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What are Blue Zones and how can they help you live longer?

Explore the habits of the world鈥檚 longest-living communities and how to apply them to your life.

What are Blue Zones and how can they help you live longer?

Explore the habits of the world鈥檚 longest-living communities and how to apply them to your life.

Want to live to 100? Researching blue zones, areas where people live exceptionally long lives can provide some lessons. Longevity researcher Dan Buettner identified 5 of them Sardinia, Italy, Earia, Greece, Okinawa, Japan, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and the Seventh Day Adventist. He says these common lifestyle habits observed in these regions can have *** major influence on your longevity. First, move naturally. Three quarters of America. Don't even get 20 minutes of physical activity *** day. In blue zones, people are getting the equivalent of 8000 to 12,000 steps *** day, not because they're going to the gym or CrossFit or doing Pilates classes. It's because every time they go to work or *** friend's house, it occasions *** walk. They're mindlessly burning calories. Second, have *** purpose. In Okinawa, Japan, the locals call it ikegai. In theoya, Costa Rica, the locals call it Plan de vida. Third, be. To distress, Okinawans take *** few moments every day to remember their ancestors. Adventist in Loma Linda, California, pray and Ikarians in Greece take an afternoon nap. Fourth, eat healthily. In blue zones, people are eating mostly *** peasant diet, which is to say, whole food, plant-based sheep ingredients, beans, garbanzos, lentils, soy. These form the protein base of every longevity diet in the world. And lastly, have *** strong and supportive community. Okinawans have moai, social support groups that begin in childhood and last *** lifetime. Making the effort to find three friends whose idea of recreation is something active tennis, pickleball, biking, gardening.Butner says he's applied these practices to more than 70 cities in the United States. Ultimately, if you want to live longer, little changes in our routines can go *** long way. In Washington, Christopher Sela.
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Updated: 4:00 AM CDT Jun 25, 2025
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What are Blue Zones and how can they help you live longer?

Explore the habits of the world鈥檚 longest-living communities and how to apply them to your life.

米兰体育 logo
Updated: 4:00 AM CDT Jun 25, 2025
Editorial Standards 鈸�
Want to live till 100? Experts say if longevity is common in your family, you're more likely to live longer. But genetics makes up only one part of the equation. The rest? Lifestyle choices. According to a 1996 study on Danish twin pairs, scientists found that genetics account for 25% of longevity and environmental influences account for 75%. Researchers have been studying people's lifestyle habits in areas of high amounts of longevity 鈥� known as "Blue Zones." Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow and founder of the Blue Zones project, identified five original Blue Zones: Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California. He says these common lifestyle habits from residents in those zones can have a major influence on your longevity.1. Move naturallyPeople in Blue Zones are "mindlessly burning calories" by walking 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day, Buettner said. "Not because they're going to the gym or CrossFit or doing Pilates classes, it's because every time they go to work or a friend's house, it occasions a walk," Buettner said. 2. Have a purposeIn Okinawa, Japan, the locals call it "Ikigai." In Nicoya, Costa Rica, the locals call it "Plan de Vida." Both phrases essentially mean, "why I wake up in the morning."A 2022 Boston University study found that those with the strongest sense of purpose in life lowered their risk of death by more than 15% compared to people with the least sense of purpose. 3. Be able to de-stressResidents in Blue Zones have daily routines to relieve their stress. Buettner says Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors. Adventists pray. And Ikarians take an afternoon nap. 4. Eat healthfullyIn Blue Zones, people are eating mostly a diet filled with whole food, plant-based and "cheap" ingredients, Buettner said. These include garbanzo beans, lentils and soybeans. 5. Have a strong and supportive communityHaving a strong source of social support can have a strong influence in mortality rates. According to a 2015 study by Mayo Clinic Proceedings, receiving social support from relatives and partners reduced mortality risk by 19% of the study's 3,220 participants. The study also found that participants reporting social contact with six or seven friends on a weekly basis had a 24% lower mortality risk than did those in contact with zero or one friend. 鈥淢aking the effort to find three friends whose idea of recreation is something active: tennis, pickleball, biking, gardening," Buettner said.

Want to live till 100? Experts say if longevity is common in your family, you're more likely to live longer.

But genetics makes up only one part of the equation. The rest? Lifestyle choices.

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According to a , scientists found that genetics account for 25% of longevity and environmental influences account for 75%.

Researchers have been studying people's lifestyle habits in areas of high amounts of longevity 鈥� known as "Blue Zones."

Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow and founder of the Blue Zones project, identified five original Blue Zones: Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California.

He says these common lifestyle habits from residents in those zones can have a major influence on your longevity.

1. Move naturally

        People in Blue Zones are "mindlessly burning calories" by walking 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day, Buettner said.

        "Not because they're going to the gym or CrossFit or doing Pilates classes, it's because every time they go to work or a friend's house, it occasions a walk," Buettner said.

        2. Have a purpose

        In Okinawa, Japan, the locals call it "Ikigai." In Nicoya, Costa Rica, the locals call it "Plan de Vida." Both phrases essentially mean, "why I wake up in the morning."

        A found that those with the strongest sense of purpose in life lowered their risk of death by more than 15% compared to people with the least sense of purpose.

        3. Be able to de-stress

        Residents in Blue Zones have daily routines to relieve their stress.

        Buettner says Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors. Adventists pray. And Ikarians take an afternoon nap.

        4. Eat healthfully

        In Blue Zones, people are eating mostly a diet filled with whole food, plant-based and "cheap" ingredients, Buettner said.

        These include garbanzo beans, lentils and soybeans.

        5. Have a strong and supportive community

        Having a strong source of social support can have a strong influence in mortality rates.

        According to a by Mayo Clinic Proceedings, receiving social support from relatives and partners reduced mortality risk by 19% of the study's 3,220 participants. The study also found that participants reporting social contact with six or seven friends on a weekly basis had a 24% lower mortality risk than did those in contact with zero or one friend.

        鈥淢aking the effort to find three friends whose idea of recreation is something active: tennis, pickleball, biking, gardening," Buettner said.