The Blue Zones: Learning from the World's 5 Longevity Hotspots Part 3
“Recently I’ve been hearing about the “Blue Zones”—regions of the world that have the highest rates of centenarians in the world. What are their secrets, and how can I incorporate them into my lifestyle? ”
Dear Eager to Make Healthy Changes,
Over the past two weeks we dove into learning about the 9 core lifestyle habits of the world’s happiest and healthiest centenarians—those living in the Blue Zones. A quick recap of the first 6 habits:
Move Naturally
Hara Hachi Bu
Plant Slant
Drink Red Wine (in moderation!)
Purpose Now
Downshift
In today’s post, I will be covering the final three pillars of the Power Nine. As with each of the habits listed above, these are things you can begin incorporating today for a longer, healthier, and more meaningful life.
Lesson 7: Belong
In each of the 5 Blue Zones, people’s strong sense of community is often tied to some form of spirituality. “Spirituality” doesn’t necessarily have to be part of a fixed religious belief—it could also be a set of common rituals, physical practices, and ways to relieve stress.
If you’re already part of a religious community, consider taking a more active role. The health benefits may be more tied to how you attend rather than just the fact that you attend. Read about this research study to learn more about the positive health outcomes associated with practicing religion or spirituality.
If you don’t have a particular religious faith, commit to trying a new faith community and just go! Schedule an hour a week for the next 8 weeks to attend religious services of some sort. Studies show that spirituality may enhance your well-being and sense of hope, optimism, meaning, purpose, and gratitude.
“People who pay attention to their spiritual side have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, stress, and suicide, and their immune systems seem to work better...to a certain extent, adherence to a religion allows them to relinquish the stresses of everyday life to a higher power.” –Dan Buettner
Lesson 8: Loved Ones First
The family plays a special and central role in all 5 Blue Zones. Elders are highly respected and are expected to provide help and guidance to younger generations, which gives them a strong sense of purpose.
Try establishing more family rituals such as gathering together for a meal (even if it has to be via FaceTime or Zoom due to COVID!).
Emulate the Okinawans and create a family “shrine” to serve as a constant reminder that you are connected to something bigger than just yourself. Pick a special place to display pictures of your loved ones.
Begin putting family first by investing more time in your family members, especially grandchildren. Research shows that nurturing these relationships is central to our well-being.
Lesson 9: Right Tribe
A strong sense of belonging and community contributes to longevity in the Blue Zones. Making an effort to cultivate close friendships and meaningful social networks is one of the very best things you can do for your health and well-being.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which studied participants for nearly 80 years, found that the quality of our relationships has a profoundly powerful influence on our health. In fact, close relationships are a better predictor of longevity and health than genes, IQ, or socioeconomic class.
A sense of safety and social cohesion also has profound effects on your health, because it impacts stress levels and therefore affect your telomeres. A 2016 study found that women who feel stuck in an unsafe neighborhood tend to have shorter telomeres, which leads to faster cellular aging.
Go through your address book and commit to spending at least 30 minutes a day with someone close to you. Take a walk together, share a meal, or even just catch up over the phone. Although investing time and energy into these relationships requires effort, it is well worth the investment.
I would also highly recommend reading The Blue Zones Solution by Dan Buettner for more in-depth information about each of the Blue Zones as well as many recipes you can try at home.
Sources
The Blue Zones Solution by Dan Buettner
The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest