What are Blue Zones?
One of the most fascinating concepts I’ve come across is the Blue Zones. There are parts of the world with an unusually high number of centenarians – people who live to be over 100 years old. However, they don’t just live longer, they appear to have figured out the best combination of lifestyle, purpose, diet, activity, geography, and community. The term was coined by Dan Buettner, while researching for National Geographic and he is regarded as the founder of the Blue Zones. According to his findings- there are 5 places on earth where people live their happiest, healthiest and long lives, and they all share common denominators that contribute to their longevity lifestyles.
The five Blue Zones are:
A search on Wikipedia reveals the term/concept is dubbed as ‘controversial’, however, I have always been fascinated by this concept. It’s easy to think that these people share great genes, however, we do know as the Danish Twin study states, that genetics account for 20 percent of the factors associated with longevity, and healthy aging, whereas, lifestyle, habits, and environment make up the remaining 80 percent.
There then are common factors among these 5 regions, and these are the 9 themes that emerge, also called the power nine- they are believed to be the keys to boosting health, happiness, and longevity.
I chose to write this post because I believe most, if not all of us, could benefit from these lifestyle habits. These are the common denominators that the centenarians in these five regions share:
Natural movement. These populations take part in everyday activities such as walking, gardening, and moving most of the day. This does not involve going to a gym, rather it’s movement without thinking and is just a part of their lifestyle.
Sense of purpose is the best way to describe this is the term ‘ikigai’ which translates to ‘why I wake up in the morning’. Purpose can mean a fulfilling hobby, career, or activity that you believe in. Simply said, a life without purpose has a higher cost in terms of meaningful years lived.
Downshift. No one is immune from challenges in this lifetime, and neither are the people that reside in these blue zones. Stress contributes to inflammation, and that inflammation in turn shortens our lifespan. While we cannot control certain stressors, we can choose how to respond and downshift our attention and focus on breathing, talking to others, getting enough rest- anything that helps calm our body’s flight or fight response. Note that Zen Buddhism has much of the same teachings, and practitioners of that also are known to be resilient and live long healthy lives.
Eating until 80 percent full. This concept is not new. Most of us know that the quantity of food and portion sizes that we consume are more than what our bodies need. The blue zoners take this further. They savor their meals, enjoy the company of family and friends, and stop eating when they are 80 percent full. Given that it takes approximately 20 minutes for our bodies to register ‘satiety’ and then curb the hunger hormones, it would then make sense to eat slowly and stop eating before completely full – perhaps a new take on the 80/20 rule.
Plant-centric diet. The longevity secret is eating foods such as whole grains, nuts, legumes, olive oil, and seeds. In other words, no highly processed foods that we know also contribute to inflammation in our bodies and shorten our lifespans. Read our recent post, Can A Plant-Based Diet Reduce The Risk of Heart Disease?
Wine. Moderate consumption of alcohol, such as savoring a glass or two of a rich red wine high in antioxidants, is another common feature shared by these centenarians. You won’t see blue zoners consuming margaritas, and overloading their systems with salt, and added sugars.
Below are recent photos from my favorite winery, William Hill Estate Winery.
Loved ones first. This community believes that family and loved ones are the most important, and this shows in the love and care they show for their aging families.
Right tribe. This means surrounding yourself with your tribe – those 3-5 friends that are your people – who doesn’t need that? We all do, and these important social connections make the difference in health and longevity as well.
I think that even if we can adopt some of these habits and lifestyle changes, most of the time, it gives us a chance to live not just longer, but more healthy and happy lives.
As always, this article is not meant to give medical advice and does not replace the recommendations of your physician.
Start Your Journey to Better Health
Receive personalized care from Dr. Corinne. Her holistic approach to medicine focuses on treating the root cause of health issues rather than just the symptoms. She takes the time to listen to your concerns and works with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs and concerns.
