Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of writing and working, both are going well. I did spend Labor Day weekend up north and it was relaxing, but enough about that, today I want to talk about a documentary I saw on Netflix. It was very interesting. I’ve always been interested in extending my life expectancy as far as I could, and when I found this documentary on Netflix, I must say, I was beyond excited.
Dan Buettner an avid biker wanted to investigate areas in the world where people lived the longest. He called those areas, the blue zones. In the Netflix Documentary he visited each place housing the greatest number of people living to one hundred. When he did, he found some amazing similarities, but before we get into that. I thought I’d provide you a list of the Blue Zones in case you wanted to move. 😉
BLUE ZONES
- Barbagia region of Sardinia – Mountainous highlands of inner Sardinia with the world’s highest concentration of male centenarians.
- Ikaria, Greece – Aegean Island with one of the world’s lowest rates of middle age mortality and the lowest rates of dementia.
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica – World’s lowest rates of middle age mortality, second highest concentration of male centenarians.
- Seventh Day Adventists – Highest concentration is around Loma Linda, California. They live 10 years longer than their North American counterparts.
- Okinawa, Japan – Females over 70 are the longest-lived population in the world.
- Barbagia region of Sardinia – Mountainous highlands of inner Sardinia with the world’s highest concentration of male centenarians.
For more information on this click this link:https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/
When Dan visited these areas, he found some common denominators, and he believes these characteristics are the answer to longevity for all of us. The list includes:
Exercise: But not the kind of exercise we’re accustomed to like running on the treadmill or running marathons and lifting weights. Instead, it’s moving naturally, like walking three miles to town up and down hills. and then walking three miles back every day. Working in the garden every day seemed to be a common denominator as well.
Purpose: Each Centurion also had a purpose. A reason for living. This is essential to get us up and moving. It could be your family or your art or your writing.
Stress Relief: Each zone had a unique way of handling stress. Some would pray, others would meditate or remember their ancestors, and others would take an afternoon nap. Stress causes inflammation which leads to many life-threatening diseases. These Centurions have learned to downshift and slow down, lowering the amount of stress in their lives.
The Eighty Percent Rule: This rule means you eat until your 80% full then you stop. This eliminates overeating which eliminates weight gain which leads to obesity and diabetes. The United States has a huge problem with this because of our fast-food chains, and all our processed foods. This food is so unhealthy, and the proportions have grown over the years. For more information on this check out this link: https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/is-our-food-industry-making-us-fat/
Plant-Based Diet: Most Centurions get their protein from beans like black beans, fava beans, and lentils. They don’t eat as much meat as the rest of the population does, and when they do eat meat it’s mostly pork, and their smallest meal is in the evening.
Wine: Most Centurions drink one or two glasses of wine a day. Usually with friends or with the evening meal. Casual drinkers lived longer than non-drinkers. I found this fact interesting. 😊
Belong: Belonging to a faith-based community is another commonality of a long life, and the denomination did not matter. According to research attending services at least four times a month could add between four and fourteen years to your life.
Family First: Successful Centurions put their families first. This means keeping parents and grandparents close and taking care of children and loving them when their young. They’ll be more inclined to take care of you in your old age.
Right Tribe: Most Centurions lived or were born in a social group that supported healthy behaviors. The Okinawans created “moais” which is groups of friends committed to each other for life. These friends support each other mentally, physically, and spiritually. This combats loneliness which is a problem in our technology-based society. Social networks shape your health habits according to research, so it’s important to find a social network that promotes healthy habits.
So, there you have it, the secret to longevity. I want to live a long life and I’m excited that I’ve found a blueprint to do so. These people living in the blue zones have been living this way their whole life. I’m hoping if I start now, I’ll extend my life expectancy to one hundred as well. Can you imagine all the changes I’ll see? How about you? How many of these habits are you already engaging in? What other changes do you need to make? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
