The world’s blue zones: Where people live the longest

Have you ever heard of a blue zone?

Blue zones are regions in the world where people are claimed to live longer than average. These regions are associated with lower rates of chronic diseases and a longer life expectancy. These populations have the highest number of centenarians. There are five known blue zones: Okinawa, Japan; Icaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, Calif. To me, it is not so important that one lives 100 years or more. It’s the quality of those years that matter.

Once we reach a higher age, we should be able to enjoy those years with quality and continued purpose. By the way, many of these regions are not economically rich, but rather rich in faith, sense of community and sense of purpose. Money doesn’t necessarily mean you will be healthier. We really need to look at why these regions are so healthy. And it’s not because they are buying the latest and greatest medical devices.

If you look at these areas in depth, there are several common themes you will see. One more obvious theme is that these locations are not located too far from the equator and they get a lot of sunlight for the majority of the year. Most of these regions have citizens with adequate levels of vitamin D, which is cornerstone to great health in my opinion.

It doesn’t surprise me that these locations are all located near a large body of water (ocean). Perhaps it’s the natural properties of the ocean and natural food sources found there? Maybe it’s the stress relief? I don’t know…. but I do know its probably not a coincidence that these locations are all surrounded by an ocean.

Let’s see what the study of these areas also have in common. One common theme is that the citizens of these zones are very active.

Television, electronics and sedentary desk jobs are hard to find in these regions.

Citizens usually walk to their destinations and walk in the mountainous terrain wherever they are going. They keep moving. The vast majority of these citizens tended to their own gardens, walked to the grocery store and went on walks on various terrains.

Food is key. All of these zones have whole foods as part of their diet. Very little to no processed foods can be found here. They eat from the soil, the waterways and consume natural honey and wines grown locally. Most of these zones actually drink wine in moderation, but it is part of their culture. This wine has no preservatives or additives. Bread also has no preservatives. Olive oils are made without preservatives and additives and are a common part of diet.

Many of the people researched in these zones follow the 80% rule. When they feel their stomach is 80%, full they stop eating and they eat their lightest meal of the day in the evening.

Stress relief is important to the cultures of these blue zones. Mediation, prayer, nap time, deep breathing and beach time are all a part of daily life in these areas.

I would venture to say that these cultures view work as “we work to live” not “we live to work.”

The vast majority of these zones don’t have people that work over 40 hours. Now they may work on their own land more than that time, but that work is good for the soul!

They don’t live lavish lifestyles with fancy material items and possessions, but they have the necessities of life and enjoy their time with the ones they surround themselves with, which leads me to the next commonality: sense of community and family.

All of the research performed on these zones surveyed the people and asked what was most important in keeping them healthy. They strongly felt that a sense of community and a family unit was vital to a healthy longevity. All of these zones have communities that help one another, enjoy festivities together and spend time with one another. Many of the family structures were unique in the fact that grandparents physically lived in the same household as the rest of their immediate family.

One could infer that if you are in your 80s and 90s and are hanging around people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, you probably will stay more active than if you lived with someone your exact age.

The family unit looks out for one another and gets things done together as well.

People who feel alone or are by themselves tend to have more health issues. When one is not interacting with others, mental and cognitive decline occurs, which is why we see higher instances of Alzheimer’s and dementia in these populations. We also see studies that show poorer cardiovascular health associated with loneliness and an increased risk to abuse drugs or alcohol.

Last but not least, these zones had people of faith.

Many of the centenarians put an emphasis on their faith being a vital part of their life. In my opinion, knowing God adds years to your life because there is hope in knowing that we are saved and will experience everlasting life to the fullest. Having faith gives one a sense of purpose and having purpose is also vital to a healthy lifestyle.

The study and research of these zones should provide some insight on how these people go about daily life. I have heard many people say “Why would I want to live to 100?” And my answer to that is it’s not about the years, it’s about the quality of those years. If one has a sense of purpose, faith, community, family, physical and mental health, etc., I would then ask that person, “Why wouldn’t I want to live to 100?”

To your health, (στην υγεία σου),

Emilio Galis is the owner of Elite PT and Wellness LLC located at 638 Rostraver Road, Suite 104, Belle Vernon, Pa. Dr. Galis and his staff accept most major insurance plans and have affordable cash rates for wellness services. They can be reached at 724-243-3728.