What The 'Blue Zones' Can Teach Us About Living Longer
How
long we will live is one of life's great unknowns, but many Americans
are leading healthier lifestyles. Medical advances, too, have increased
longevity. The overall improvements in life expectancy are pretty
amazing, particularly when you look at how long people live compared
with the past 100 years or so.
- Since 1900, the average life expectancy has increased by 31 years, so the average American can now expect to live past age 78.
- The
number of Americans 100 or older has risen by an astounding 2,200
percent since 1950. More than 53,000 centenarians call the United States
home.
But what can you do to increase your longevity? If
you want to hit triple digits, what improves your odds? It's a
question that's been on the mind of civilized society since before
Ponce de Leon hit the Florida surf.
In the past 10 years,
researchers have uncovered some clues, and they found them in areas of
the world now called "Blue Zones." Blue Zones are demographic or
geographic areas of the world where people live measurably longer.
Researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain first identified Sardinia's
Nuoro province as the region of the world with the highest
concentration of centenarians.
National Geographic, AARP and
the United Health Foundation have since embarked on physical and
statistical journeys to uncover other Blue Zones, and educator and
explorer Dan Buettner wrote a best-selling book about it.
So where are they? Can I go? Buettner's book
The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest identifies and discusses five regions:
- The aforementioned area of Sardinia,
- The island of Okinawa, Japan,
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica,
- Icaria,
Greece (where one out of three people reach their 90s and have about
20 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart
disease and practically no dementia),
- And Loma Linda, California where researchers studied a group of long-lived Seventh-Day Adventists.
Aside
from where the Blue Zones were located, researchers found several
common lifestyle characteristics among those who live longer.
- Put family ahead of other concerns
- Less smoking
- Semi-vegetarianism, with a primarily plant-based diet
- Ongoing moderate physical activity as an integral part of daily life
- Social engagement among people of all ages
- Consumption of legumes likes beans and lentils
The
core elements of these characteristics are not new to most of us. No
one who lives alone, sitting on the coach, smoking cigarettes and eating
pork rinds, can expect to reach age 100. We know not to smoke and that
we need exercise as well as social connections and a good diet to be
healthier. (I will admit the bean thing surprised me.)
What the
Blue Zones tell us is that we need to do more than just touch our
healthy elements a few times a week. We need to embrace healthy habits
in a more full-fledged manner.
Walk more -- a lot more.
Walking three times per week for a period of at least 30 minutes is a
regular prescription from doctors to both reduce stress and help with
weight control. However, people in the Blue Zones spend more time
walking and moving around than three rounds on the treadmill each week.
As part of its Blue Zones Vitality Project, AARP suggests creating
regular, community activities centered around walking. For example, the
"Walking School Bus Program" encourages parents and volunteers to walk
groups of children to and from elementary schools. It gets you out and
walking at least two times a day and encourages a greater sense of
community. Seniors wanting to reach 100 should look at ways to do more
walking.
Volunteer Helping others builds a
sense of self-worth and also provides opportunities to interact in your
community. Both are key factors in living longer.
Embrace your community
We spend a lot of time indoors surfing the Internet and being
entertained by technology. People in Blue Zones do the opposite. If you
want to live longer, get out in your community and meet your neighbors.
Consider hosting or organizing a community picnic or block party; or
even start a community garden so you can plant those legumes!
Check your progress
Because you can't improve what you don't measure, consider checking out
the numerous life expectancy calculators available online, including
several at the
Blue Zones website.
While
we won't all live to age 100, we can make changes in our lives to
improve our longevity with the added benefit of improving our current
quality of life. Get out in your community, make exercise a key part of
your life, and stay close with your family. Those contributions will
pay off. And don't forget to eat your beans.
source: huffington post