Blue Zone Living Tips

What do Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy and Loma Linda, California have in common? They’re some of the world’s “blue zones” — regions where people routinely live to be 100. Researchers have studied these centenarian communities to better understand the factors that influence wellness and longevity. These are the lessons we can learn from their way of life.

Well Eating

Stop before you’re stuffed. On average, “blue zoners” eat until their stomachs are 80 percent full. Give yourself time to feel full by stopping halfway through meals and drinking a tall glass of water. Get up from the table, too — simply removing yourself from your meal can help curb your tendency to overeat.

Don’t spend your calories all in one place. Dinner is often the smallest meal of the day in the blue zones. Many Americans do just the opposite, skipping breakfast and even lunch to make room for that second and third helping of dinner. Instead, eat a small, protein-packed breakfast (one hard-boiled egg or one cup of plain Greek yogurt) and a larger but still lean meal for lunch.

Don’t make meat the main attraction. Meat tends to claim the most real estate on our plates. Not so in the blue zones. In fact, their residents eat meat only five times a month on average, in portions of just three or four ounces. Their preferred source of protein? Beans and legumes. Top your lunch salad with chickpeas or warm up on cool nights with homemade three-bean vegetarian chili.

The Mediterranean diet is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and protect against chronic diseases. But not everyone around the Mediterranean eats alike. For a more targeted form of this popular diet, consider the island of Ikaria, a blue zone off the coast of Greece. Staples of the Ikarian diet include black-eyed peas, goat’s milk, honey, lemons, lentils, sage and wild greens.

Well Doing

Make life your exercise. One surprising fact about blue zoners is that they don’t set aside time for exercise at all. Rather, they fill up their time with hobbies that require exertion — especially gardening. This integrated approach to physical activity is more sustainable because it doesn’t really feel like exercise. One study found gardeners were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than their gardenless neighbors, enjoying a prolonged lifespan as a result.

Run errands, or at least walk them. Most blue-zone neighborhoods are highly walkable. Residents will often walk down the street to get their groceries, grab dinner or visit friends. Try to identify at least one weekly task you could accomplish by walking rather than driving.

Move vertically. In Sardinia, Italy, most residents live in narrow, multistory homes, which require them to climb stairs frequently throughout the day. Adding gravity to the exercise equation better conditions your cardiovascular system and strengthens your glute muscles, which are essential to long-term mobility.

Well Being

Surround yourself with nature. A leisurely walk in the woods can cause a significant drop in cortisol levels, according to research published in 2011. In many blue zones, nature is embedded in daily life through farming. If you have an office job, bring nature to you with oxygen-producing indoor plants. According to NASA researchers, the best air-purifying houseplants include peace lily, marginata, bamboo palm, gerbera daisy and warnecki.

Find your moai. In Okinawa, Japan, people maintain a moai, a group of five friends who are committed to one another for life. Identify the people in your life who make you feel most valued and supported, and invest the majority of your energy in those relationships.

Carve out quiet time. The large religious community in Loma Linda, California, sets aside one day a week to rest and reflect. Fitting downtime in your schedule prevents stress buildup and replenishes energy.

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