29.
Blue Zones
The Longest Living People On Earth Call These Places Home
The so-called “Fountain of Youth” is one of history’s long sought-after mysteries: a legendary bubbling spring that restores a person’s youth if he drinks its water. Spanish conqueror Juan Ponce de Leon, who sailed with Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, is most famous for his search for the fountain.
In his expedition, he would search the coasts of Florida and be the first European to discover the Gulf Coast. Unfortunately, he would die in Havana, Cuba before ever finding the mythical source of everlasting youth.
While most of us don’t believe there’s an actual fountain that spouts magic, life-giving water, the idea of the Fountain of Youth says a lot about our desire to cheat death and live as long as possible on Earth. Despite all of the hardships and minor annoyances, humans seem to enjoy life, and living a long, productive and healthy one is important and meaningful to many.
In his expedition, he would search the coasts of Florida and be the first European to discover the Gulf Coast. Unfortunately, he would die in Havana, Cuba before ever finding the mythical source of everlasting youth.
While most of us don’t believe there’s an actual fountain that spouts magic, life-giving water, the idea of the Fountain of Youth says a lot about our desire to cheat death and live as long as possible on Earth. Despite all of the hardships and minor annoyances, humans seem to enjoy life, and living a long, productive and healthy one is important and meaningful to many.
Your body is a living biological machine. Is it surprising our bodies suffer when we stuff them with inflammatory, chemically destructive diets high in saturated fat and sugar? The literature shows that heart disease and diabetes can often be almost 100% attributed to a lifetime of obesity and poor diet. It has been documented in thousands of trials and scientific studies that the incidence and severity of several major diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s, can be severely restricted by a healthy diet.
Some medicines, aptly nicknamed F ountain of Youth drugs, are making big waves in the pharmaceutical industry, as the company GlaxoSmithKline purchased anti-aging drug developer Sirtris for $720 million in June 2008. The multi-million dollar acquisition of Sirtris shows just how much GlaxoSmithKline, a giant in the pharmaceutical industry, believes in the potential of Fountain of Youth drugs.
Although these drugs may not provide immortality, scientists hope to offer longer life spans for people in the near future.
But some are worried about possible side effects that might come with taking a pill that slows the aging process, and others wonder if the drugs will even work at all. One way to combat old age, they argue, is to study blue zones -- places on Earth where people live longer and healthier lives on an average.
Where are these blue zones, and what are their inhabitants doing to gain a better chance of reaching 90, or even well past the age of 100? Is it medicine, genetics or lifestyle that determines blue zone life expectancy? And is it possible to create your own blue zone, a self-made Fountain of Youth?
Blue Zone is a concept used to identify a demographic and/or geographic area of the world where people live measurably longer lives, as described in Dan Buettner’s book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from people who lived the longest.” The concept grew out of demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, who identified Sardinia’s Nuoro province as the region with the highest concentration of male centenarians. As the two men zeroed in on the cluster of villages with the highest longevity, they drew concentric blue circles on the map and began referring to the area inside the circle as the Blue Zone.
Although these drugs may not provide immortality, scientists hope to offer longer life spans for people in the near future.
But some are worried about possible side effects that might come with taking a pill that slows the aging process, and others wonder if the drugs will even work at all. One way to combat old age, they argue, is to study blue zones -- places on Earth where people live longer and healthier lives on an average.
Where are these blue zones, and what are their inhabitants doing to gain a better chance of reaching 90, or even well past the age of 100? Is it medicine, genetics or lifestyle that determines blue zone life expectancy? And is it possible to create your own blue zone, a self-made Fountain of Youth?
Blue Zone is a concept used to identify a demographic and/or geographic area of the world where people live measurably longer lives, as described in Dan Buettner’s book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from people who lived the longest.” The concept grew out of demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, who identified Sardinia’s Nuoro province as the region with the highest concentration of male centenarians. As the two men zeroed in on the cluster of villages with the highest longevity, they drew concentric blue circles on the map and began referring to the area inside the circle as the Blue Zone.
Especially in America, when we see those rare individuals that actually make it to 90 years old, they are often frail and weak, hunched over in wheelchairs and propped up with countless medications. Not so with the individuals in blue zones. Buettner shows us a man in his 90’s who actually bests him in an arm wrestling match, and this is not just a special case. The individuals who are reaching 90 or even 100 years old in the blue zones are often able to live active, normal, medication free, mostly healthy lives all the way to the very end.
Dan Buettner identifies longevity hotspots in Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and among the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California. He offers an explanation, based on empirical data and first hand observations, as to why these populations live healthier and longer lives.
The five regions identified and discussed by Buettner in the book Blue Zones:
Sardinia, Italy (specifically Nuoro province): One team of demographers found a hot spot of longevity in mountain villages where men reach the age of 100 years at an amazing rate.
The islands of Okinawa, Japan: Another team examined a group that is among the longest lived on Earth.
The five regions identified and discussed by Buettner in the book Blue Zones:
Sardinia, Italy (specifically Nuoro province): One team of demographers found a hot spot of longevity in mountain villages where men reach the age of 100 years at an amazing rate.
The islands of Okinawa, Japan: Another team examined a group that is among the longest lived on Earth.
Buettner has found that those who live long and healthy in the blue zones unanimously live low stress, happy lives enriched with strong family ties, a sense of purpose, and a healthy dose of spirituality, and plenty of sleep. If we are generally happy with our place in life then we behave in ways that promote longevity and health. We are more likely to take good care of our bodies and our bodies are more often flooded with hormones and chemicals associated with happiness and health.
Stress is especially proven through mountains of data and studies to have serious harmful effects on the body. Cortisol, the hormone in our bodies produced in response to stress, is especially harmful to the body.
Those that are living a life constantly full of stress, anger, and resentment have high levels of cortisol constantly flowing in their bodies. The long term effects of this are dramatic, increasing blood pressure, and generally increasing the onset and severity of heart disease and several other major diseases.
Loma Linda, California: Researchers studied a group of Seventh-day Adventists who rank among America’s longevity all-stars.
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula was the subject of research on a Quest Network expedition which began on January 29, 2007.
Icaria, Greece: The April ‘09 expedition to the island of Ikaria uncovered the location with the highest percentage of 90 year-olds on the planet - nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Furthermore, Ikarians have about 80 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia.
Residents of the first three places produce a high rate of centenarians, suffer a fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world, and enjoy more healthy years of life.
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula was the subject of research on a Quest Network expedition which began on January 29, 2007.
Icaria, Greece: The April ‘09 expedition to the island of Ikaria uncovered the location with the highest percentage of 90 year-olds on the planet - nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Furthermore, Ikarians have about 80 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia.
Residents of the first three places produce a high rate of centenarians, suffer a fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world, and enjoy more healthy years of life.
Venn Diagram of Longevity
Venn Diagram of longevity clues from Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda. The Venn diagram at the right highlights the following shared characteristics among the Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda Blue Zones. These are some of the common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity.
Plant-based diet – The majority of food consumed is derived from plants. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are consumed in large quantities in all these places.
Stress free life - People in these zones lead a slow paced and relaxed life style.
Plant-based diet – The majority of food consumed is derived from plants. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are consumed in large quantities in all these places.
Stress free life - People in these zones lead a slow paced and relaxed life style.
Run with the right crowd. “To make yourself healthier, the best thing you can do is to think about the kinds of people you spend time with. If you’re involved with the right kind of people with the right kind of mindset, you get more dependable yourself—you have a reason to get up in the morning, so you’re not out drinking late at night. One of the secrets of longevity is to join social groups and choose hobbies or jobs that lead you naturally to healthier patterns and activities. That’s a gradual but effective way to change yourself.”
Religion - People in these places attend faith based services on a regular basis. They seem to have a spiritual outlook on life.
Dairy - Except in Okinawa, milk, butter and cheese are always present in their diets.
Unhealthy fats are conspicuous by their absence.
Family – Family is put ahead of other concerns.
No smoking – Smoking is not found in large quantities.
Constant moderate physical activity – Moderate physical activity is an inseparable part of life.
Social engagement – People of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities.
Legumes – Legumes and nuts are commonly consumed.
Gardening - Except in Loma Linda, they all have some connection with gardening and cultivation.
Dairy - Except in Okinawa, milk, butter and cheese are always present in their diets.
Unhealthy fats are conspicuous by their absence.
Family – Family is put ahead of other concerns.
No smoking – Smoking is not found in large quantities.
Constant moderate physical activity – Moderate physical activity is an inseparable part of life.
Social engagement – People of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities.
Legumes – Legumes and nuts are commonly consumed.
Gardening - Except in Loma Linda, they all have some connection with gardening and cultivation.
“The secret of good health is to move,” says 88-year-old Hoei Tabaru, who keeps in shape picking vegetables in his garden and by biking through his village on the island of Okinawa. Tabaru, who has never driven a car, hopes modern technology will not transform island life. “The world is too easy today,” he says, “at least for an old man like me.”