Tips from the “Blue Zones”

How can we live long, healthy and happy lives like the people in the Blue Zones?

Have you seen the Netflix show “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones”? 📺

In this four-part documentary, Dan Buettner visits the places in the world that have been classified as “blue zones” - the areas where people live the longest lives (significantly longer than the global average).

These places are Nuoro Province, Sardinia; Icaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, USA.

I found it amazing to see so many people aged 90 years+ living active, healthy and happy lives without any major health issues.

By visiting these areas and speaking to the locals, Dan was able to identify several common factors contributing to the longevity and overall wellbeing of the people living in these regions:

🥗 Diet
In blue zones, people typically consume plant-based diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, with some communities eating small amounts of fish, eggs and dairy (from sheep or goat's milk, not cows).
The food they eat is nutrient-dense, unprocessed, seasonal and local (often grown in their own gardens).

🚶🏿‍♂️ Physical Activity
Regular, incidental movement is a fundamental aspect of life in blue zones. Instead of structured exercise routines or visiting the gym, people stay physically fit through walking (often up hills), gardening, and household chores.

👨‍👩‍👦 Social Connections
All of the elderly people interviewed had strong social networks and close-knit communities, including regular opportunities to interact with their families.

😊 Purposeful Living
Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life is common among people in blue zones. Whether through work, family, or other activities, they have a reason to wake up in the morning, which promotes mental and emotional wellbeing.

🧘🏼 Stress Management
Blue zone residents practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, prayer or just taking regular breaks to unwind. Managing stress is considered essential for longevity.

How can WE embrace the principles of the Blue Zones and live long and happy lives?

🏝 We may not live on an idyllic remote Greek island (I wish!) but we could all take steps to live longer and healthier lives by adopting a few of the habits of the blue zones 🌟

🥩 Eat less meat - try to have 1-2 meat-free days each week (preferably more!).

🥗 Increase your intake of plant foods, e.g. fruit, vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils, peas), nuts, seeds and whole grains. Did you know that eating 30 different plant foods each week will give you a super healthy gut microbiome as well as dramatically reducing your risk of chronic disease?

🚶🏻‍♀️ Incorporate more incidental exercise into your daily routine, e.g. walking instead of driving where possible, taking the stairs instead of the lift, hanging the washing on the line instead of using the dryer, and not always looking for the closest parking spot!

🥤 Avoid processed foods and refined sugar, e.g. cakes, biscuits, soft drink, lollies, ice cream, chips.

👫 Make an effort to regularly connect with friends and family, preferably in person if possible.

🌳 Spend time in nature - even if it’s just eating your lunch outside, instead of at your desk.

🧘‍♀️ Try to reduce stress wherever possible (tricky one this, I know) - try spending 5-10 minutes each day doing breathing exercises, stretches or using a meditation app.

🎯 Live with purpose - clarify your "why" and set personal goals based on what is important to you and what you would like to get out of life.

𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩?

I’m going to focus on trying to eat 30 different plant foods each week 🥬🌶

Even though my diet is very healthy, I often eat the same fruit, vegetables and grains on repeat (mainly because they're the ones the rest of the family will eat!🤷‍♀️). I have to say that I’ve never tried counting the different types of plant foods I eat but I know how important diversity is in terms of building healthy gut bacteria and maximising nutrient intake so I’m keen to give it a go! 👍