The #1 Unexpected Secret a Geriatrician Wants You to Know About 'Blue Zones'

Women over 50 thriving

With innovative medical interventions and improved knowledge of diseases on our side, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, life expectancy has increased by more than six years between 2000 and 2019. While that is certainly good news, many of us want to discover other ways in addition to modern medicine to increase our longevity, and possibly even live to 100.

If you’re searching for secrets to live to that ripe old age, you can look to certain areas of the world where they’re doing something right: the “Blue Zones.”

What Are "Blue Zones"?

There are certain areas around the globe where people experience lower rates of chronic disease and routinely live to be over 90 or even to 100. According to Elizabeth Landsverk MD, founder of Dr Liz Geriatrics and author of Living in the Moment: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Moments of Joy in Alzheimer’s and other Dementias, author Dan Buettner released a highly popular book called The Blue Zones, in which he identified five regions in the world that boast the greatest number of centenarians, or those aged over 100.

In Buettner’s book, Dr. Landsverk says the links between various Blue Zones are studied, and in turn, he landed upon “some pretty simple commonalities.”

The Blue Zones include Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Although Loma Linda stands out in the United States as a Blue Zone, the United States in and of itself is not considered a Blue Zone nation.

“Generally, we consume too much fast or processed food and rely on driving instead of walking and being more physically engaged,” Dr. Landsverk explains. “While the U.S. in general is not a Blue Zone, Loma Linda, California, though, is included and that population is known for a mostly plant-based diet and being very active.”

Related: The #1 Sign You'll Live to 100, According to Longevity Experts

What Are Some Characteristics of Blue Zones?

So, what is it about people living in the Blue Zones that help them outlive other populations around the world? Dr. Landsverk says that those living in the Blue Zones all share some fundamental aspects of their lifestyles, including making movement a part of their daily routine, having a sense of purpose, prioritizing stress relief through meditation or prayer, eating a largely plant-based diet, minimizing alcohol/smoking and being an integral part of the community.

Related: The One Food You Should Eat Every Day if You Want To Live to 100, According to Registered Dietitians

The #1 Unexpected Secret a Geriatrician Wants You to Know About Blue Zones

“Actually, it’s what I don’t recommend that is the unexpected secret,” Dr. Landsverk shares. She says that while many Americans turn to detoxes, fad diets and supplements, the research on those is conflicting at best. "What studies do show is that adhering to a plant-based diet and exercising or doing some activity at least 30 minutes a day decreases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and dementia by 50%.”

Related: Want to Live to 100? These Centenarians Are Sharing Their Secrets to Long Life

Other Blue Zone Habits

Dr. Landsverk lists other longevity habits that we can pick up as Americans, things that help those in the Blue Zones live longer.

First of all, Dr. Landsverk says that using Motrin, Ibuprofen and Naprosyn daily increases one's risk of hypertension, edema, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, dementia, kidney damage and stomach bleeding. If you want to live a long, healthy life, avoid these medications if possible.

“I strongly advocate for treating pain, however, that tends to impact us as we age,” Dr. Landsverk explains. “I often recommend taking a single, long-acting Tylenol tablet twice daily (check with your doctor first) along with daily stretching and moving more to decrease pain and allow elders to remain active. Not only does the pain subside, but by being more active, one's strength, balance and risk of falling diminishes significantly.”

Dr. Landsverk also notes that resveratrol, the polyphenols that act like antioxidants in a glass of red wine, is not as protective to the brain as earlier studies have seemed to indicate.

“We now know that any amount of alcohol is toxic to the brain,” she says. “For quality of life, it’s nice to have a glass of wine with a special meal, but don’t think of it as vitamins.”

Another way to increase your longevity and mimic the lifestyles of those in the Blue Zones? Dr. Landsverk recommends two vitamins that you should have adequate amounts of every day. These include vitamin D3 for bone strength and vitamin B12 for nerve function. While it's unfortunately tough to get these vitamins from a plant-based diet, fatty fish (like salmon), eggs and dairy products contain vitamin D3 and vitamin B12.

Next up, discover eight U.S. cities where you might live to 100.

Sources

• Elizabeth Landsverk MD, founder of Dr Liz Geriatrics.

• World Health Organization (WHO): “GHE: Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy”