We must live by the sea, mother! The best places on Earth according to National Geographic. blue zones

There are “blue zones” on Earth, whose inhabitants are distinguished by enviable longevity…

There are “blue zones” on Earth, whose inhabitants are distinguished by enviable longevity - the island of Sardinia in Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Okinawa Prefecture in Japan and the Loma Linda community in California. A group of scientists made several expeditions to these regions in order to uncover the secrets of health and high life expectancy. Dan Buettner in The Blue Zones. 9 rules for longevity from people who live the longest

natural movement

The oldest people on earth don't run marathons or triathlons, and don't pose as sports stars on Saturday mornings. On the contrary, they engage in low-intensity physical activity, which is an integral part of their daily routine. Long-lived men in Sardinia's Blue Zone worked most of their lives as shepherds and had to walk many miles a day. Residents of Okinawan work every day in the garden. Adventists walk a lot. This is the type of physical activity that longevity experts recommend for a long and healthy life. According to Dr. Robert Cain, “the available evidence suggests that moderate exercise stress very helpful."

Yoga classes also help to maintain balance by strengthening all muscle groups, increasing flexibility, beneficially affecting the joints and reducing pain in the joints. lower section back. In addition, yoga serves as a means of communication and spiritual enrichment, like religion.

In all cultures of longevity, regular low-intensity physical activity fulfills all the requirements described above and at the same time does not put stress on the knees and hips. Here is what Dr. Kane says about it: “You must act not like a sprinter, but like a mile-long runner. It’s impossible to say: this year I will train like crazy, but in next year I’ll rest, because I’ve already worked my way out. ” The main task is to get into the habit of doing physical exercises 30 minutes (ideally within an hour) at least five times a week. It is possible, but still undesirable to break this half hour or hour into several visits.

Cut calories by 20 percent

If you are ever lucky enough to meet elderly Okinawans for dinner, you will surely hear how they pronounce an old Confucian saying before eating: hara hachi bu. This is a reminder that you should not eat your fill, but should stop eating when the stomach is 80 percent full. Even today, their daily caloric intake does not exceed 1900 kcal (the rather meager diet of the Sardinians is also about 2000 kcal per day).

Dr. Craig Wilcox argues that this tradition is a kind of painless option for restricting consumption. And this method is really effective: it increases the lifespan of experimental animals and improves heart function in humans. To some extent, the benefit of calorie restriction is due to the less damage done to cells by free radicals. But there is another plus: weight loss. As you know, a 10 percent reduction in body weight helps to reduce the level of blood pressure and cholesterol, which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease. But how can this be achieved? We do not live in the Japanese archipelago and are not surrounded by age-old cultural norms.

Traditional remedy the fight against a growing waistline is diet. But none of the centenarians known to us has ever been on a diet and none of them suffered from obesity. “Today, there is no diet that suits all people,” says Dr. Bob Jeffery of the University of Minnesota. “As a rule, the diet is followed for about six months, and then 90 percent of people simply run out of fuse.” Even with the most effective programs only a small number of participants get long-term results.

Secret proper nutrition- following the habits of the longest-lived people in the world. Dr. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, spent perhaps the most innovative research causes of our eating habits. As the elderly Okinawans subconsciously know, the amount of food eaten depends not so much on the feeling of satiety, but on the environment. We overeat because of circumstances - friends, family, plates, dish names, numbers, labels, lights, colors, candles, smells, shapes, distractions, sideboards and containers.

In one experiment, Wansink had a group of participants watch a video and handed each of them either a 500-gram or 250-gram bag of M&M's. After watching the video, he asked both groups to return the uneaten candy. Those who received 500-gram bags ate an average of 171 candies, those who received 250-gram bags only 71. We tend to eat more if we take large package. Wansink ran similar experiments using 47 different products and got the same results every time. He also noted the influence that dishes have on the volume of food eaten. At least three-quarters of the food eaten is served on plates, bowls or glasses. Wansink's experiments showed that people drink 25 to 30 percent more from short, wide glasses than from tall, narrow ones, and eat 31 percent more from a one-liter bowl than from a half-liter bowl.

