"The secret to longevity, as I see it, has less to do with diet, or even exercise, and more to do with the environment in which a person lives: social and physical. What do I mean by this? They live rewardingly inconvenient lives". -Dan Buettner.

Throughout time, people have sought the secrets to a longer and healthier life - be it a magic pill that provides all the required daily nutrients or the Fountain of Youth. However, in Western society, we have a high prevalence of chronic disease. Some root causes identified are stress, the Standard American Diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. In the preventative healthcare arena, significant offerings are available to improve the quality of life. Diets, exercise equipment, supplements, and prescription medications - the choices are vast, varied, and can be overwhelming. However, some of the best lessons learned come from those who have lived the longest.

After years of research, author and explorer Dan Buettner released his National Geographic cover story, The Secrets of Long Life, in 2005. In collaboration with other noted researchers, the group identified five areas globally with a higher percentage of centenarians, nonagenarians, and octogenarians (those who live to or past the age of 100, 90, and 80, respectively). They called these areas The Blue Zones in Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; and Ikaria, Greece. In 2008, Buettner published the groundbreaking book The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the people who’ve lived the longest (National Geographic, 2008). Through years of research, interviews, and meal participation, this group identified nine common areas across all five groups. Today's post will list what Buettner et al. discovered. Subsequent posts will individually highlight each finding.

The following lifestyle habits are what Dan terms The Blue Zones Power 9 (National Geographic, 2021).

1.    Move Naturally

2.    Purpose

3.    Downshift

4.    80 Percent Rule

5.    Plant Slant

6.    Wine @ 5

7.    Belong

8.    Loved Ones First

9.    Right Tribe

Enjoy the journey towards an improved quality of life in the coming weeks. Until next time -

Namaste,

Tim

References

Buettner, D. (2012). The Blue Zones (2nd ed.). 9 Lessons For Living Longer from the People who've lived the longest. Washington, DC: National Geographic.

Buettner, D. (2021). The Blue Zones Challenge. A 4-Week Plan for a Longer, Better Life. Washington, DC: National Geographic.