Since the 1990s, longevity expert and author, Dan Buettner, has been traveling with teams of researchers to areas around the world where people live the longest. His teams have studied how lifestyle and environment impact the length of people’s lives. According to an article which appeared in Monday’s USA Today, “Buettner says that while a strong gene pool is important, anyone can add on an extra 12 years to their life and “You don’t have to take a supplement to do it, he says, or take up jogging.” His latest book, The Blue Zones, second edition, he presents nine lessons for living a longer life. These lessons are presented below:
- Move naturally. Don’t do marathons or pump iron; work around the house, garden, walk, cycle, walk when talking on the phone.
- Know your purpose. Have a reason for waking up in the morning.
- Kick back. Find ways to shed stress, whether it’s praying, napping or going to happy hour.
- Eat less. Stop eating when you are 80% full.
- Eat less meat. Beans are a cornerstone of most centenarians’ diets.
- Drink in moderation. Only the Seventh-day Adventists in California didn’t have one to two glasses a day.
- Have faith. Denomination doesn’t seem to matter, but attending faith-based services (4 times a month) does.
- Power of love. Put families first, including committing to a partner and keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby.
- Stay social. Build a social network that supports healthy behaviors.
If you’d like to read more about this book, here’s the link to the USA Today article: http://usatoday.com
Ross: I have often seen the advice on eating that says “eat until you are 80% full.” I have never figured out how to determine when I am 80% full.