The amount of food you eat is just one of the factors. The other is the number of calories. A typical fast food meal, consisting of a large hamburger, a large fried potato, and a glass of fizzy drink, contains approximately 1,500 calories. Craig and Bradley Wilcox calculated that Okinawan food contains five times fewer calories on average. In other words, a hamburger with fried potatoes and a plate full of Okinawan fried tofu with green peas have the same volume, but Okinawan food is five times less caloric.

Plants are everything

Most residents of Nicoya, Sardinia, or Okinawan have never tasted processed foods, sugary sodas, or pickled snacks. Most During their lives, they ate small portions of unprocessed food. They refused meat, or rather, they simply did not have the opportunity to eat it, except in rare cases. Traditionally, the inhabitants of these places eat what they grow in their own garden, supplementing with the main products: durum wheat (Sardinia), sweet potato (Okinawa) or maize (Nicoya). Particularly consistent Adventists in general completely refuse meat.

Scientists analyzed six different studies that included thousands of vegetarians and found that those who reduced meat consumption to a minimum lived longer. Some people worry that plant foods don't provide enough proteins and iron. But the bottom line, as Dr. Leslie Little says, is that people over 19 need only 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight, or an average of 50-80 grams of protein daily.

Legumes, grains, and vegetables form the basis of all longevity food crops. Sardinian shepherds take bread made from semolina flour with them to pasture. Among the inhabitants of Nicoya, not a single meal is complete without corn tortillas. And whole grains are an essential component of the Adventist diet. These foods are a source of fiber, antioxidants, anti-cancer agents ( insoluble fiber), substances that lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots, as well as all the necessary minerals. Legumes are an integral part of the cuisine of all the Blue Zones. A diet rich in legumes can help reduce heart attacks and bowel cancer. Legumes contain flavonoids and fiber (reducing the risk of heart attacks); it is an excellent source of proteins.

Tofu (soybean curd), a staple in the Okinawan diet, is often compared to bread in France or potatoes in Eastern Europe. True, you cannot live on bread or potatoes alone, and tofu is an almost ideal product: it has few calories, a lot of protein and minerals, no cholesterol, but all the amino acids necessary human body. In addition, it is environmentally friendly. An excellent source of proteins without harmful side effects meat, tofu contains phytoestrogens, which have a beneficial effect on the heart in women. In addition, phytoestrogens significantly reduce cholesterol levels and help strengthen blood vessels.

All of the above does not indicate that centenarians never eat meat at all. A festive meal in Sardinia necessarily includes meat dishes. Okinawans slaughter a pig for the Lunar New Year. The inhabitants of Nicoya also fatten the piglet. However, meat is eaten infrequently: only a few times a month. Most concerns are related to red and processed meats such as ham. Doctors Robert Kane and Robert Butler state that when planning a diet, it is very important to correctly distribute calories between complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins, minimizing trans fats, saturated fat and salt.

Eat more nuts

Studies show that nuts protect the heart by lowering blood cholesterol levels. In a large population study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, it was found that people who consumed nuts were less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease compared to those who rarely or not eat them at all. The Adventist Health Study (AHS) found that people who eat 56g of nuts five times a week live an average of two years longer than those who don't eat nuts.

One explanation suggests that nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber, which lower blood levels. LDL cholesterol he says. They are also a good source of vitamin E and other heart-healthy substances. The best are almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts and Pine nuts. Brazil nuts, cashews, and Australian nuts contain slightly more saturated fats and are less desirable. But nevertheless, all nuts are useful.

A glass of red wine a day won't hurt

According to the results epidemiological study̆ it can be assumed that a glass of beer, wine or other alcoholic drink per day provides some health benefits. However, the secrets of the "blue zones" indicate that consistency and moderation are decisive factors. In Okinawa, it's a daily glass of sake with friends. In Sardinia, a glass of red wine with every meal and every meeting with friends.

