Can you believe life expectancy in America is starting to slide backward?  This is according to the CDC and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.  This is arguably due to our modern lifestyle which includes convenience eating, sedentary living, and increased social isolation.

Blue zones are areas in the world where there is a higher percentage of healthy individuals over 90.  This has been documented by explorer, Dan Buettner, and chronicled in his book, The Blue Zones:  Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (National Geographic 2008).

Buettner, and other longevity researchers, continue to state that it is our daily behaviors and the environment that we live in that play the most significant role in our lifespan. Keith Diaz, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavior medicine at Columbia University Medical Center states, "Our genes don't ultimately determine our fate,"

So what are the Blue Zone secrets?  Here are 9 tips that seem to be common in all.

1.  Eat a predominately plant-based diet filled with legumes, whole grains, local garden veggies, and herbs. This will provide a lot of phytonutrients.  Multiple types of fiber and a healthier balance of fatty acids support a healthy microbiome for increased immunity. Your plate should contain 2/3  to 3/4 of these types of food. 

2.  Eat earlier in the day.  The common analogy is to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. 

3.   Be mindful when you eat.   Do not sit in front of the television or stare at your cell phone.  Eat until you are 80 percent full.

4.  Fill your day with physical activity.  This does not have to be intense.  People in blue zones may practice Tai Chi, garden, or even herd sheep, Go for a stroll while you make a phone call, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Just be mindful of moving regularly throughout the day. 

5.  Get yourself on a great sleeping routine so that you can get your 7 to 8 hrs of sleep per night.  You can do this by limiting tech and turning off lights.  Maybe add some white noise if you need to soothe yourself.  Here is a blog post I wrote on sleep which may help. https://blogging.godaddy.com/blog/5e95a373-ac36-49bd-8059-ffc986999e7e/posts/0627e957-bf85-4254-81b1-dd73c36a36be

6.  Find a purpose in your life.  Do you have a reason to get up in the morning?  Feeling like you are contributing to society and that you are having a meaningful life will do more than just motivate you.  It reduces stress, raises your happiness level, and creates more opportunities for social engagement.  Scientists say this is difficult to prove, though studies certainly suggest it.  I feel that if you are depressed, lonely, and forlorn, you will not have the motivation to do the things that you know bring you abundant health.  

7. Find time to enjoy nature.  British researchers found that being in green space or city parks can reduce type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.  (Twohig-Bennet & Jones 2018).  I think we all feel ourselves become calmer and more serene when we escape the concrete jungle.  Being outside also encourages more activity.

8. Connect in person and limit screen time.  It's smart to shut off devices one day per week or use a monitoring app such as Rescue me to reduce screen time.  I like to turn off notifications as the distraction causes me to get jumpy.  Comparing yourself to others on social media and the lack of focus that these platforms create, are not good for you.  Of course, we can't get away from it today, but do the best that you can.  (Both my children have complained of their bum and back hurting from online schooling.  If teens are noticing this, what about the rest of us?)

9.  Build a social network.  Many studies suggest that having fewer social connections increases both the risk of inflammation in the body and hypertension.  In the Blue Zones, meals are enjoyed with like-minded people, not alone in front of the television or staring at your phone.

So there you have it.  How many of these traits are you doing regularly?  Even if these didn't increase our lifespan, they certainly put more life in our years.  :)