It’s no secret the Standard American Diet has been failing U.S. citizens for decades. Our society sacrifices health for convenience – think microwavable dinners, fast food, and the generally unwalkable cities and towns nationwide. Staying healthy in the United States takes a lot of effort, but there are many parts of the world where overall well-being simply seems to be the way of life. Just ask the centenarians who live there.

These pockets of the world have a significant population of centenarians – individuals who live to 100 years old or more – who don’t have serious health conditions. In fact, the people who live in these places “reach age 100 at a 10-times greater rate than in the United States,” according to research.1

It’s happening in “blue zones,” places with populations that have longer-than-average lifespans and lower rates of chronic disease.1 They move more, eat well, and thrive on the social ties of a tight-knit community. Before we learn more about what blue zones are and where they’re located, just how much control do you have over how long you live and how well you age?

Living Healthier for Longer: It’s Up to You

Early on, most of us are told that our future health – including whether we will develop chronic conditions later in life – is at the mercy of our family history and genetics. But don’t excuse yourself from making changes just yet.

Studies have found genetic factors account only for 20-30 percent of your lifespan.2,3

Recent research published in GENETICS, the journal of the Genetics Society of America, shows it may be even less.

Using a dense ancestral pedigree from Ancestry.com, researchers found evidence showing the heritability of human longevity might be below 10 percent.4 Although the study’s genetic estimates among siblings and cousins closely matched previous findings, researchers found considerable lifespan correlation between spouses (even more so than siblings of the opposite gender), meaning shared environment makes a big impact.4

Interestingly, the researchers also saw correlations in distant nongenetic relationships, such as in-laws.4 Because of this, they concluded that heritability of human lifespan was previously overstated because these estimates hadn’t accounted for shared environment and assortative mating – where people choose to mate with partners sharing similar phenotypical traits (including socio-cultural factors, such as wealth and occupation).4

All this to say, your lifespan isn’t completely chalked up to genetics; the lifestyle choices you make every day have a tremendous impact on your well-being. Now that you’re ready to take action, let’s look at the five blue zones and the lessons we can learn from those who live there.

What are Blue Zones?

Blue zones are geographical zones with a concentration of individuals who have long lifespans and lower rates of serious health conditions.1 Researchers used data, including birth certificates and statistics, before traveling to these areas to meet the local centenarians.1 After arriving, experts observed and analyzed the centenarians’ lifestyle and environment to find patterns in their collective longevity.1

The five blue zones are:

  1. Okinawa, Japan: With the highest concentration of female centenarians in the world, Okinawa has been extensively researched since 1975 through the Okinawa Centenarian Study.5

    The research shows diet is likely a key factor in Okinawans’ longevity, partially thanks to a low-calorie intake.6 Although calorie restriction puts organisms in an energy deficit, it also allows them to operate more efficiently.6 In animal studies, this causes metabolic shifts to occur, which are “the only consistently reproducible manner of increasing mean and maximum lifespan in animal experiments, other than select genetic manipulations.”6 

    Read about calorie restriction and how it supports memory and healthy brain aging in a previous Take 5 Daily article.

  2. Sardinia, Italy: As the initial blue zone researchers identified, part of this island has the highest concentration of male centenarians in the world.7

    Experts hypothesize this could be partly due to Sardinia’s genetic isolation and some inbreeding.8 With low immigration rates and a history of marriages between individuals sharing a common ancestor, it’s possible these conditions (as well as environmental factors) might have given rise to a genetic advantage where offspring are protected from certain chronic conditions.8

  3. Nicoya, Costa Rica: The Nicoya peninsula is also home to men with long lifespans; research shows they have a higher chance of becoming centenarians than Okinawan men and outlive them on average.9

    The individuals in this region drink the hardest water in the entire country.9,10 Using a water-testing kit, blue zones researchers found the drinking water was so rich in magnesium and calcium that one expert said he “had to dilute it by 50 percent with distilled water just so that I could test it.”11 Studies show drinking hard water supports heart health, and Nicoyans have “lower levels of biomarkers of [cardiovascular] risk.”9-12 Research also indicates that Nicoyan men who leave the peninsula lose their advantage for a longer lifespan over time.9

  4. Ikaria, Greece: Known as the place where people “forget to die,” the locals on this island have a lower risk of dementia.13 Researchers shows Ikarians stick to a strict Mediterranean Diet of fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, red wine, and, most of all, vegetables.14,15 Several studies show a Mediterranean diet delays the progression of plaque in the arteries, which increases the risk of vascular dementia.14,15

    Ikarians are also avid herbal tea drinkers.13,14 Blue zones researchers tested the teas they drink and found they are both anti-inflammatory and mild diuretics, compounds used to help manage high blood pressure.13 Interestingly, one body of research indicates the use of diuretics might be linked to a lower rate of dementia.13,16

    It’s also worth noting that like Okinawans, Ikarians also consume a low-calorie diet.13 Many locals are Greek Orthodox Christians who practice fasting for 180-200 days a year.13,17

  5. Loma Linda, California: Unlike the other locations, the Loma Linda blue zone region isn’t geographically isolated; it isn’t on an island or a peninsula. Although the other blue zones are more isolated from globalization, Loma Linda proves this isn’t necessary.

