Leading a healthy lifestyle is the key to a long life, and there is research to prove it. Experts have identified the world’s five Blue Zones – places where people live measurably better and longer – and what we can learn from them.
Research by Dan Buettner and National Geographic has identified the five pockets around the world with the highest life expectancy, or with the highest proportions of people who live to be 100, as follows:
- Okinawa, Japan
- Sardinia, Italy
- Loma Linda, California
- Nicoya, Costa Rica
- Ikaria, Greece
Study into these communities found lifestyle habits in common that may well hold the secret to longevity and wellbeing. Here are some of them:
- Avoid overeating – Okinawans actively restrict their calorie intake and believe in eating only until you are 80 per cent full. People in the Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then they don’t eat any more for the rest of the day.
- Moving naturally – The longest-lived people lead lifestyles that involve exercise in the environments in which they live. They grow gardens and engage in lengthy walks – not as active exercise, but as an element of their everyday life.
- Less meat, more beans – Beans including fava, black, soy and lentils are an important part of the diet of centenarians. They consume meat on average only five times a month and only in small serving sizes.
- Family first –The world’s longest-lived societies place heavy emphasis on family. They keep ageing parents nearby, commit to a life partner and are dedicated to caring for their children.
- Sense of purpose –Centenarians focus on fostering a sense of purpose, which can be worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.
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