What Is The Blue Zones Diet?

01 Jan What Is The Blue Zones Diet?

Posted at 09:57h in Advice by

Blue Zones are pockets of people around the world with the highest life expectancy. While their locations were geographically many miles apart, researchers found common diet and lifestyle factors that tied these people together. As we approach the New Year it can be tempting to embark on a new fad diet, or make unrealistic fitness plans that are only likely to crash and burn before January’s out. Avoid getting sucked into ‘New Year New You’ extremes. Instead, try and work some healthier habits into your routine that will last long term. Why not learn from the longest-living people on the planet?

WHAT ARE THE BLUE ZONES?

The five ‘Blue Zones’ identified include: Barbagia region of Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California; Okinawa, Japan.

WHAT IS THE BLUE ZONES DIET?

The Blue Zones diet is based on the eating habits of the world’s longest-lived people. It emphasises a “plant slant,” with roughly 95% of the average Blue Zone diet consisting of beans, pulses, root vegetables, and green leafy vegetables. The diet also includes the moderate consumption of wine and limits the intake of added sugar. This diet is not specifically designed for weight loss but it is focused on promoting overall health and longevity. The Blue Zones diet encourages the consumption of whole, nutrient-dense foods and limits the intake of animal protein to no more than one small serving per day. Above and beyond the food and drink in the average diet, however, are the overall lifestyle choices. Here are nine lessons from the world’s healthiest Blue Zones inhabitants to adopt this New Year.

The Power 9® HEALTHY HABITS OF BLUE ZONES INHABITANTS

MOVE NATURALLY

You won’t find the world’s healthiest people at the gym pumping iron, or training for an ultra-marathon. But nor will you find spending excessive time bingeing on Netflix. They typically live in active environments. Many of them work the land and live without the modern technologies that allow us to become lazy. So next time you need to pick up some essentials, walk instead of driving. Work on identifying ways you can build more natural activity into your everyday life.

HAVE PURPOSE

Having a purpose to your day or reason to keep going is reportedly worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy. What was your reason for getting out of bed this morning? What’s your purpose? Figuring out the answer might just improve your life expectancy.

DOWNSHIFT

Coping with stress is essential to leading a healthy life. People in the Blue Zones have rituals and routines to combat stress. These include happy hour in Sardinia, a daily nap in Ikaria, or a prayer for ancestors in Okinawa. Try making time for meditation in your routine, or schedule regular breaks for self-care.

80% RULE

A great tip for you if you’re planning to lose weight and improve your relationship with food. ‘Hara hachi bu,’ an Okinawan mantra said before meals, reminds diners to stop when they are 80% full. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly giving your brain time to recognise when your stomach is getting full. People in the Blue Zones also often eat their smallest meal of the day last.

PLANT SLANT

It’s plant-based elements that link the diets of the healthiest nations. Beans, including fava, black, lentils and soy are at the centre of most centenarian’s diets. Meat is eaten on average only five times per month so think carefully about the quality and quantity of meat you’re eating.

WINE @ 5

The longest-living people in the world (except the Seventh Day Adventists) actually tend to drink small amounts of alcohol, typically in a social environment. So cancel your weekend binge and enjoy one or two glasses of organic or biodynamic wine a couple of times a week. Ideally with a healthy meal and people you love.

BELONG

Of those interviewed, 258 out of 263 centenarians were part of a faith-based community. In fact, it has been shown that attending these faith-based services each week could add upwards of four years to your life expectancy.

LOVED ONES FIRST

Those that lived longest in the Blue Zones kept ageing family members in the home or nearby and put the care of their children and family members at the top of their priority list. It’s not surprising that having loved ones around to help look after you can increase your life expectancy. And ‘family’ doesn’t always have to mean blood relatives.

RIGHT TRIBE

People living in the Blue Zones were often part of social circles, by birth, or by choice, that encouraged and supported healthy behaviours. So choose friends who exhibit healthy behaviours, as smoking, obesity and even loneliness can be contagious, research suggests.

Dan Buettner is an explorer, award-winning journalist and author of The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. Find out more about the Blue Zones here: https://www.bluezones.com/

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