A glass or two of wine a day reduces the risk of heart disease, but excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer. Alcohol really relieves stress and reduces harmful effects chronic inflammation. Moreover, a glass of wine that complements the meal allows you to eat less.

To additional benefits red wine can also be attributed to its ability to cleanse the arteries due to the polyphenols contained in it, which fight atherosclerosis. For an added antioxidant effect, choose Sardinian Cannonau. At the same time, one should not forget about the toxic effects of alcohol on the liver, brain and other internal organs if you exceed daily servings. In this case, the risk of abuse will greatly outweigh any useful property. A friend recently asked if it was possible to abstain all week and drink fourteen glasses at once on Saturday night. The answer is no.

Religion helps you live longer

Research shows that visiting church services- let even once a month - has a positive effect on life expectancy. The subject of a recent study published in the Journal of Heath and Social Behavior was 3,617 people. The study lasted seven years and found that people who attended the service at least once a month, the risk of death was reduced by about a third. The parishioners had more average duration a life in which faith had the same effect as moderate physical activity.

The Adventist Health Study found similar results. Over the course of 12 years, 34 thousand people participated in it. It turned out that those who often attend church, the risk of death at any age is reduced by 20 percent. People who do not forget about the spiritual aspect are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseasĕ, depression, stress, less likely to commit suicide, and their the immune system functions much better.

Belonging to a religious community contributes to the establishment of extensive social ties. People who attend church have higher self-esteem and a higher sense of self-worth because religion stimulates positive expectations, which in turn improves health. When people's behavior matches their role exactly, their self-esteem rises. To a certain extent, belonging to a particular religion allows you to get rid of the stresses of everyday life, transferring them to a higher power. They follow clearly defined rules of conduct and through this they gain peace of mind, knowing that they are living the “right” way. If everything is good today, then you deserve it. If it's bad, it's not up to you.

Family comes first

The longest living people we've met in the Blue Zones have always put family first. Their whole life was built around marriage and children, family duty, rituals and spiritual intimacy. This statement especially applies to Sardinia, where residents are still passionately devoted to the family and family values. I once asked a vineyard owner if it would not be easier to send his infirm mother to a nursing home. He pointed his finger at me indignantly: “I can’t even think about such a thing. This is a disgrace to my family."

Tonino Tola, a Sardinian shepherd, loved to work, but admitted: "Everything I do is for the sake of the family." On the Nicoya Peninsula, all family members live nearby. So, all 99 inhabitants of one village were descendants of one 85-year-old man. They still used to gather for meals at the family restaurant, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited their grandfather daily to help with the cleaning or just play checkers with him.

Loyalty to the Okinawan family goes beyond earthly life. Okinawans over seventy start their day by praising the memory of their ancestors. There are often tables near the graves so that family members can organize a Sunday meal with deceased relatives.

How does this contribute to longevity? By the time the centenarians turn 100 years old, their attachment to the family bears fruit: children respond with gratitude for love and care. They visit their parents constantly, and in three of the four Blue Zones, the younger generation is happy to host their elders. Research shows that older people who live with children experience less illness and stress, eat healthier foods, and are less likely to have serious accidents. The MacArthur Healthy Aging Study, which followed 1,189 people aged 70 to 79 over seven years, found that people who live close to children have clearer minds and better social skills.

"The family is the highest rung in the social hierarchy," says Dr. Butler. - Parents give you a sense of reality, teach you to healthy lifestyle life, help to find purpose, and in case of illness or problems, family support becomes extremely important.” We spend most of our lives investing in some way, he says. Here you make investments when you go to school and get an education in a certain field. Then you invest in children when they are young, and then they invest in you when you are old. Recoil? Older people who live with families tend to stay sane longer than those who live alone or in a nursing home.

