Anyone can extend their life and enjoy good health by adopting the simple habits of people with above-average longevity. Dan Buettner, an American longevity expert, reveals four simple ways we can follow the example of Blue Zones residents.
An entire industry profits immensely from people’s insatiable desire to look and feel younger. The anti-aging products market in the United States has grown from $3.9 billion in 2016 to $4.9 billion in 2021, according to data collected by Euromonitor International cited by CNBC.
However, many of the products people invest in do not deliver the promised effects of slowing down the aging process or fail to prove their long-term effectiveness.
Fortunately, there are a few simpler ways we can follow to reap the benefits enjoyed by Blue Zones residents, the places on the planet where people live the longest.
Dan Buettner, a longevity expert and author of the Blue Zones concept, presented in a recent episode of the "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris" podcast four simple ways we can incorporate the healthy habits of people with enviable longevity into our daily routine.
Engage in Natural Movement
Strive to have more low-intensity physical activity every day, such as tending a garden or taking a walk to a friend's house. People living in Blue Zones walk a lot and rarely use cars or public transportation. Not surprisingly, walking is a crucial factor for achieving longevity.
Take More Breaks
Whether they pause from their tasks to say a prayer or take a nap, Blue Zones residents tend to take breaks during the day. These interruptions help them combat stress, rest, and feel fulfilled.
Pay Attention to Eating Habits
Residents of Okinawa, Japan, follow the motto hara hachi bu, which means they stop eating when they feel their stomach is 80% full. Buettner suggests some effective strategies to prevent overeating:
- remove any screens from the dining area
- eat with family
- say a prayer or express gratitude before meals
- plan your calorie intake early in the day
- organize your meals early in the morning to have a lighter dinner.
Of course, what you eat also matters a lot. "An average 20-year-old woman could live about 10 years longer if she followed a Blue Zone-style diet," says Buettner, referring to a diet based on unprocessed foods and including as many plant-based products as possible.
Men can live, on average, 13 years longer if they eat like Blue Zones residents: "Even for a 60-year-old man, six additional years of life expectancy can be taken into account," he explained.
Prioritize Social Relationships
Many long-lived residents gather daily with friends for a coffee, a glass of wine, or a card game. These meetings bring people satisfaction, help them feel happy, active, and fulfilled.
"In Blue Zones," people live longer because they grow their own vegetables and greens, live close to nature, visit their friends' homes, eat with their families, go to church or temple on Sundays, or take it easy, and know their purpose," Buettner summarized the habits of supercentenarians, people who live.
"Their way to eight or ten extra years of life is to be happy. That's what really matters," the expert added.
T.D.