Page 48 - Tracy Anderson Magazine | Spring 2021 Issue
P. 48

where the majority of residents work on a farm, so these   becomes a social opportunity that amplifies their health
                                                                                                                                          people spend most of their days on their feet. It’s no wonder   and well-being.
                                                                                                                                          that Sardinia has the highest concentration of centenarian
                                                                                                                                          men. Some other ways that residents in the Blue Zones stay   5. Sense of purpose
                                                                                                                                          active are gardening, climbing mountains or stairs, walking,   Whether it’s a job, a hobby, or an activity, these long-liv-
                                                                                                                                          cooking, and cleaning.                          ing people have something fulfilling and meaningful that
                                                                                                                                                                                          gets them out of bed in the morning. They prioritize expe-
                                                                                                                                          This constant movement prevents a sedentary lifestyle,   riences that bring them joy. A 2016 study on Blue Zones in
                                                                                                                                          which is associated with chronic diseases. Those who get   the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that having a
                                                                                                                                          the recommended amount of exercise every day have a 20   sense of purpose adds seven years to your life.
                                                                                                                                          percent lower risk of death, according to a 2015 study in
                                                                                                                                          JAMA Internal Medicine.                         6. Stress management
                                                                                                                                                                                          No one is immune to stress, but centenarians who live
                                                                                                                                          Most of this steady movement is done outdoors in the sun-  in Blue Zones respond to stress in a sustainable way. For
                                                                                                                                          shine, and soaking up vitamin D is correlated with a re-  example, residents of Okinawa, Japan, practice a medi-
                                                                                                                                          duced risk of depression, heart disease, and diabetes.  tative form of exercise called tai chi, and the longest-liv-
                                                                                                                                                                                          ing women reside on these Japanese islands. Some other
                                                                                                                                          2. Plant-based meals                            ways that these individuals manage their stress levels are
                                                                                                                                          Centenarians in the Blue Zones follow a 95 percent plant-  praying, napping, meditating, socializing, and attending
                                                                                                                                          based diet. They rely on fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes,   a happy hour.
                                                                                                                                          fish, whole grains, nuts, and seeds for fuel, which is a diet
                                                                                                                                          full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The British Medical As-  Because stress leads to chronic inflammation and chronic
                                                                                                                                          sociation found that diets rich in plants are associated with   diseases, those who live in Blue Zones are more likely to
                                                                                                                                          lower rates of cancer and heart disease. Residents of Ikaria,   live longer without stress consuming their lives.
                                                                                                                                          Greece, eat a Mediterranean diet, and they have the lowest   7. Faith-based communities
                                                                                                                                          rates of dementia and mortality in the world, according to
                 100 YEARS TO LIVE                                                                                                        National Geographic.                            Blue Zones are typically religious communities that believe
                                                                                                                                                                                          in a higher power and practice their faith. Regardless of the
                                                                                                                                          Individuals in Blue Zones also limit their intake of animal
                                                                                                                                          products to about five times per month. Limiting meat con-  type of religion, attending a faith-based service once a week
                                                                                                                                                                                          adds anywhere from four to 14 years to your life. Those
                                            Lessons we can learn from centenarians.                                                       sumption decreases your risk of death from heart disease or   who belong to communities of faith tend to feel more social
                                                                                                                                          cancer, according to a 2016 study in JAMA Internal Medicine.   support and less depressed, based on a 2016 study in JAMA
                                                                                                                                          Those who live in Sardinia follow a low-protein diet, and   Internal Medicine.
                                                                                                                                          they demonstrate lower rates of diabetes, cancer, and pre-
                                                                                                                                          mature death.                                   8. Tight-knit families
                So many of us are on the hunt to unlock the fountain of   Greece; and Okinawa, Japan, were the areas with the larg-                                                       Family is everything to centenarians in the Blue Zone re-
                youth and the secret to a life of health and happiness. There   est population of centenarians.                           3. Mindful eating                               gions. A single household usually consists of parents, chil-
                are numerous beauty, skincare, and clothing products on                                                                   Not only do centenarians in Blue Zones eat good-quality   dren, and grandparents, so these long-living individuals sur-
                the market that promise youth and vitality, but there’s   The centenarians who live in these regions are a prime ex-      food, but they also eat their meals in a slow and mindful   round themselves with loved ones. People from these areas
                nothing as effective at slowing down the aging process as   ample of aging successfully and healthily without age-re-     way that guarantees satisfaction. They eat until they feel 80   usually get married and have children, which fills their lives
                the habits that we practice on a daily basis.  lated diseases afflicting them because they follow physical,               percent full, so they listen to their body’s cues until they   with love, joy, empathy, and meaningful relationships.
                                                               mental, social, and spiritual practices that boost their vital-            feel satisfied, not overly stuffed. This way of eating prevents
                Although genetics is a piece of the puzzle, lifestyle has a   ity.                                                        weight gain, which leads to chronic diseases. In a 2017 study   9. Healthy social circles
                greater impact on the quality and length of your life. The                                                                in Nature Communications, eating 30 percent fewer calories   Although personal habits are more important than geo-
                Danish twin study published in Human Genetics found that   Getting older is inevitable, but what if we could prolong      than normal is linked to longevity.             graphical regions when determining your lifespan, cente-
                determining a person’s lifespan is 20 percent genetics and   our lives and live past 100 years old? By following the life-                                                narians live in communities of people who practice healthy
                80 percent lifestyle. So longevity lies in your own hands.  style practices of centenarians, we could enhance our life    4. Moderate drinking                            behaviors. A 2007 study in the  New England Journal of
                                                               satisfaction, well-being, and longevity. Here are nine com-                In addition to moderate calorie consumption, these indi-  Medicine discovered that smoking, obesity, happiness, and
                Take the Blue Zones, for example. These five geograph-  monalities of centenarians who live in the Blue Zones.            viduals drink a slight amount of alcohol on a regular basis.   loneliness are contagious, so the Blue Zone communities
                ical areas around the world have the highest percentage                                                                   They don’t deprive themselves, but they don’t binge-drink,   reinforce one another’s behaviors.
                of individuals who live more than 100 years while exhib-  1. Natural movement                                             so their approach is balanced. Drinking moderately is cor-
                iting low rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obe-  Individuals who live in the Blue Zones make natural,         related with lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholester-  From nourishing their bodies with plants to staying consis-
                sity, and cancer. After spending a decade researching the   low-intensity, and consistent movement a part of their ev-  Joey Kyber, courtesy pexels.com  ol, and mortality, and better quality sleep, based on a 2015   tently active to spending time with loved ones, centenarians
                world’s oldest and healthiest people, author and National   eryday lives without adding pressure, force, or anxiety.      study in the American Journal of Hypertension.  follow healthy habits that you too can replicate for a health-
                Geographic explorer Dan Buettner found that Loma Lin-                                                                                                                     ier, happier, and longer life. ■
                da, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria,   For instance, Sardinia is a mountainous island in Italy    Blue Zone residents typically enjoy one or two glasses of
                                                                                                                                          antioxidant-rich red wine with friends and family, so it



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