Nutrition for Today: Want to live longer: here's 9 ways how

Susie Bond
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People living in the Blue Zones drink moderately and regularly. Studies have shown that moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers.

Do you want to live to be 100 years old and still be healthy? National Geographic’s Dan Buettner just may have found the secret.

Buettner observed there are five specific geographic areas in the world where there are dense populations of people who live long lives, free of the typical chronic diseases that plague many others. He calls these areas “Blue Zones.”

The Blue Zone areas are not located in one specific area, but rather are scattered all over the world. They include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; and the Nicoyan Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Susie Bond

Buettner assembled a team of researchers and scientists who spent eight years studying these populations, examining their lifestyles and behaviors. They found nine specific similar characteristics common to all of them.

1. They are naturally active. They don’t work out in gyms, lift weights or run marathons. Rather, their environments encourage natural movement. For example, they grow their own food in gardens and don’t rely on mechanical tools to assist with yard work or house work.

2. They have a sense of purpose, or a reason to wake up in the morning. A sense of purpose has been found to add up to seven years of life expectancy.

3. They enjoy “down time” every day to counteract the stress in their lives. Some take time to reflect on their lives; others nap each day; some pray; and others meet friends for happy hour.

4. They follow the 80 percent rule. There is a 2,500-year-old Confucian mantra that Okinawans say before meals. “Hara hachi bu” reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full. In other words, they eat until they are no longer hungry, rather than when they are full. Blue Zone inhabitants eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening, and don’t eat anything else the rest of the day.

5. They eat a primarily plant-based diet. They eat lots of beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Red meat is eaten only once or twice each week, and fish is the primary source of protein. Portions are limited to three to four ounces each, about the size of a deck of cards.

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6. People living in the Blue Zones (except the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California) drink moderately and regularly. Studies have shown that moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. Most drink one to two glasses of wine each day with friends and with food.

7. They have a sense of belonging. Most belong to a faith-based community. Research has shown that attending faith-based services four times each month adds between four and 14 years of life expectancy.

8. They have a strong commitment to family. They keep aging parents and grandparents nearby or in their homes. They commit to a life partner (which adds years of life expectancy), and invest time and love in their children.

9. They live among social circles of friends that support healthy behaviors. Many studies have shown that social networks shape behaviors, and even predict happiness.

So, if you want to live a long and healthy life, consider doing as the Blue Zone inhabitants do. You could add 20 years to your life.

Susie Bond is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist with Health First Pro-Health & Fitness Center. Contact her at

Try this “Blue Zone-Friendly” recipe:

White Bean Vegetable Soup

1 cup cooked navy beans

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped kale

1 tsp rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

A pinch of sea salt

1 tsp soy sauce

1. Saute onions in the olive oil until translucent, on medium heat. Add salt, and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Add carrots, cooked navy beans and just enough water to cover the beans.

3. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.

4. Then add the kale and rosemary. Cook until the kale leaves soften and turn bright in color.

5. Add a splash of soy sauce to taste.

Serve with whole grain or sourdough bread and a glass of wine.

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