What We Can Learn From The Blue Zones

about living a longer, healthier life

BLUE ZONES

What are the Blue Zones?

Since the early 2000’s, American author Dan Buettner has been studying five locations that he calls the Blue Zones, the areas of the world where people are living the longest. His goal is to try to understand how and why the people who live in these areas are living longer.

Where are the Blue Zones?

• Ikaria, Greece • Okinawa, Japan • Sardinia, Italy • Loma Linda, California • Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

In his research, Dan Buettner has found these locations have nine things in common:

1MOVEMENT

They walk often and move naturally versus moving specifically for exercise. They rely very little, or not at all, on things like technology and power tools, the things that have made our society more sedentary than those in the Blue Zones. Many of these locations are inland and at a higher elevation, so when they are simply walking in their community, they are walking at a more challenging incline or decline than walking on flat land.

2SENSE OF PURPOSE

They have a defined sense of purpose (i.e. they know their reason for getting up in the morning).

3DOWNSHIFTING

They incorporate activities in their daily routines to reduce stress (i.e. prayer, naps).

480% RULE

They stop eating when they are 80% full and they eat their smallest meal later in the day, as opposed to having their smallest meal in the morning.

5FOOD

They eat a mostly plant-based diet including many beans, greens, nuts and grains. They eat fish an average of twice per week and they eat very little meat, on average only five times per month.

6WINE

They drink wine but only in moderation (1-2 glasses per day), and typically with food and/or friends.

Sardinia produces red wine called cannonau, which is considered the healthiest red wine in the world because it has two to three times more amounts of flavonoids (an antioxidant) than other wines.