their secret?
This study of the world’s healthiest long-lived people teaches us there is not one secret, but rather many factors that contribute to aging well. While one woman credits her health and longevity to a strict vegetarian diet and yoga, a man attributes his vitality to hard work and a daily Scotch; still another person believes strong faith and family ties are key. There are, of course, some common denominators among these remarkable people, who have not only managed to live long lives, but fulfilling, purposeful lives.
In the end, our life span is determined by a combination of factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices. But is longevity really the most important issue? As Steven N. Austad, Ph.D., author of Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering About the Human Body’s Journey Through Life states: “The question is—and here’s where I think the best health practices are really important—if you live to be 100 years old, what sort of 100-year-old are you going to be?” Aging and many of its effects are unavoidable, but how we plan for and handle these changes are up to each of us.
Nine Lessons from the Blue Zones
Although the Blue Zones are distinctly different areas scattered around the world—Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya, Costa Rica—they have something in common: they are home to the world’s longest-lived people. More importantly, these people live healthy, active lives well into their 90s and 100s. They manage to live longer and better, not through medical intervention or miracle cures, but with these simple everyday habits:
• Regular physical activity—They don’t run marathons or do power lifting, but they do engage in daily low-intensity physical activity, such as walking and gardening, which is often part of their work or lifestyle.
• Calorie reduction—Though the menu is different in each Blue Zone, they all consume fewer daily calories than many other parts of the word. They don’t “go on diets,” but naturally eat less—and what they do eat is leaner. Okinawans stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full, which is a way of eating mindfully.
• Less meat and processed food—Most centenarians in these Blue Zones never had the chance to develop a taste for processed food because it was not available. Meat was also a luxury, which was eaten only occasionally. As a result, their diets consist primarily of beans and tofu, whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
• Red wine in moderation—Studies show that drinking a glass of beer, wine, or spirits each day can provide health benefits. Red wine in particular contains polyphenols that may help fight arteriosclerosis (clogged arteries) and boost antioxidants.
• Purposeful living—The people in each Blue Zone have a strong sense of purpose or reason for getting up every morning. In another study, individuals who had a clear goal in life lived longer and stayed mentally sharper than those who did not. Your purpose could be a job or hobby, children or grandchildren, or learning something new, which has the added bonus of exercising your brain.
• Stress relief—Each of these cultures has a regular way of reducing stress, from taking a break every afternoon to rest and socialize with friends, to family nature walks and meditation. Reducing stress lessens chronic inflammation that damages the body.
• Spiritual connections—Studies indicate that those who attend religious services or practice their faith have a longer life expectancy. It doesn’t matter what faith or spiritual practice you engage in, as long as you connect regularly. Spiritual connections lower rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, stress, and suicide and boost the immune system. In addition, those who attend church are more likely to adopt other healthful behaviors.
• Family first—Blue Zone centenarians build their lives around family—familial duty, ritual, and togetherness. Even work is seen as something you do for your family. In return, their children and grandchildren love and care for them as they grow old. With the help of their families, these elders eat healthier, have lower levels of stress, and suffer fewer accidents. They also exhibit sharper mental and social skills.
• Shared communities—It makes sense that people who practice healthy habits are more likely to stick to those habits when they are surrounded by others who do the same. In addition, social connectedness is strongly linked to longevity. A positive social network can relieve stress and boost happiness, as well as provide both mental and physical support.
Source: Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones (National Geographic Society, 2008).
“Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.”
—KITTY O’NEILL COLLINS
The Miracle of You
On a balmy spring evening, Agnes sat listening to the haunting sounds of bagpipes and watching the sun sink slowly over the lake, ribbons of orange and purple rippling on the water’s surface. Her family had hired the bagpipe player, donned in a traditional kilt, as a surprise addition to Agnes’s 90th birthday party—a nod to their Scottish heritage. When the music ended and the sky had faded to a soft pink glow, Agnes stood, leaning heavily on her cane, and gave each of her three children, seven grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren a hearty hug. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
“When people ask me how old I am, I tell them the truth—I’m 90 and proud of it!” declared Agnes with a wide grin. “I have no idea why people lie about their age. Every year on this earth is something to celebrate.”
Sobering a bit, she added, “Of course, life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Looking back, there was pain and sadness, and loneliness at times. I lost my husband too soon, and my brother died of a heart condition when he was just a young man. These days they probably would have been able to save him. We suffered through some hard times during the Depression, and lost dear friends and neighbors in the war. I suppose everyone experiences hardships, some more than others, but in the end, it’s the love and beauty I remember most.”
Agnes, who still feels a jolt of joy when the first spring flower peeks through the snow and the hummingbirds return to her feeder, believes the secret to lifelong happiness is the ability to appreciate the simple pleasures and be grateful. Using her fingers, which are bent with arthritis, she ticked off a few of the many things for which she is thankful, including sunsets, good books, summer tomatoes, chocolate, and a lovable mutt named Chaucer—and, of course, her large, adoring family.
As the evening wore on, one of Agnes’s great granddaughters who had recently graduated from college sat down beside her and asked for some counsel. Patting her knee fondly, Agnes replied, “Well, first be thankful for the opportunities you’ve been given. I always wished I had continued my education. Never stop learning and growing, and being interested in the world around you. Find someone special to love and cherish every