    The Seventh-day Adventist community puts the U.S. on the blue zones list, but residents of Loma Linda are not your average Americans when it comes to health; research indicates they outlive the rest of the country by about 10 years.1

    Blue zone research highlights their faith as a factor for longevity. Roughly one-third of the 25,000 people who live there are Seventh-day Adventists, a faith that encourages its members to “adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures.”18,19,20 This includes alcohol, tobacco, as well as recreational use of drugs or narcotics.20 As a result, many residents are vegetarians or at least pescatarians, and the local Loma Linda Market is known for not selling meat.19

    One issue residents are dealing with? Smog. The Loma Linda University Adventist Health and Smog (AHSMOG) study began in 1977 to analyze the effects of air pollution on non-smokers.21 The study published several reports on air quality in California, even spurring AHSMOG-2 which looked at the relationship between nonsmokers and lung disease.21,22

The Power Nine

So, what exactly is the secret to a longer, healthier life? Researchers have found nine key characteristics that each blue zone shares, referred to as “The Power Nine.”1 They are:

  1. Move Naturally: People who live in the blue zones aren’t weekend warriors; their environment encourages them to move throughout the day to garden, complete housework (with fewer mechanical conveniences), or walk in often hilly or mountainous terrain.1
  2. Purpose: Okinawans and Nicoyans emphasize the importance of living a meaningful life by committing to a goal, ideal, or cause – something greater than yourself.1
  3. Downshift: Everyone experiences stress, but the key is learning how to manage it in a healthy way.1 Each blue zone has its own way of decompressing, be it through prayer, nap time, happy hour, or ancestor remembrance.1 
  4. 80 Percent Rule: Not everyone eats until they feel completely stuffed. Instead, Okinawans stop when they are 80-percent full, which helps with weight management.1 Contrary to the American lifestyle, many regions have a small dinner in late afternoon or early evening and then stop eating for the remainder of the day.1
  5. Plant Slant: Beans such as fava, black, soy, and lentils are a common dominator within diets, and vegetables are also a key player.1 Meat is rarely on the menu; across the blue zones, meat is only eaten about five times per month.1
  6. Wine @ 5: Except for Loma Linda, blue zone residents partake in happy hour with regular (but moderate) wine consumption.1 Sardinia is known for their Cannonau wine, which is said to have 2-3 times the level of antioxidants compared to other wines.1
  7. Belong: A sense of faith might have a role in longevity; of the 263 centenarians interviewed for blue zones research, only five weren’t members of a faith-based community.1
  8. Loved Ones First: Several generations live together under one roof or at least near one another, allowing everyone to spend more quality time together.1 Researchers also found having a life partner might boost life expectancy.1
  9. Right Tribe: A strong social network helps reinforce healthy habits while providing emotional support.1 For Okinawans, these friends are in groups called “moais” and they stick together for life.1

Longevity Research: Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

Scientific interest in the human lifespan is nothing new. In the 1970s, Dr. Alexander Leaf, a professor of clinical medicine at Harvard Medical School, published an article in National Geographic pinpointing longevity hotspots in Vilcabamba, Ecuador; the Caucasus region (part of the Soviet Union at the time); and Pakistan’s Hunza Valley.23 However, Leaf noticed the locals’ ages didn’t match up between the first time he met them and when he returned years later.24 As a result, he organized another study to validate this.24

Unfortunately for Leaf, these three regions were later dismissed.25,26 When this came to light, “a dubious shadow was cast over research on exceptional human longevity,” according to a 2016 scientific article on healthy aging.27 While Leaf openly denounced the project, he still believed in what he learned about living a happy, healthy life through his travels and interviews, according to his New York Times obituary.26

Fast-forward to the 1990s. Several researchers were studying centenarians in different parts of the world. One of them was Dan Buettner.25,28,29

In an interview with American Health Care Leader, Buettner said he was inspired to explore longevity after reading a report from the World Health Organization demonstrating “that Okinawans have the longest disability-free life expectancy in the world.”30 Buettner went on his first expedition to Okinawa in 1999.30,31

In 2004, Giovanni Pes and Michel Poulain published their research on Sardinia, Italy, using the term “blue zone.”25,28 Over the years, Buettner, Pes, and Poulain collaborated, expanded, and built on one another’s work, validating data related to the four remaining blue zones.28 All three are credited founders of the Blue Zones Project.25

A year later, the term “blue zone” was trademarked in the U.S. and is now owned by Blue Zones LLC. Today, Blue Zones is a wellness and fitness company offering services including community work and education.7,25,31

One of those services, the Blue Zones Project, has taken insights from the original research and put it into practice by partnering with different U.S. communities such as Albert Lea, Minnesota; Fort Worth, Texas; and the Beach Cities in California, which include Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach.32

The Takeaway

At Thorne, we believe in empowering individuals to live healthier for longer with personalized health and wellness solutions. Read our Take 5 Daily blog to learn more about how we redefine the new era of aging.

Did you know your biological age (your body’s internal age at the cellular level) might be different than your chronological age? Thorne’s Biological Age Health Panel analyzes the impact that lifestyle choices and genetics have had on your body over time. We assess your data and provide personal Age Scores along with personalized recommendations for improving your health.

For more products, check out Thorne’s Healthy Aging suite. Our wide assortment includes products containing the healthy aging ingredients resveratrol and nicotinamide riboside, Advanced Nutrients, a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement that addresses high levels of oxidative stress, collagen powders, our new nutrient-packed Daily Greens blend, and much more.

References

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  2. Passarino G, De Rango F, Montesanto A. Human longevity: Genetics or lifestyle? It takes two to tango. Immun Ageing. 2016;13(1). doi:10.1186/s12979-016-0066-z
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  4. Ruby JG, Wright KM, Rand KA, et al. Estimates of the heritability of human longevity are substantially inflated due to assortative mating. GENETICS. 2018;210(3):1109-1124. doi:10.1534/genetics.118.301613
  5. Goss R. This island unlocked the secret to long life – and knows how to get through tough times. National Geographic October 2020. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uncover-the-secrets-of-longevity-in-this-japanese-village. [Accessed Sept. 7, 2022]
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