The people inhabiting Blue Zones share common lifestyle
characteristics that contribute to their longevity. The Venn diagramat the right highlights the
following six shared characteristics among the people of Okinawa, Sardinia, and
Loma Linda Blue Zones:[8]
·
Family – put ahead of
other concerns
·
Less smoking
·
Semi-vegetarianism –
except for the Sardinian diet, the majority of food consumed is derived from
plants
·
Constant
moderate physical activity –
an inseparable part of life
·
Social engagement –
people of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities
·
Legumes – commonly consumed
Buettner in his book provide a list of nine lessons, covering
the lifestyle of blue zones people:[9]
1.
Moderate,
regular physical activity.
2.
Life purpose.
3.
Stress reduction.
5.
Plant-based diet.
6.
Moderate alcohol
intake, especially wine.
7.
Engagement in spirituality or religion.
8.
Engagement in family
life.
9.
Engagement in social
life.
Sardinia, a large island in the Mediterranean Sea, has nearly 2,000km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous interior popular for hiking. Its rugged landscape is dotted with thousands of “nuraghi” – ruins of mysterious Bronze-age stone structures shaped like beehives. The southern capital, Cagliari, has a medieval quarter called Castello, with narrow streets, 14th-century palaces and a 13th-century cathedral.
The islands of Okinawa, Japan: another team examined a group that is among the longest-lived on Earth.
Okinawa has been a critical strategic location for the United States Armed Forces since the end of World War II. The island hosts around 26,000 US military personnel, about half of the total complement of the United States Forces Japan, spread among 32 bases and 48 training sites. US bases in Okinawa played critical roles in the Korean War,Vietnam War, War in Afghanistan and Iraq War. The presence of the US military in Okinawa has caused political controversy both on the island and elsewhere in Japan.[3]
The island's population is known as one of the longest living people in the world,[4][5] in fact, there are 34 centenarians per 100,000 people, which is more than three times the rate of mainland Japan.
Loma Linda, California: researchers studied a group of Seventh-day Adventists who rank among North America's longevity all-stars.
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: the peninsula was the subject of research on a Quest Network expedition which began on January 29, 2007
Icaria, Greece: an April 2009 study on 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 20 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia.
Eating to Break 100
1 comment:
Each class gets better and better. Thanks Sharlotte. You give so much.
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