Health News and Tips:
Western Heights School
9 Lessons from the World's Oldest People (Blue Zone Wisdom):
#1. Move Naturally & Incorporate Physical Activity into Daily Life
"More than 75% of Americans don't even get 20 minutes of physical activity," Dan notes. But the good news is, "The biggest gain is to go from zero activity to 20 minutes a day. That's 3 years of life expectancy right there."
For those over 60, building and maintaining muscle is crucial. Simple activities like after-dinner walks or walking meetings can have a huge impact. As I've been saying, "Sitting is the new smoking!"
#2. Find Your Purpose
Having a purpose in life can add up to 7 years of extra life expectancy. This is why I talk so much about having a Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP). A purpose-driven life naturally leads to higher energy and better social connections.
#3. Downshift
This one is personally my biggest challenge! Downshifting means finding ways to unwind and reduce stress daily. In Blue Zones, this often involves gardening, after-dinner walks, and rituals like expressing gratitude before meals. As my Chief Medical Officer at Fountain Life, Dr. Helen Messier, suggests, taking deep breaths before eating can put you in a "rest and digest" mode.
#4. Aim to Be 80% Full
This principle comes from an Okinawan adage to stop eating when your stomach is 80% full. In practice, this often means “pre-plating food” and putting the rest away, rather than eating family-style and stuffing yourself. It's about limiting the amount of food you intend to eat upfront. (Note: there is a time delay between consuming food and feeling full.)
#5. Eat a Whole-plant Diet
Blue Zone diets typically include meat only about 5 times per month. As Dan notes, "The average American eats about 240 pounds of meat a year!" In contrast, Blue Zone residents eat about 20 pounds annually. They also consume about a cup of beans daily, which is associated with living about 4 years longer. (Note: I’m intending to increase my bean consumption.)
#6. Alcohol Intake
Interestingly, despite conflicting research, Blue Zone residents often drink two glasses of homemade wine per day. Dan's observation? "A little bit doesn't seem to get in the way of living a long time in Blue Zones." (Note: from a medical standpoint, I still believe there is likely more negative impact of alcohol consumption than positive. I’ve cut it out except for an occasional glass of wine.)
#7. Spirituality
Participation in faith-based services 4 times per month is associated with 4 to 14 extra years of life expectancy. Dan shares, "I interviewed personally about 430 centenarians and 425 of them said they belong to a faith-based community."
#8. Keeping Parents & Grandparents Close By
In Blue Zones, it would shame the family to put older relatives in a retirement home. As Dan points out, "I think we're quick to dismiss the benefits of having our aging parents around." Doing so can lead to a 2 to 6-year drop in life expectancy.
#9. Importance of Community and Your Social Circle
You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Dan shares a striking statistic: "We know that if our three best friends are obese or overweight, there's about a 150% better chance that you'll be overweight. Who we hang out with has a huge and lasting impact on our health."
Why Your Mindset Matters So Much
Adopting these Blue Zone behaviours long-term requires what I call a “Longevity Mindset.” It's about having a positive motivator stronger than the immediate gratification of unhealthy choices.
I didn't develop my Longevity Mindset until after I turned 50. Now, I've trained myself to love healthy foods. My favourite food used to be chocolate chip ice cream, but now it’s broccoli with olive oil and lemon.
A fundamental component of my upcoming Longevity Platinum Tripwill be helping you develop your Longevity Mindset and covering the key “Longevity Basics,” including diet, sleep, fitness and other areas of your life that you can control to extend your healthspan. If you choose to join us, get ready for some life-changing habits!
As I’ve mentioned before, your mindset matters... a lot! A study of 69,744 women and 1,429 men, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that OPTIMISTIC people live as much as 15% longer than pessimists.
So, a lot is under your control! By adopting these Blue Zone principles and cultivating a Longevity Mindset, you have the power to significantly extend your healthspan.
The question is: how long do you really want to live?