Do you want to live longer? It might be easier than you think, according to Netflix’s Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.
What Are Blue Zones?
Blue Zones, as the documentary explains, are parts of the world where people live the longest lives — and even reach 100 fairly often. In Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, author and journalist Dan Buettner visits Blue Zones.
According to his research and interviews with centenarians, the secrets to living to 100 years old — while still being mobile and enjoying life to the fullest — are a lot more achievable for the average person than you might think.
In The Blue Zones, Outlook Is Everything
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There are four major tips that Dan Buettner found to be consistent in all five blue zones he visited — Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; Ikaria, Greece, and Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula — that could help you add years to your life.
The first one is life purpose. All the elderly people in the five blue zones had something in their lives that made them want to get up in the morning. They also had a higher power and gave themselves time to unwind and practice self-care.
The people of Okinawa, Japan have a term called “ikigai,” which roughly translates to “reason for being.”
A person’s ikigai doesn’t have to be anything too intense — it can be as simple as tending to your garden every day or whittling figurines out of wood. It could be writing songs or working as a crossing guard to help people get across the street safely.
In Loma Linda, California, the Seventh-Day Adventist community gets much-needed relaxation time on the Sabbath, or Saturday, when all they do is take it easy. In Nicoya, Costa Rica, the workday ends in the early afternoon, and friends gather at the local bar to drink, dance, and laugh together.
Across all of the blue zones was some type of faith or religion, though they were all different. The people of Sardinia go to church just about every day. In Okinawa, Japan, one man described praying every day for the continued safety of his loved ones.
The faith component of the blue zones can be entirely of one’s choosing: the point is having something to believe in that comforts you in hard times, no matter what it is.
You Don’t Need a Gym to Get Exercise
One fascinating thing that was also true across the blue zones was that the majority of elderly people got their exercise through natural movement during their day, rather than at the gym.
In Sardinia, the elderly people walk uphill to church on cobblestone streets. That results in more lower body strength, which prevents them from falling and breaking bones. In Okinawa, elderly people get natural exercise by tending to their gardens and getting up and down from the floor often throughout the day.
In Nicoya, Costa Rica, a man named Ramiro Guadamuz was still riding horses and chopping wood every day at age 100.
It was also common in Nicoya for people to grind their own masa on a stone and then make the dough for tortillas using a hand crank. They used their muscles by doing mundane, daily tasks involving manual labor rather than getting on the treadmill.
Plus, the fact that Nicoya is among the poorest regions of Costa Rica also shows that people can live a long time even without great wealth.
Everybody Needs Friends
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The third common thing throughout all the blue zones is a sense of community. Centenarians in the blue zones put a high value on spending time with family, long-lasting romantic partnerships, and surrounding themselves with friends who partake in meaningful experiences together.
In Sardinia, nursing homes are very uncommon — elderly people often live with their family members. The result is a beneficial exchange for both parties. The young take care of the old and help them live longer by preventing loneliness, while the old pass on their wisdom and help look after the children.
In Okinawa, many elderly people have small groups called “moais” made up of friends who help each other through hard times. They regularly meet to play games and do other hobbies together.
In Loma Linda, elderly people join choirs and play sports together. In Ikaria, Greece, people regularly gather to eat dinner, drink local, naturally made wine, play music, and dance.
The resulting longevity of their communities shows that having a tight-knit group of friends you can lean on is invaluable.
Plant-Based Eating Is Beneficial
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Another hallmark of the blue zones is a healthy diet made up of mostly plant-based foods and a culture of intuitive eating. In Loma Linda, most of the Seventh-Day Adventist community is either vegetarian or vegan and they shop at health food stores that have plenty of plant-based options and natural dietary supplements.
In Sardinia, a staple food is minestrone soup, which is made up of beans and vegetables. In Okinawa, a staple food is purple sweet potatoes. In Ikaria and Sardinia, much of their produce is local, and it’s common to drink wine that contains locally sourced minerals, unlike the mass-produced wines found in most American grocery stores.
Overall, the four main tips for living longer are eating well, getting natural movement throughout each day, spending quality time with friends and family, and having a purpose in life.
All four episodes of Live to 100: Secrets of The Blue Zones are now streaming on Netflix. And please follow us for more stories like this.
Main Image: Dan Buettner in Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones courtesy of Netflix
