meat it is mostly as a side dish and always derived from grass-fed animals, not corn fed. Adventists are spiritual people who strictly observe the Sabbath from Friday to Saturday night, spending time with family, friends, and nature (often taking long hikes in the foothills). As a group, volunteerism is built into their lifestyle, and it is not uncommon for Adventists to be very involved with others who share similar interests.
Clues to healthy longevity from the Blue Zones
So there you have it: While those living in the Blue Zones are endowed with unique, singular characteristics owing to their geography, history, and perhaps genetics, they also share many common denominators that perhaps provide clues to how we can increase healthy longevity.
Most Blue Zoners don’t pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms, but they do move—often and all day long. They also:
…have an ikigai, a purpose and plan for life, a reason to wake up every morning.
…experience little stress, and the stress they do experience they dissipate easily.
…eat whole foods and a plant-based diet as the rule, rather than the exception.
…drink alcohol moderately, maybe one or two glasses of wine per day (preferably wine high in polyphenols, like the red Sardinian Cannonau).
…belong to a faith of some kind, or are spiritual.
…always put family first.
…belong to the “right tribe” (that is, they are involved in a social circle that practices and supports healthy longevity behaviors).
The path to longevity
After reading the above, I know many of you are probably thinking, “How much difference, really, can I make in my longevity if I adopt some of these practices?” “What do I have to do specifically to increase my longevity?” “Is the prescription for adding years to my life realistic, especially if I’m older than a teenager?”
In September’s column I will answer these questions and others. I’ll discuss such issues as biological age—your body’s age, given your habits, current lifestyle, and your healthy life expectancy—and how many accrued years you can expect to gain by making some manageable lifestyle changes.
• Buettner, D., “The Blue Zones, Second Edition: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest,” National Geographic Society (2012).
• Fraser, G.E.; Shavlik, D.J. (2001), “Ten Years of Life: Is it a Matter of Choice?” Archives of Internal Medicine 161(13): 1645–1652.