{"id":23852,"date":"2022-02-27T08:33:32","date_gmt":"2022-02-27T13:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/?p=23852"},"modified":"2022-07-07T12:52:14","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T16:52:14","slug":"blue-zone-living-these-9-tricks-can-help-you-live-to-100-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/health-wellness\/blue-zone-living-these-9-tricks-can-help-you-live-to-100-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Zone Living: These 9 Tricks Can Help You Live to 100 and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The so-called \u201cBlue Zones<\/strong>\u201d were identified by New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner in 2004. While geographically diverse, Buettner determined that the people living in these areas\u2014Loma Linda, CA; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Ikaria, Greece\u2014all shared a common set of lifestyle factors contributing to their high incidence of centenarians<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He coined the following “Power 9<\/em>” as the nine evidence-based common denominators in the Blue Zones that we can all  incorporate into our daily routines with the goal of living a longer, healthier<\/em> life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Move Naturally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creating a life where you move frequently is a core part of the Blue Zones lifestyle. People from these regions fill their days with regular walks, housework, or gardening. In other words, a 30-minute run and strength training is good for you, but they can\u2019t counter the negative effects of sitting still the whole day according to Blue Zones official website. So take your calls while walking and move around as often as you can!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a Plant Slant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Blue Zones Diet<\/em> formulated by Buettner is 95% plant-based, with little to no meat (with the exception of fish) and zero dairy (with the exception of goat milk occasionally). People living in these regions not only eat meat sparingly but eat organic, free-roaming animals that aren\u2019t pumped with hormones and antibiotics. And dairy-wise, go for alternatives like oat, soy, or almond-based products. Buettner stresses that we should load up on \u201cbeans, greens, yams, and sweet potatoes, fruits, nuts, and seeds\u201d.  In addition, adding olive oil and whole grains like brown rice, oats and barley to your diet is encouraged, with barley being \u201cthe food most highly correlated with longevity in Sardinia\u201d according to Blue Zones\u2019 official website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the 80% Rule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you start feeling full during your meal (like 80% full), stop! This practice comes from Okinawa, Japan called Hara hachi hu, <\/em>the 2500-year-old mantra they say before their meals to control their eating habits. According to Psychologist Susan Albers PsyD speed also counts: \u201cSlow down\u2026 and give your body time to register how much you\u2019ve eaten. If you eat quickly and stop at what you think is 80% full you may actually be 100% full and not know it since your body hasn\u2019t caught up yet with your mind.\u201d Overall, the Blue Zones eat their heaviest meals at the beginning of the day and their smallest and last meal in the early evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Downshift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that stress significantly increases chronic inflammation in our bodies which is associated with every major age-related disease. All the Blue Zones have incorporated some form of stress-relieving activity in their daily lives: In Ikaria, they take a nap; In Okinawa, they take a few moments every day to remember their ancestors; in Loma Linda, Seventh-Day Adventists pray; and in Sardinia, they collectively enjoy a regular happy hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheers!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of happy hour, epidemiological studies indicate that moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. The Power 9 rules include a hearty endorsement of drinking 1 to 2 glasses of wine a day (instead of a whole lot more on a Friday night). If you really<\/em> want to embrace the Blue Zone way of life, consider sourcing Sardinian Cannonau wine which has 2\u20133 times the amount of artery-cleansing flavonoids as other wines!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Your Tribe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s longest living people were born into or chose social circles that supported healthy behaviors like the Okinawans who created Moais<\/em>; groups of five friends that commit to each other for life. Studies highlighting the health benefits of friendship have shown that close friendships lower the risk of diseases by reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and even heart rate. So consider joining a book club, volunteering at a local charity or re-committing to seeing friends and spending quality time with family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live With Purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Japanese concept of Ikigai<\/em> centers on waking up every morning with an understanding of your purpose in life. Research shows that people who had Ikigai had lower mortality rates and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. According to Buettner, having a sense of  purpose adds up to seven years to the average life-span.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put Family First<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blue Zone regions have a strong sense of family ties. Recent studies indicate that older adults who have close family members surrounding them have a decreased mortality rate. Even with all the recent innovations (hello, Zoom) Buettner claims actual<\/em> facetime with family and loved ones is an important key to longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The majority of centenarians living in the Blue Zone regions belong to a faith-centered community and attend their respective religious or spiritual services 4 to 5 times a month. Research shows that this adds 4 to 14 years to life expectancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we can\u2019t all reproduce the Power 9 in every aspect of our lives, we can weave some of the Blue Zones’ life-extending habits into a healthier 2022. By keeping our bodies active; eating clean, non-processed, plant-based foods; managing stress; and maintaining a close-knit, family-rich social circle, we can all \u201clive our best lives\u201d\u2014and hopefully live them a lot longer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The so-called \u201cBlue Zones\u201d were identified by New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner in 2004. While geographically diverse, Buettner determined that the people living in these areas\u2014Loma Linda, CA; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Ikaria, Greece\u2014all shared a common set of lifestyle factors contributing to their high incidence of centenarians. He…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":23853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1529],"tags":[1739,1743,1843,353,1741,1717,1845,1844,1740,1520],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-23852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","tag-blue-zones","tag-chronic-inflammation","tag-dealing-with-stress","tag-exercise","tag-ikigai","tag-longevity","tag-moderate-drinking","tag-plant-based-diet-2","tag-plant-based-diet","tag-stress-management"],"yoast_head":"\nBlue Zone Living: These 9 Tricks Can Help You Live to 100 and Beyond - Zeel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Blue Zones Diet is 95% plant-based, with little to no meat (with the exception of fish) and zero dairy (with the exception of goat milk).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/health-wellness\/blue-zone-living-these-9-tricks-can-help-you-live-to-100-and-beyond\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Blue Zone Living: These 9 Tricks Can Help You Live to 100 and Beyond - 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