Health For Longevity

What is Longevity?

Longevity is how long someone lives while being able to do what they love, not necessarily until death.

This article will cover small changes you can make to increase longevity based on data from people who live in 'blue zone' areas.

Blue zones are places where longevity is significantly better than the rest of the world.

Blue Zones 9 Evidence-based factors to improve longevity

1. Move naturally. Doing everyday things that increase movement. ex: gardening

2. Purpose. Finding a reason to wake up in the morning

3. Downshift. Destress daily

4. "80% Rule. Hara hachi bu—the Okinawan 2500-year old Confucian mantra said before meals reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full. The 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it." (Buettner, D., 2016)

5. "Plant slant. Beans, including fava, black, soy, and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets. Meat—mostly pork—is eaten on average only 5 times per month." (Buettner, D., 2016)

6. Wine. It isn't so much about the alcohol as the community that is created while drinking a glass of wine with family and friends. It is important to note that alcohol is not recommended by Health Canada, and the benefits will be better if a gathering occurs without alcohol.

7. Belong. The feeling of community

8. "Loved ones first. Successful centenarians in the Blue Zones put their families first. This means keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home []. They commit to a life partner [] and invest in their children with time and love. []" (Buettner, D., 2016)

9. "Right tribe. The world’s longest lived people chose—or were born into—social circles that supported healthy behaviors, Okinawans created moais—groups of 5 friends that committed to each other for life. Research from the Framingham Studies2 shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. So the social networks of long-lived people have favorably shaped their health behaviors." (Buettner, D., 2016)

Do you need to do all of these steps to increase longevity?

No, integrating small changes into your everyday life can make big changes increasing your chances of being able to do what you love for longer.

References

Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived - PMC

What began as a National Geographic expedition, lead by Dan Buettner, to uncover the secrets of longevity, evolved into the discovery of the 5 places around the world where people consistently live over 100 years old, dubbed the Blue Zones. Dan and…

NCBI home page

✉Dan Buettner, BA, Blue Zones, LLC, 80 South 8th Street, STE 1400, Minneapolis, MN 55402; e-mail: Danbluezones.com.

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