Immortals are only in fictions (so far) and most of us love to have a long life up to 90 or 100 and see the world as long as possible. While some people live healthy even in their late 80s and 90s, some of us suffer from major chronic and non-chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, rheumatic issues etc. Then what is the secret of having a long life without diseases, well at least keeping those diseases away as much as we can?
The scientists say genes play an important role in health but do you know our life style including diet has the same importance as genes in keeping a healthy body for long? Following a particular diet and life style is more common today. Some people become vegans and some use only non-cooked food and so on. But here we discuss a life style called Blue Zones where it helps you to live longer with a happy body.
Actually, Blue Zones are five regions where people are known to live healthier and longer than anywhere else in the world. The name was coined by Dan Buettner, the National Geographic journalist who studied them.
Blue Zones are not in a specific country or continent. They are scattered around the globe and are in Greece, Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, and southern California. But they all follow nine key lifestyle habitats and they are:
- Move naturally
- Have a clear sense of purpose
- Manage stress
- Eat ‘til you’re 80% full
- Consume a plant-based diet
- Drink in moderation
- Be part of a community
- Put family first
- Maintain a fulfilling social life
This may make the fans of meat and fish quiet upset but there are eight more habits for you to follow if you want to live long.
While we think genetics determines our health, let’s read about a study that was published in 1996, where the researchers evaluated 2,872 pairs of Danish twins over a thirty-year period. The studies various genetic and lifestyle factors influencing health and found about 20% of how you live is dictated by your genes, where 80% is all about lifestyle. See?
After this many more studies were conducted and everyone of them pointed out the importance of life style ahead of genes, especially for those aged 65 and above. Means, your health may be influenced by genes at a younger age but it is more influenced by your lifestyle when you grow old.
Nowadays more and more people are adopting Blue Zone principals and many of them are seeing dramatic changes in their health. Some of the results are a 4% decrease in daily stress, up to 14% increase in people who say they’re thriving, and millions of dollars secured for community walking and biking paths. Even if you don’t want to live up to 100 years, still this lifestyle helps you to have a healthy body free from lifestyle diseases.
Now let’s go through each habit that Blue Zone people follow:
Move naturally: This point is very simple. Move like all other species do around us. We have to avoid long hours of sitting before computers or in offices first. If you are interested in work out, find natural ways, not treadmills. Walking, gardening, playing etc. are natural moving.
Have a clear sense of purpose: When we have a purpose for life, it helps hugely to live a complete life. This purpose may not be something higher to achieve but it can be anything like cooking, helping others, parenting, painting etc. The key point is having a purpose.
Manage stress: We can relate this point very well during these pandemic days. Stress always makes our lives problematic and we always need relaxation for smooth living. Stress is a main cause of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity. To reduce stress, you can use various techniques like Yoga, praying, meditation, naps, playing or anything that works.
Eat ‘til you’re 80% full: This simply means don’t eat till you want to throw up. You always have to leave some space in your belly. Also avoiding late night eating is important as your body will be in rest and digestion will not be easy while you are asleep.
Consume a plant-based diet: Some of you may not agree with this point. Even though some of you can’t follow this one rigorously, you can add more plants to your diet. beans, soy, lentils, and grains are some of the plant foods Blue Zoners follow. Eating more green leafy vegetables and seasonal fruits will be great.
Drink in moderation: Drinking alcohol can cause diseases but alcohol is nowadays consumed greatly in almost every society. If you don’t have such a habit, that’s great. But if you have such a habit, try to reduce your intake. People in Blue Zone usually drink only 1-2 glasses per day and avoid wasting in weekends.
Be part of a community: A community doesn’t mean religion or faith, but a group of people who can talk openly is enough. It can be a good friendship with the people of neighbourhood or a group of friends from the public library.
Put your family first: Family life can be very relaxing for most of us. Though usual problems can occur in every family, keeping loved ones together will always give you hope and pleasure.
Maintain a fulfilling social life: This point is almost similar to being part of a community. Humans are social animals and we need socializing. It will help us feel relaxed and connected which will reflect in our body too. Go out and talk with others often, see the world and feel everything around us. It can be very helpful in feeling relaxed, happy and will give you some perception of life itself.
Adapted from an article originally published in www.marksdailyapple.com authored by Erin Power.