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The Diets And Lifestyles Of Centenarians Those Who Live Up To 100

haniaelweleily93

May 12, 2024

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Dan Buettner the explorer, national geographic ambassador and travel cyclist pieced the secrets to vital and mentally sharp longevity from around the globe in a buzz-making, binge-worthy Netflix docuseries.

The continued curiosity with the wellness world might have something to do with the global attention the terms centenarian and Blue Zones have been getting since the docuseries has been released. The same ongoing media attention the Tech millionaire Bryan Johnson has been getting for spending millions each year in drastic attempts to live forever and age backwards like the real life Benjamin Button. 

Over the past couple of years amid the Wellness Movement, health techniques and lifestyles have become increasingly popular such as Intermittent Fasting, Gluten-free, Veganism and The Keto Diets. The centarianian diet and lifestyle is the latest of the Wellness Movement. 

In the docuseries, travel cyclist and journalist author Dan Buettner discovers six unique communities where people live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives.The series is the culmination of 20 years of identifying and studying the world’s longest-lived people. 

Those parts of the world commonly created the concept of Blue Zones. The Blue zones are located in Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Loma Linda (California) and recently added to the list Singapore. 

The docuseries is followed by Buettner’s New York Times bestselling book The Blue Zone: 9 Lessons of Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.

According to the docuseries and the book, what do centarianians eat and do to live long ?

The six spots share some similar elements : 

1. A plant-based diet
2. Natural movement
3.  Putting family first — that has been linked to longevity and health.

Commonly, They cook their meals with fresh plants and herbs from the garden or the forest. Animal protein intake is relatively low compared to vegetable and bean intakes. Processed foods are never included in their diet which have been heavily consumed worldwide and heavily linked to obesity, heart-disease and depression. 

Most importantly, they don’t overeat. The majority of the longest living people stop eating before they are completely full.

Delving deeper into their diets

1.Sardinia (Italy) : Many of the long-lived locals live in mountainous terrain, where they hunt, fish and harvest their own foods — such as goat’s milk, pecorino cheese, barley, and garden vegetables. In addition, they consume their own wine in moderation.The wine drinkers in Sardinia tend to live longer than non-drinkers.

2.Loma Linda (California) : The long-lived locals largely consume a  vegetarian diet. They refrain from caffeine and alcohol. Loma Linda is a part of a tight knit Seventh-day Adventist community.

3.Ikaria (Greece): The long-lived locals expectedly consume a Mediterranean diet which consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables in comparison to minimal amounts of meat and seafood. Like Sardinia’s diet, red wine is a staple in Ikaria (Greece).

4.Okinawa (Japan) : The long-lived locals have historically consumed a largely plant-based diet plucked from their gardens. They get many of their calories from sweet potatoes which are highly nutritious and packed with antioxidants. They also heavily rely on tofu which is a gut-regulating, concentrated source of protein. As for meat-consumption, they prize pork, which they traditionally save for special occasions.

5.Nicoya (Costa Rica) : The long-lived locals tend to eat a traditional Mesoamerican diet rich in starchy plant foods like corn, beans and squash which they add chili and tomatoes to.

6.Singapore : The most recently added 6th blue zone, the long-lived locals unthinkably consume healthy and whole foods since these foods are subsidized and cost much less than processed foods. In restaurants and junk food global franchises, the meals are usually healthier and sugar-free.

Strategically, Singapore’s government reduced the amount of sugar in sweetened beverages and added healthy food labels to items with limited amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium.

What about physical exercise ?

In Sardinia (Italy) and Ikaria (Greece) the streets are naturally steep and narrow. Getting anywhere in the two towns will be considered hiking. Not to mention, people in Ikaria (Greece) are fond of movement through dance among their close-knitted community. In Okinawa (Japan), the elders practice a lot of gardening and restless floor-sitting. In Singapore, the primary means of getting anywhere is walking among glowing greenery and taking public transportation. The every-corner Singaporean public park is functionally constructed for working out, not just for mindful resting among the trees and over the lake. 

The link between practicing professional passions and living longer 

The centenarians commonly emphasized the importance of practicing professional passions till they pass on and the potential health risks of retirement. According to them, pursuing professional passions gives them purpose and meaning to their lives. A Japanese study of adults aged over 65 found that those working either full-time or part-time had significantly better mental health (as measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale), compared with those who had retired, while another Japanese study found that being employed in later life reduced a person’s susceptibility to stroke.

The link between socially-engaged elders and living longer 

Younger residents of the Blue Zones mutually mentioned the importance of either living with their elders or including them into each social gathering. Centarianians in Okinawa (Japan) mentioned in the docuseries how feeling constantly surrounded by family members and neighbors has positively impacted their emotional wellbeing. 

Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death.

The study further elaborates that older adults reporting social isolation or loneliness show poorer cognitive function 4 years later. 

On the other hand, people who engage in meaningful, productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their mood, and have a sense of purpose. These activities seem to help maintain their well-being and may improve their cognitive function.

Centenarians and residents in Okinawa (Japan) can set the example for the rest of Japan where it currently ranks seventh in suicide incidence rates worldwide especially among the elders and their caretakers. The unfortunate phenomenon has been coined as “double homicide-suicide”. The Japanese government and the Kitasato University School of Medicine have been taking measures to understand the reasons behind “double homicide-suice” to accordingly reduce them. 

By : Hania Elweleily