Ten Secrets of living in the blue zone for more than 100 years

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there are five places in the world where people not only expect long life, but also long life. These areas, known as the blue belt, are the most concentrated areas of centenarians in the world. They are Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, lomarinda in California, Nicosia in Costa Rica and Icaria in Greece. Dan buetner, author of blue zone and thrive, has spent years studying these populations. From all of our studies, we found that we believe that the lessons learned in the blue area are the reason for such longevity, "Butner said. Learn from people whose dreams come true: you can also easily integrate these experiences into your lifestyle.

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1. "The longest living people in the world don't play iron, run marathons or go to the gym," Butner said. Instead, they live in an environment that constantly drives them to move, without thinking about it. " For example, he said, they grow gardens and do their own housework - without all the modern conveniences. In fact, blue area residents move every 10 to 15 minutes. Try to mimic them to get rid of your remote control, making it necessary to stand up and go through the room to change the channel. Better yet, switch your TV time to cycling or dog walking. Replace the electric tools with hand tools as much as possible.

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2. "To have a sense of purpose, Okinawa calls it" iqigar, "Butner said. Niconia calls it the "Vader project," and both translate into "why do I wake up in the morning." Knowing your sense of purpose is worth living for seven years. Make a simple list of your hobbies and interests, find out what you are passionate about, and then do something about it. Do you like animals? Volunteer in the humanitarian Association. Volunteers were less likely to have cancer, heart disease and depression.

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3. Find ways to reduce stress. Everyone experiences stress, even in the blue zone. " Stress can lead to chronic inflammation, which is associated with every major age-related disease. What the world's longest living people have, we don't routinely release the pressure, "like Okinawans, take time every day to remember the people you love. Take a nap like an IKA. Or spend a happy time like a real Sardinian.

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4. "Don't eat when you're full"

"'eight parts of the Hara '-- the 2500 year Confucian maxim of Okinawans before meals reminds them not to eat when they're 80% full," Butner said. The 20% gap between not hungry and full may be the difference between weight loss and weight gain. "Slow down when eating to feel the impact of food on hunger. Have dinner with others, encourage conversation and prevent overeating.

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5. "People in the blue zone eat their smallest meal later in the afternoon or in the evening," Butner said. Then they don't eat the rest of the day. " Stick to three meals and try to schedule them all in eight hours. Eat a good breakfast (about half of the calories consumed per day), a Chinese meal and a light dinner.

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6. "Beans, including broad beans, black beans, soybeans and lentils, are the basis of most centenarians' diets," buetner said. Meat, mainly pork, is eaten only five times a month on average. The serving is three to four ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards. "Stick to single ingredient food and avoid processed food." Cook at home and make sure you can control your diet.

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7. People who drink a glass of wine every day in most blue areas drink moderately and regularly. Moderate drinkers live longer than non drinkers. The trick is to drink one or two glasses a day with friends and / or food, "Butner said. And, no, you can't save a week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.

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8. Joining a community

"of the 263 centenarians we interviewed, five belonged to a faith community," Butner said. Face value doesn't seem to matter. Research shows that four religious services a month increase life expectancy by four to fourteen years, "isn't it particularly devout? There are many ways to connect with others: try to get into a community, such as a knitting club, a speech club, or even an atheist group.

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9. Put your loved ones first. The successful centenarians in the blue zone put their families first. This means keeping elderly parents and grandparents nearby or at home. " "Residents of the blue zone are committed to finding a lifelong partner who can live an average of three years and will invest time and love in their children," Butner said. Bonus: your children will care more about you then.

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10. Find the right tribe

the world's longest lived people to choose or be born in a social circle that supports healthy behavior. " "Okinawans have created a 'Moai' - a group of five friends who have committed themselves to each other for life," Butner said. Research from the Framingham Heart Institute shows that smoking, obesity, happiness and even loneliness are infectious. Social networks of long-lived people have a beneficial effect on their healthy behaviors.

related: check the vitality compass of the blue zone website to estimate your potential life expectancy.

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What do you think? Do you know any centenarians, friends or family who live to the old age? What's their secret? Tell us in the comments!

related: get more longevity tips from livestrong.com directly to your inbox!

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