beans, lentils, soybeans are major food sources of protein in the diet of centenarians. Meat, mostly pork, is consumed on average only 5 times a month, and portions are small – about 85-113 g.

6. Wine at 5 pm

Except in the “Blue Zone” of Adventists in the United States, all other groups of long-lifers consume a moderate amount of alcohol. Moderate drinkers live longer than non-drinkers, i.e. 1-2 glasses of wine per day in the company of friends at mealtimes. It is important not to “save” the alcohol for the weekend and have 14 drinks in one sitting!

7. Belonging to a community

Of the 263 centenarians interviewed, only 5 were not part of a religious community. Faith (regardless of denomination) extends life by 4 to 14 years if a person attends religious services at least 4 times a month.

8. Family First

Centenarians of the Blue Zones value their family more than anything. They keep their elderly parents and grandparents close to home, which reduces the risk of illness and mortality among children in the family. They also bond with a partner for life.

They also invest time and love in their children, which increases the likelihood that they will care for them in old age.

9. Surrounded by the “right people”

The world’s longest-lived people are part of social circles that promote healthy living. In Okinawa this is called “moai” – groups of five friends who support each other for life.

A number of studies have shown that obesity, smoking, happiness and even loneliness are ‘contagious’. This is why social connections have such a significant impact on health and longevity.

See more interesting articles from the Alpha Life Sciences blog:

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Anti-Age – What does it mean and why is it more than “fighting wrinkles”?

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