These are several regions of the world where people seem to live longer and healthier lives.
These places, known as the Blue Zone, include California, Japan, Greece, Costa Rica and parts of Italy.
These regions share several characteristics, including healthy food, natural movement and a sense of community.
There are regions of the world where people are believed to live the longest and healthiest lives.
These areas, called Blue Zones, have several characteristics, including primary feeding plant based diet, Do regular, low-intensity physical activity and have a sense of community and purpose.
Researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain first discovered the Blue Zone, and the concept was developed by Dan Buettner, who identified additional zones and conducted extensive research in these communities.
Buettner explained that there is not necessarily anything unique about genes or willpower of people living in the Blue Zone. Instead, they thrive because of an “interconnected web of traits that keeps people doing the right things long enough and avoiding the wrong things,” Insider previously reported.
So what can we learn from the places where people live the longest?
Sardinia, Italy
Castlesardo is a city on the Italian island of Sardinia. Getty Images
A group of villages in Sardinia, Italy, was first identified as the Blue Zone when researchers found the highest concentration of men over 100 years old.
The region is home to male shepherds who typically walk five or more miles through the mountains each day, eating a primarily plant-based diet and consuming local Cañonau wine in moderation.
The region is known for its strong family values, where elders are celebrated and all family members are cared for.
A village called Ciulo was held record From 1996 to 2016, 20 centenarians have lived in it.
Okinawa, Japan
Kabira Bay Beach, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan. Getty Images
Okinawa, Japan is home to the world’s longest-lived women.
Its residents, who eat superfoods including tofu, miso and seaweed, live by the Japanese concept of “ikigai,” defined as a motivating force that gives people a sense of purpose and what a person can contribute to the wider world. Buettner suggests that this is one reason for the residents’ long lives.
The island is also known for its tradition of “moai” living within strong social networks. These networks are established from childhood, when groups of about five children usually come together, and they persist through adulthood as a kind of second family.
In Okinawa, these groups meet regularly to provide emotional and financial support to each other and to gossip and spend time together.
Loma Linda, California, USA
Loma Linda, California, USA. Getty Images
Some residents of Loma Linda, California, live an average of 10 years longer than the average American.
A Protestant Christian denomination in the United States with the largest concentration of Seventh-day Adventists, the denomination lives on a plant-based diet taken directly from the Bible, which includes eating grains, nuts, and legumes.
Adventists do not smoke or drink alcohol and tend to stay active late in life. For some Adventists, red meat (especially pork), shellfish, refined foods, and caffeine are also prohibited.
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Montezuma is a city in the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Getty Images
In this part of Central America, the average life expectancy is one of the 85 highest in the world – even though the average income is the lowest in the country.
The community has a strong sense of faith and family, with most older people living with their families and respected sources of knowledge. According to Buettner, Costa Ricans have a “plan de vida” or “life plan” that gives seniors a sense of purpose.
Other factors include a healthy diet of unprocessed foods, drinking high-calcium hard water and regular exercise through regular walking.
Ikaria, Greece
Agios Kirikos village on the island of Ikaria, Greece. Getty Images
Residents of this Greek island are more likely to live past the age of 90 and less likely to develop dementia.
The people of Ikaria live naturally active lives due to the mountainous terrain and have strong social connections due to living in small communities.
They eat a type of Mediterranean diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits, and fast regularly due to their most common religion, Greek Orthodox Christianity.
Ikarians also take regular afternoon naps, which have been shown to reduce stress hormones and reduce the chance of dying from heart disease.
