Want to live longer? Secrets of longevity revealed

Even in their 60s and 70s, they remain fit and athletic, effortlessly overcoming challenges and preserving youthfulness and vitality well into old age.

What are Blue Zones?

Journalist and researcher, National Geographic fellow Dan Buettner coined the term "Blue Zones." It is a colloquial name for countries and areas where centenarians reside. These include Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece, and Loma Linda in California.

"The Blue Zones are certain parts of the world where people are known to have a longer and better lifespan than the average across the globe," emphasizes Anant Vinjamoori, the chief medical officer at Modern Age, a health clinic.

According to research, these five regions are home to the highest number of people reaching the age of 100.

Secrets of longevity

They eat more plants.

People in Blue Zones prefer plant-based diets, with a moderate amount of animal protein and animal-derived products. This involves consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins like lentils, peas, beans, and peanuts.

They are mindful of hunger and fullness signals

In the Blue Zone of Okinawa, people practice mindful eating – 'hara hachi bu,' meaning they stop eating when they are 80% full. This approach helps individuals recognize when they are hungry and ensures that their bodies receive the necessary nutrients.

Long-lasting social connections

A sense of community and social activity prevails in all Blue Zones. This may involve belonging to a religious community or having deep friendships and strong family ties.

"There’s often multigenerational homes that people live in, where grandparents are helping to raise grandchildren," says Dr. Vindhamuri.

People living in Blue Zones are constantly on the move (Photo: freepik.com)

They value movement

Another rule of the residents of the Blue zones is activity and movement. People there are constantly on the move. CrossFit and workouts on stationary bikes are trendy. But overall, there is a general priority for movement in their daily lives. These people walk a lot, hike in the mountains, swim, and move around on foot in their surroundings.

"The idea is, just move around as much as you can, try to limit the amount of time that you’re sitting in one place. This daily movement that people do can be really significant in terms of just generally promoting the right mechanisms of our bodies to help us age better," adds the expert.

They know how to deal with stress

An important habit of Blue Zone residents is stress reduction. If stress is not addressed, it can have serious consequences both mentally and physically. Chronic stress can cause changes in hormones, such as cortisol, which can lead to inflammation and chronic illnesses.

They seek a sense of purpose in life

All residents of Blue Zone have an important life purpose, whether it's a desire to help others, assist animals, or lead an ethical lifestyle.

Research shows that people in Blue Zone have a sense of purpose that they carry with them throughout their lives in these zones, and when they do, it helps them emotionally and cognitively.

Moreover, having a purpose in life can help indirectly reduce chronic stress, which, as mentioned, can have detrimental effects on health.

Earlier, we wrote about a 106-year-old Ukrainian, who shared the secret of his longevity.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.