The Blue Zones living has everyone wishing for that high quality longevity and living healthier lives. What exactly is the secret of their longevity success? Dan Buettner, founder of Blue Zones, extensive study uncovers how these centenarians managed to not only live longer but live a healthy high-quality longevity. As someone who grew up in a Blue Zone home and went to Loma Linda University where I learned and cemented the Blue Zone living, this is the ultimate gift you can give yourselves. The vitality and joy you cultivate is contagious and worth living every day!
I have compiled the top 12 most amazing benefits the Blue Zones diet/living has to offer:
- Strong family connections – Centenarians stay living with their families, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. These family bonds provide them with a purpose in life. There is a sense of belonging when you practice living these principles as a family. It brings you closer because you reap the benefits together.
- Spiritual life – Peace comes when you believe in a divine power that can help you when you needed most and when no one else can come to the rescue. That strong faith can calm any type of conflict or worry in the middle of a challenging situation. There is nothing divine power can’t do!
- Stay active – while most people come up with many excuses to avoid physical activity, Centenarians not only enjoy physical work all their lives, but also love doing chores!
- Showcase fruits and vegetables – fruits and vegetables have a center stage in the Blue Zone diet. Every single Blue Zone plate was filled with fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber and loaded with powerful antioxidant.
- Limited intake of meat – Although a great number of centenarians were mostly plant-based or lacto-ovo vegetarians, many centenarians ate meat only a few times per month.
- Pescetarian – Fish was a stable in the diet of many centenarians, especially in Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Maybe that explains why they make and cultivate such great healthy habits.
- Enjoy food – American are obsessed with diets (eat this and avoid this) the Blue Zones diet cherish food and all the benefits it has to offer. It seems like food bonds them and keeps them together. Whether is Sardinians making bread or pasta, the Nicoya’s enjoying fresh warm tortillas or the Seventh Day Adventist in Loma Linda breaking bread at their potlucks; food is life for them!
- Nuts are part of their diet – Especially for the Seventh Day Adventist in Loma Linda University who eat nuts every single day. Several research studies have demonstrated the impact nuts have on health (especially heart health) and longevity.
- Beans play a large role their diet – Beans are the cornerstone of all Blue Zones diets. They provide a bountiful of nutrients including protein, fiber and many important vitamins and minerals.
- Limited alcohol intake – Although local produced red wine was enjoyed by the Sardinians, most centenarians didn’t consume alcoholic beverages frequently or in large quantities. The polyphenols can be found in greater quantities in grape juice and other foods.
- Maintain social networks – Getting together frequently with friends and/or family for a meal or just for some fun; centenarians know how to laugh, listen to each other, and have a good time together. They truly appreciate what they have.
- Enjoy the outdoors and the sunshine – Centenarians enjoy planting gardens and spending time outdoors, which explains why the Okinawans have optimal Vitamin D levels, which lead to stronger bones and healthier bodies.