301: 5 Lessons from The Blue Zones: Unlocking the Secrets to a Long and Healthy Life | MAYA'S TIP

In his book The Blue Zones, Dan Buettner explores people's lifestyles in regions where individuals live exceptionally long and healthy lives known as the Blue Zones. In this episode, we delve into the fundamental concepts behind Buettner's Blue Zones, we will discover what foods people eat in these regions of the world and explore the secrets to living a long and healthy life. As always, additional information on the topic can be found on my blog, healthy lifestyle solutions.org forward slash blog. Let's get started. Welcome to The Healthy Lifestyle Solutions podcast. My friends, I'm your host Maya Acosta. Today we dive into the Blue Zones regions worldwide where people live longer and healthier lives than the rest of the population. Dan Buettner an American explorer, writer, and founder of Blue Zones discovered these regions during a National Geographic-sponsored expedition in 2004. His team identified five regions around the world where people live significantly longer than the rest of the population. These regions include Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya, Costa Rica, and Ikaria. Greece. Buettner and his team interviewed and observed the locals in each region to identify commonalities in their lifestyles. Here's a fun fact on how the Blue Zones got their name. So Dan Buettner named these regions Blue Zones because, during his travels, he found that some areas had a higher than average number of people living 100 years old or more. To identify these regions. Buettner worked with demographers to analyze data from around the world and identified five regions with the highest concentration of centenarians. He used a blue pin to circle these regions on the map and began referring to them as blue zones. The name stuck and has since become a well-known term for describing regions with the highest concentration of centenarians. The Blue Zones are not just about longevity but also about a higher quality of life. Buettner research found that people in the Blue Zones not only live longer, but also have a lower incidence of chronic diseases, better mental health, and a stronger sense of purpose and social connectedness. By studying the lifestyle habits and diets of people living in the Blue Zones, Buettner and his team have identified specific behaviors and practices that contribute to their longevity and well-being. These insights have led to practical recommendations for people worldwide who want to improve their health and increase their chances of living long and healthy lives. One of the most striking commonalities among the blue zone populations is their diet. The Blue Zone communities have a predominantly plant-based diet, emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods. In Okinawa, for example, the traditional diet consists mainly of sweet potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables. in Sardinia, the locals consume a Mediterranean-style diet rich and fruits, vegetables, and fish. A plant-based diet has been linked to numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Another key aspect of the Blue Zone lifestyle is regular physical activity. In these communities, physical activity is built into daily life rather than being a separate activity. For example, in Nicoya, Costa Rica, locals regularly engage in activities like gardening, walking, and dancing. in Sardinia, the hilly terrain encourages walking and other physical activity. Regular physical activity has been linked to improve cardiovascular health, reduced stress levels, and lower risk of chronic diseases. social connections are also an essential aspect of the Blue Zone lifestyle. In these communities, people often live in multigenerational households and have strong social ties. For example, in Okinawa, moai refers to a group of lifelong friends who offer each other's social, emotional, and financial support. social connections have been linked to numerous health benefits, including a lower risk of depression and improved cognitive function. Finally, Buettner emphasizes the importance of purpose and belonging in the Blue Zone lifestyle. In these communities, individuals have a strong sense of purpose and often engage in activities that give their lives meaning. For example, in Loma Linda, California, a community of Seventh Day Adventists, many individuals participate in volunteer work and other activities that align with their religious beliefs and purpose and be Longer had been linked to numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and improved mental health. As previously mentioned, the blue zone communities have a predominantly plant-based diet rich and whole, unprocessed foods. They are not vegan, they still consumed small amounts of animal-based foods. But we want to explore the common foods found in the Blue Zones and their health benefits. Let's start with Okinawa, Japan. The traditional diet of Okinawa is rich and sweet potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables. These Locals also consumed seaweed tofu small amount of fish, and pork. Sweet potatoes are a staple food in Okinawa, providing a source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Soybeans are also essential to the Okinawan diet, providing protein and phytoestrogens that might help reduce the risk of hormone-related cancers. Vegetables like bitter melon and green leafy vegetables are also common in Okinawa and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Sardinia, Italy The traditional diet of Sardinia is a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish. The locals consume whole grains like barley and wheat, and they goons like lentils and chickpeas. Fruits like citrus figs and apples are standard in this Sardinian diet. Loma Linda, California, the Seventh Day Adventist community, a normal Linda follows a vegetarian diet rich and legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The locals consume soy products like tofu tempi, as well as nuts and seeds. Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and oats provide a source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. In contrast, legumes like lentils and chickpeas provide protein and phytochemicals that may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Fruits like berries and pomegranates are also a standard part of the Loma Linda diet, providing a source of vitamins and antioxidants Nicoya Costa Rica, the traditional diet of Nicoya is rich and whole grains, beans, and vegetables. The locals also consumed tropical fruits like papaya pineapple, as well as corn and rice. Beans like black beans and kidney beans provide a source of protein and fiber. While whole grains like brown rice and quinoa provide complex carbohydrates, carbohydrates, and fiber. Vegetables like peppers, onions, and tomatoes are also common in the Nicomachean diet and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Ikaria Greece, the traditional diet of Ikaria is a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish. The locals consume whole grains like barley and wheat, and lay goons like lentils and chickpeas fruits like figs, grapes and pomegranates are also a standard in the Caribbean diet. So what can we learn from the Blue Zones? Well, the standard American diet also known as salad, or just the standard Western diet is characterized by high consumption of processed foods meat, dairy products, and sugar, as well as a low consumption of fruits vegetables, whole grains, legumes, that die has been linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In contrast, the diets of people living in the Blue Zones are rich and plant-based whole foods and have been linked to a longer and healthier life. The Blue Zones offer several valuable lessons that the Western world can learn from including number one, eating more plant-based foods. People living in the Blue Zones consume a predominantly plant-based diet with various fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. These foods are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and have been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Number two, just eat less meat and dairy. People living in the Blue Zones consume small amounts of meat and dairy products. Like I said they are not vegan. However, they mainly rely on starchy foods as their energy source. Number three, practice mindful eating. People in the Blue Zones often eat in a relaxed social environment and are mindful of their food choices. Mindful eating can help us appreciate our food. We eat slowly and recognize when we are for.

Number four, eat till you are no longer hungry. The word that Okinawans use when they are no longer hungry is Hare Hachi Bu. This means eat until you are 80% full. This practice encourages people to eat slowly, savor their food and stop eating before they feel completely full. By stopping before they feel full, Okinawans can maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of health issues such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The practice of Hara Hachi Bu is just one of the many habits that have contributed to the longevity of Okinawans and have been studied by researchers as a potential model for healthy eating habits. The typical foods in the Blue Zones are predominantly plant-based and rich and whole, unprocessed foods. These diets are rich and complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and healthy fats, providing various nutrients and health benefits. Incorporating these foods into your diet can improve your health and well-being and increase our chances of living longer. In addition to changing our diets, we can change our lifestyles to improve longevity and health. This includes regular physical activity, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, and maintaining social connections. To learn more about the Blue Zones, visit their website blue zones.com. I took their Staying Alive online course A while back, but it doesn't seem to be available now. But this is one of my favorite topics. Also, if you're interested in recipes and you're not fully plant-based, but you're looking to incorporate more plan-forward recipes. Here is a book that you might consider looking into it's the Blue Zones cookbook. The Blue Zones cookbook is a collection of recipes inspired by the dietary habits of the Blue Zone regions. The cookbook is written by Dan Buettner and features over 100 recipes that reflect the plant based whole food diet of the Blue Zone communities. The cookbook includes recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks and desserts. And some of the recipes featured in the cookbook include Okinawan sweet potato pancakes, sir Damien, fennel and orange salad, Costa Rican black bean soup, Greek lentil and vegetable stew, California citrus and avocado salad. In addition to the recipes, that cookbook also provides information on the health benefits of the Blue Zone diet and lifestyle, as well as tips on how to incorporate the principles of the Blue Zones into your life. Overall, the blue zone cookbook is a useful resource for anyone interested in adopting a healthy plant-based diet based on the principles of the Blue Zone lifestyle. And also if you grab yourself a copy of the Blue Zones book, you will see that there is a chapter on how to Blue Zone your own life. And at the end of the day, all the principles taught in the Blue Zones really reflect a lifestyle medicine, which is a topic that we talk about here on the podcast all the time. So health is not just about what you eat, but it's also whether you're getting enough movement, whether you're sleeping, whether you're building healthy relationships and moving away from all the other things that take away from your quality of life. All right, my friends, I hope that you enjoy this episode, I want to give you a link so that you can sign up for our newsletter and in exchange or doctors and I have put together this really nice cardiovascular prevention guide. It's about 20 pages long I think you'll enjoy it. The link is bit bi T dot L Y forward slash joinDrRiz the link will be in the show notes. This is just another way of learning how to incorporate the principles of BlueZone living into your life so that you can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and heart disease and diabetes. I hope that you enjoyed this episode. Please let me know what you think. Also, visit me on speakpipe.com forward slash HLS. That's where you can leave me a voicemail and just either ask questions or tell me what you think about the podcast. All right, my friends. Have a wonderful weekend. Take care. And as always, thank you for listening