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Blue Zones: Lessons from the World’S Longest Lived

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Blue Zones: Lessons from the World’S Longest Lived AJLXXX10.1177/1559827616637066American Journal of Lifestyle MedicineAmerican Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 637066research-article2016 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine Sep • Oct 2016 Dan Buettner, BA, and Sam Skemp, BA Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived Abstract: What began as a National lives is dictated by our genes, whereas might explain longevity. They found Geographic expedition, lead by Dan the other 80% is dictated by our that the lifestyles of all Blue Zones Buettner, to uncover the secrets of lifestyle. In 2004, Dan Buettner, residents shared 9 specific longevity, evolved into the discovery of CEO of Blue Zones LLC, was characteristics. These are called the the 5 places around the world where determined to uncover the specific Power 9. people consistently live over 100 years old, dubbed the Blue Zones. Dan and his team of demographers, scientist However, many individuals have and anthropologists were able to distill the evidence-based common the capacity to make it well into denominators of these Blue Zones into 9 commonalities that they call the the early 90s and largely without Power 9. They have since taken these principles into communities across chronic disease. the United States working with policy makers, local businesses, schools and individuals to shape the environments aspects of lifestyle and environment Power 9 of the Blue Zones Project Communities. that led to longevity. By teaming up What has been found is that putting with National Geographic and the To make it to age 100, it seems that a the responsibility of curating a healthy National Institute on Aging, Dan and person must have to win the genetic environment on an individual does his team, found the 5 demographically lottery. However, many individuals have not work, but through policy and confirmed, geographically defined the capacity to make it well into the environmental changes the Blue Zones areas with the highest percentage of early 90s and largely without chronic Project Communities have been able to centenarians (Loma Linda, CA, USA; disease. Blue Zones uncovered 9 increase life expectancy, reduce obesity Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; evidence-based common denominators and make the healthy choice the easy Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; seen in among the world’s centenarians that are choice for millions of Americans. Figure 1). These 5 areas were located believed to slow this aging process. using epidemiological data, statistics, Keywords: Blue Zones; Power 9; Life birth certificates, and other research. 1. Move naturally. The world’s longest- Radius; Vitality Compass; Longevity; These areas were dubbed Blue Zones, lived people do not pump iron, run Health; Dan Buettner where people reach age 100 at 10 marathons, or join gyms. Instead, they times greater rates than in the United live in environments that constantly States. Once these areas were nudge them into moving without established, they sent in a team of thinking about it. They grow gardens he Danish Twin Study1 anthropologists, demographers, and do not have mechanical established that only about 20% epidemiologists, and researchers to conveniences for house and yard Tof how long the average person identify the lifestyle characteristics that work. DOI: 10.1177/1559827616637066. From Blue Zones, LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Address correspondence to: Dan Buettner, BA, Blue Zones, LLC, 80 South 8th Street, STE 1400, Minneapolis, MN 55402; e-mail:[email protected]. For reprints and permissions queries, please visit SAGE’s Web site at http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s) These articles are based on The Annual Conference of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) held November 1-4, 2015, in Nashville, Tennessee—Lifestyle Medicine 2015: Integrating Evidence into Practice. 318 vol. 10 • no. 5 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine Research from the Framingham Figure 1. Studies2 shows that smoking, obesity, Blue Zones (reprinted with permission from Dan Buettner). happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. So the social networks of long-lived people have favorably shaped their health behaviors. Blue Zones Sardinia Located off the coast of Italy, Sardinia is home to the world’s longest-lived men. This community of shepherds walk 5 mountainous miles a day or more. This natural movement provides all the positive cardiovascular benefits you might expect and also has a positive effect on muscle and bone metabolism without the point pounding of running marathons. The classic Sardinian diet is plant based, consisting of whole-grain 2. Purpose. The Okinawans call it Ikigai 6. Wine @ 5. People in all Blue Zones