Dan Buettner travelled the globe from Costa Rica to Italy to Japan. He discovered a person’s genes have little to do with how long a person lives, and, in his book The Blue Zones, Buettner details the strategies for living longer and staying younger. The strategies he suggests are subtle and can be easily achieved by anyone. Here’s six key factors Buettner discovered.
- Appreciate Family. If you want to be appreciated, give it first, and start with your family. They are the support system you need to achieve a long, happy life, and loving and appreciating them, means it will be reciprocated.
- Create a Social Network. Longevity relies on a good social networks, so take the time to create friendship and encourage them to grow.
- Don’t Diet. Most people cannot stay on a diet for more than six months, and, even if they do, they’re usually miserable. You don’t need to diet, you need to eat sensible, avoid saturated fat, eat fewer calories, and consume less meat. In fact, people in Okinawa, Japan, who eat plant-based diets boast the most centenarians in the world.
- Find Spirituality. Buettner discovered people who lived in the Blue Zones and were spiritual or attended church, lived several years longer than people who did not.
- Have a Purpose. You need a reason to get up in the morning and the best way to accomplish that is to have a purpose. Moreover, having a purpose helps you to have a positive outlook, which reduces stress and improves your immune system.
- Move. Don’t sit on the couch or lead a sedentary life. Buettner found people who live the longest move. They walk, garden, and putter around.