What is a blue zone?
Experts have identified certain places and populations, called blue zones, as places where people seem to be the healthiest in the world. Those regions contain:
- A high percentage of people who live to 100
- An aging population that doesn’t suffer from common degenerative diseases
- Older adults who are active well into their 90s
Identified blue zones include:
- Barbagia region in Sardinia, Italy
- Ikaria, a Greek island
- Loma Linda, California (specifically the Seventh-day Adventist population living there)
- Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica
- Okinawa, a Japanese island
What can we learn from blue zones?
Researchers have found that the people who live in blue zones tend to make certain lifestyle choices and approach daily living in common ways involving:
- Connection with others
- Diet
- Exercise
- Outlook
But the blue zones offer specific lessons that can be applied in your life to improve your health and reduce your risk of dying prematurely.
People who live in blue zones:
1. Avoid overeating
People in blue zones don’t overeat, but they don’t necessarily count calories, either. Instead, they listen to their bodies to know when they’ve had enough food. Okinawans aim to stop eating when they are 80% full.
People in all five blue zones also follow a similar eating pattern. They make breakfast their largest meal of the day. Lunch is smaller than breakfast, and dinner is their smallest meal. Dinner is typically eaten early and followed by a fast lasting until breakfast.
2. Eat more plants
Blue zone populations tend to eat whole food local to their region. Almost all (95%) of the 100-year-olds in these zones eat a plant-based diet heavy in legumes (beans), which are an excellent source of fiber and protein.
A typical blue zone diet may also include:
- A handful of nuts daily
- Limited amounts of meat and dairy
- No added sugar
- Sourdough bread instead of white bread
3. Find your sense of purpose
Understanding your purpose is a critical part of the culture in blue zones — knowing why you get up in the morning and what your responsibilities are. Blue zone residents feel needed, and it helps them live longer.
Research shows that when someone knows and can explain their sense of purpose, they have a 15% lower risk of dying prematurely. Another study found that people with a higher sense of purpose are:
- 33% less likely to develop sleep issues
- 24% less likely to become physically inactive
- 22% less likely to develop an unhealthy body mass index (BMI)
4. Have faith
People living in blue zones often describe themselves as people of faith or part of a faith-based community. Practicing faith may be closely connected with having a sense of purpose, and being involved in a like-minded community offers socialization and a feeling of connection.
Some research shows that people who regularly attend faith-based services, regardless of their religion, tend to live up to 14 years longer than those who do not.
5. Make movement part of your daily life
Gym workouts and scheduled exercise are less commonplace in blue zones than expected. But that doesn’t mean that the people there don’t get exercise.
People in blue zones don’t tend to rely on the modern-day conveniences that many other regions have. Daily life often involves physical and household labor that requires moving every 20 minutes. People may spend the day gardening, kneading bread or performing household chores. They also walk wherever they go, whenever possible.
6. Put family first
Blue zones often prioritize multigenerational living — families live together with one generation caring for another. Children in blue zones are more likely to keep their aging relatives nearby. And when grandparents take care of their grandchildren, they’re more likely to live longer.
7. Reduce your stress
Living in a blue zone isn’t stress-free. But people in those regions tend to make it a daily ritual to reduce stress. Their stress-reducing rituals include:
- Honoring and remembering ancestors
- Meditating
- Napping
- Praying
- Spending social time with family and friends
8. Surround yourself with healthy people
Positivity and healthy behavior can be contagious. People who live long and healthy lives often surround themselves with others who make and support healthy choices.
Some research shows that your brain activity changes when you are around others. That social influence can affect your choices and actions. Forging relationships with healthy individuals or joining groups focused on good health may help you develop healthier habits.
