The average human lifespan is around 72 years, but some people statistically enjoy longer lives than others. There are five regions, in particular, known as ‘blue zones,’ where people often live to be 100 years old.
These zones encompass areas in Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece, and California. Among them are Loma Linda in California, Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, and Nicoya in Costa Rica.
According to author Dan Buettner, a pioneer of the Blue Zones concept, the inhabitants of these areas share four fundamental lifestyle traits.
They consume less meat and more carbohydrates
People in these regions eat very little meat. Instead, they have diets rich in carbohydrates and vegetables, including beans, nuts, and vegetables like broccoli and cabbage.
The diet in the blue zones closely resembles the healthy Mediterranean diet, which has been promoted by nutritionists as one of the healthiest diets in recent years.
The Mediterranean diet includes many foods that are good for you and less of those high in sugar. This diet has been proven beneficial for the heart and even helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
They move every 20 minutes
We all know that exercise is good for us, but many struggle to find time for the gym. However, Dan mentioned that people living in Blue Zones don’t bother with rigorous workouts.
Instead, they naturally incorporate movement into their daily lives, such as gardening. Studies have found that such small daily activities can greatly contribute to overall fitness.
One study published in 2023 revealed that daily stair climbing can reduce the risk of at least nine types of cancers.
They live with purpose
If you have a reason to get up in the morning, you’re likely to live longer. In Japan, this is called ‘ikigai,’ and in Costa Rica, it’s ‘plan de vida.’ Both roughly translate to ‘reason for living.’
Dan mentioned that both concepts help residents feel that there is a purpose to waking up and getting things done every day.
A sense of purpose is linked to fewer strokes and fewer heart attacks in people with heart conditions, according to studies.
They embrace help from friends and family
A shared problem is a halved problem, as the old saying goes. This is mainly the mindset adopted in the Japanese Blue Zone.
People form social groups called ‘moai’ to help them through life’s ups and downs.
“Parents group their children into groups of five people and send them through life together,” Dan explained in a video.
