How To Live A Long And Healthy Life

There are five blue zones in the world. These are the special zones which house the highest population of centenarians who are surprisingly healthy for their age. They are proof that a long and healthy life is very much possible through certain dietary habits and lifestyle.

Blue Zones – Long and healthy life

The concept of Blue Zones was made widely popular by Dan Buettner who is an American National Geographic Fellow and New York Times-bestselling author. Based on his studies on the aging yet healthy population who easily outlived most Americans, Buettner along with his team has identified five major areas as Blue Zones

• Ikaria , Greece
• Okinawa, Japan
• Sadinia, Italy
• Loma Linda, California
• Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Buettner’s study on Ikaria showed that the male counterparts of Ikaria lived longer than that of America in a much healthier way. They did not have the usual complaints of old age. Cardio vascular disease or Dementia were not common among the aging population (which were the common illnesses among Americans). This led to an expedition of researching the reasons for the long and healthy life of Ikarians.

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria is an island in Greece.Surrounded by the Aegean sea, it lies 30 miles west of Turkey. The island is a popular health destination. It is home to oak forests and bountiful vineyards.

The city is named after Icarus. Minos of Crete imprisoned Icarus and his father Daedalus (creator of the Labyrinth) to safeguard the secret of the Labyrinth. Daedalus built two wings made of wax and taught his son to fly so that they could escape from Minos. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high (the wax could melt) or too low (the wings could get wet if it touches the sea). But Icarus ignoring his father’s warnings, flew close to the sun. His feathers made of wax, began to melt and he fell into the sea and died.His body was washed ashore on an island. His father in memory of his beloved son, named the island after him.

Lifestyle

Buettner’s studies showed that people in Ikaria generally stayed up late and woke up late. Most did not abide by a strict time schedule and did not even wear watches. They worked reasonably, never stressing about work. Their daily routine was simple. After lunch, most people took a nap. It was a far cry from the obsessive work culture of the Americans.

Around evening, friends called on each other, met at a common place. These meetings had such a strong sense of community. Drinking wine was also common while meeting with friends.

Samos, a neighbouring commercial island is located 15 km away from Ikaria. High rise buildings, brisk sales and a steady influx of tourists were common in Samos. But Ikaria was slow to adapt the western culture.

Ikarians believed in a strong community. They were very traditional. During days of religious or cultural significance they pooled in money to buy food and wine. They believed in charity and helping the needy.

Mountain tea

Ikarians had a strong affinity for their local tea. It was an assortment of dreid herbs like rosemary, sage, wild mint, honey, dandelion leaves and marjoram. They consumed it daily at the end of their day. All these herbs had high medicial value. Some even had strong anti oxidant properties. They treated conditions like hypertension, gout etc.

Diet

The Ikarians had a very simple diet. They used honey extensively. Bread wine, coffee, tea and goat’s milk were common. They cultivated vegetables like beans, potatoes and greens. They raised pigs which were slaughtered and consumed on special occasions.

Olive oil was the most popular cooking oil. Other than goat’s milk. their consumption of dairy products were minimal. They also regularly drank wine mostly with friends. Their breads were made by stone-grinding wheat. They rarely consume processed foods and barely used refined sugar.

• Wine if consumed as part of Mediterranean diet makes our body absorb more flavanoids.
• Unheated olive oil increases good cholesterol in the body.
• Low intake of saturated fats and refined sugars is actually a healthy choice.
• Greens are rich in antioxidants.
• Goat’s milk is easily digestible for elderly people.
• Potatoes are loaded with potassium, fibre and essential nutrients.

So their diet was a wholesome diet which practically guaranteed no weight issues and a long and healthy life.

Social gathering

The Ikarians got together with friends and family for meals or wine on an almost daily basis. Mid morning, the ladies got together and late evenings, the families got together. They laughed a lot and lived life at their own pace. They made time for things they loved. Their relaxed approach to life was yet another important lesson. Ikarians don’t just eat. They truly relax and enjoy their meal.

Community

The Ikarian discipline was strongly based on the concept of ‘shaming their families.’ In that sense they were like us, Indians. The family sentiment was strong along with their community ties. The neighbors or friends were always watchful of the children. There was nowhere to hide for the kids. Basically everyone knew what was happening in everyone’s house and what was going on with their kids.

It was not unusual to see grown children, working and staying with their parents. Children took care of their families. The community as a whole disciplined children.

As one article in Washington post put it,

….to trace the unhurried rhythms of a community where every person is valued and included, no matter their age.

Waking naturally

The Ikarians had no strict value for time and it resonated in their sleep habits as well. Most people got a sound eight hours of sleep and woke up naturally. Good sleep patterns are connected strongly to a long and healthy life. The shops in Ikaria opened around 10 AM as the owners knew there would be no early visitors.

Physical activity

Bee keeping, goat herding, maintaining a vegetable garden were the common activities of the Ikarians. They consciously did not monitor how much calories they burnt through workouts. There was no concept of workout in the first place. But their lifestyle as a whole centred around constant movement. There are various scientific reports on the harzards of sitting for prolonged periods.

It is not just what they do for their long and healthy life, but it is more of what they do not do either.

Afternoon nap

Most people took a nap in the afternoon. It was the time of the day when business was slow and generally people moved less. Power nap is linked with a lot of health benefits but it should not exceed 20 to 30 minutes. For some people, it is extremely difficult to master. But for the Ikarians again it was a way of life.

Sense of purpose

The Japanese have an interesting concept called ‘ikigai‘. It is roughly something ‘that is the reason you get out of bed every morning’. It is your ‘sense of purpose’. There are brilliant books explaining ikigai.

These people were active in their work and homes. Their days were filled with meaningful activities.

It is difficult to pin certain diet factors to the long and healthy life of Ikarians. The environmental factors like clean air and water may also contribute to their well being. Over all it is how all the above factors were enmeshed in their way of life.

Every single factor is an important step for a long and healthy life and the Ikarians have brilliantly adapted an authentic way of living that is closer to nature and far from commercialization.

Last Updated (Oct 2023) : For those of you who are ineterested to know more, now there is a brilliant documentary on Netlix on this – Live to 100 , Secrets of the Blue Zones