bread, beans, garden vegetables, and and the Nicoyans call it plan de vida; (except Adventists) drink alcohol fruits. Meat is largely reserved for for both, it translates to “why I wake moderately and regularly. Moderate Sundays and special occasions. up in the morning.” Knowing your drinkers outlive nondrinkers. The Sardinians drink wine moderately. sense of purpose is worth up to 7 trick is to drink 1 to 2 glasses per day Cannonau wine has 2 or 3 times the years of extra life expectancy. (preferably Sardinian Cannonau level of artery-scrubbing flavonoids as 3. Downshift. Even people in the Blue wine), with friends and/or with food. other wines. Moderate wine consumption Zones experience stress. Stress leads to And no, you cannot save up all week may help explain the lower levels of chronic inflammation, associated with and have 14 drinks on Saturday. stress among men. every major age-related disease. What 7. Belong. All but 5 of the 263 the world’s longest-lived people have centenarians interviewed belonged to Okinawa that others do not are routines to shed some faith-based community. Home to the world’s longest-lived that stress. Okinawans take a few Denomination does not seem to women, these South Pacific islands offer moments each day to remember their matter. Research shows that attending many secrets to longevity. The Okinawa ancestors; Adventists pray; Ikarians take faith-based services 4 times per tradition of forming a moai provides secure a nap; and Sardinians do happy hour. month will add 4 to 14 years of life social networks. These safety nets lend 4. 80% Rule. Hara hachi bu—the expectancy. financial and emotional support in times of Okinawan 2500-year old Confucian 8. Loved ones first. Successful need and give their members the stress- mantra said before meals reminds centenarians in the Blue Zones put shedding security of knowing there is them to stop eating when their their families first. This means keeping always someone there for them. In stomachs are 80% full. The 20% gap aging parents and grandparents Okinawa, at age 5, children are put into between not being hungry and nearby or in the home (it lowers these committed social networks. One feeling full could be the difference disease and mortality rates of children specific moai that Dan discovered had between losing weight or gaining it. in the home too.). They commit to a been together for 97 years; the average age People in the Blue Zones eat their life partner (which can add up to 3 of the group is 102. They meet every day to smallest meal in the late afternoon or years of life expectancy) and invest in drink sake and gossip. If one of them does early evening, and then, they do not their children with time and love. not show up, the other 4 put on their eat any more the rest of the day. (They’ll be more likely to care for kimonos to walk across the village to check 5. Plant slant. Beans, including fava, aging parents when the time comes.) on their friend. Okinawans also attribute black, soy, and lentils, are the 9. Right tribe. The world’s longest lived their longevity to the old Confucian mantra cornerstone of most centenarian diets. people chose—or were born said before meals Hara Hachi Bu, which Meat—mostly pork—is eaten on into—social circles that supported reminds them to stop eating when 80% full, average only 5 times per month. healthy behaviors, Okinawans created so they do not overeat. They also hold a Serving sizes are 3 to 4 oz, about the moais—groups of 5 friends that strong sense of purpose in their family. size of a deck of cards. committed to each other for life. One centenarian described the feeling of 319 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine Sep • Oct 2016 holding her great great great grandchild as “Jumping into heaven.” Figure 2. Loma Linda Life radius (reprinted with permission from Dan Buettner). This Adventist community in California outlives the average American by a decade. Taking their diet directly from the Bible they consume a vegan diet of leafy greens, nuts, and legumes. They recognize the Sabbath and downshift for 24 hours every week. Many of the Adventists are still very active into their late 90s; Dr Ellsworth Wareham, who is 95 years old, was told that a contractor wanted $6000 to build a privacy fence in his yard. Instead of paying the contractor he decided to do it himself. After 3 days of work he ended up in the hospital, but Ellsworth was not on the table, he was the surgeon performing the open-heart surgery, one of 20 surgeries performed that month. Similarly, Marge Jetton age 105 woke up People who nap regularly have up to have dropped by 70%. It is clear that every morning at 5:30 AM read her Bible, 35% lower chances of dying from heart there is no quick fix, but there must be had a breakfast of slow cook oatmeal, disease. It may be because napping small changes to the environment to see nuts, and dates with soymilk and a prune lowers stress hormones or rests the heart.
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