There is a recent documentary on Netflix called “Live to 100; Secrets of the Blue Zones”. It is a great watch if you’re looking for something wholesome and enlightening. In it, Dan Buettner travels to 5 communities around the globe where people consistently live healthy lives into their 100s.
Being Inspired by Blue Zones
For many people, seeing the way these people live is a huge paradigm shift. In places such as Japan’s Okinawa as well as the Greek island of Ikaria, people in their 80s and 90s are in the midst of living healthy, vibrant and connected lives. The most memorable things I saw were very elderly (think 80s to 100s) people cutting their grass with a machete, people out watering and clipping gardens, and some sitting on the floor for daily meals.
Now shift your thinking to an American pattern of lifestyle and aging. We hire out or minimize work needed for our chores, we tend to prioritize independence over fostering generational relationships, and we assume a need for caution and rest over activity and strength. Maybe most importantly we prioritize quick and cheap foods over garden-grown or minimally processed foods.
We also have a negative connotation toward aging in America, where other countries have more reverence for aging. Studies have shown that our perception of aging closely corresponds with how well we age. In other words, if I expect to be frail, weak and tired, then i will adopt a lifestyle that tends to lead to those eventualities.
What Makes Blue Zones Different?
Here are some of the main commonalities seen in cultures where people tend to live healthily into their 100s:
- Intense physical activity maintained beyond the age of 80
- Deep and meaningful family and social connections maintained
- Eat more plants and less meat and dairy
- Eat with a moderate approach and stop eating just before you feel full
- Find and maintain activities that help you relieve stress
- Maintain your purpose, making sure you have useful activities to participate in each day
- Enjoy a glass of wine daily with friends or loved ones
Summary
People in these areas don’t expect to live differently than those in their 60s. They wake up with purpose, eat healthy foods, work hard daily, and live purposeful, connected and enjoyable lives. See if any of the bullets above represent a mindset shift you need adopt to age with more strength, positivity and determination.