In America, the opposite trend is observed. In many families where there are working parents and busy children, spending time together becomes a rarity, since everyone is busy with their own affairs. Joint meals and rest disappear from our lives, become a rarity.

How to counteract this trend? Gail Hartmann, a graduate psychologist, believes that a way out will be found when all generations of the family are willing to spend time together. “In strong families, it is customary to eat at a common table at least once a day, go on vacation together and spend time together. You don't have to stop your normal life. Children can cook homework, and parents - dinner, but such a family will be distinguished by strong bonds and a sense of unity.

Dan Buettner in The Blue Zones. 9 rules for longevity from people who live the longest” talks about what they learned during these expeditions - about the features of the diet, physical activity and daily habits of people living in "longevity zones". "Theories and Practices" published the most important tips from book.

Natural movement.

The oldest people on earth don't run marathons or triathlons, and don't pose as sports stars on Saturday mornings. On the contrary, they engage in low-intensity physical activity, which is an integral part of their daily routine. The long-lived men in Sardinia's Blue Zone worked most of their lives as shepherds and had to walk many miles a day. Residents of Okinawan work every day in the garden. Adventists walk a lot. This is the type of physical activity that longevity experts recommend for a long and healthy life.

Ideal mode.

The ideal regimen, which you should discuss with your doctor, includes a combination of aerobics and balance and muscle strengthening exercises. Dr. Robert Butler recommends training major muscle groups at least twice a week. Balance is also of great importance, as falls are a common cause of injury and death among the elderly (in the US, one in three people over 65 suffer a fall-related fracture each year). Even standing on one leg (for example, when brushing your teeth) is a small step towards improving your balance. Yoga classes also help to maintain balance by strengthening all muscle groups, increasing flexibility, beneficial effects on joints and reducing pain in the lower back. In addition, yoga serves as a means of communication and spiritual enrichment, like religion. In all cultures of longevity, regular low-intensity physical activity fulfills all the requirements described above and at the same time does not put stress on the knees and hips. Here is what Dr. Kane says about it: “You must act not like a sprinter, but like a mile-long runner. You can’t say: this year I will train like crazy, but next year I will have a rest, because I have already worked out my own.” The main goal is to get in the habit of exercising for 30 minutes (ideally within an hour) at least five times a week. It is possible, but still undesirable to break this half hour or hour into several visits.

Proper nutrition.

Cut calories by 20 percent. If you are ever lucky enough to meet elderly Okinawans for dinner, you will surely hear how they pronounce an old Confucian saying before eating: hara hachi bu. This is a reminder that you should not eat your fill, but should stop eating when the stomach is 80 percent full. Even today, their daily caloric intake does not exceed 1900 kcal (the rather meager diet of the Sardinians is also about 2000 kcal per day).
Dr. Craig Wilcox argues that this tradition is a kind of painless option for restricting consumption. And this method is really effective: it increases the lifespan of experimental animals and improves heart function in humans. To some extent, the benefit of calorie restriction is due to the less damage done to cells by free radicals. But there is another plus: weight loss. A 10 percent reduction in body weight is known to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease. But how can this be achieved? We do not live in the Japanese archipelago and are not surrounded by age-old cultural norms.
Diet is the traditional remedy for growing waistlines. But none of the centenarians known to us has ever been on a diet and none of them suffered from obesity.
“Today, there is no diet that suits all people,” says Dr. Bob Jeffery of the University of Minnesota. “As a rule, the diet is followed for about six months, and then 90 percent of people simply run out of fuse.” Even with the most effective programs, only a small number of participants get long-term results.
The secret to proper nutrition is following the habits of the world's longest-lived people. Dr. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, has done perhaps the most groundbreaking study on the causes of our eating habits. As the elderly Okinawans subconsciously know, the amount of food eaten depends not so much on the feeling of satiety, but on the environment. We overeat because of circumstances - friends, family, plates, dish names, numbers, labels, lights, colors, candles, smells, shapes, distractions, sideboards and containers.
In one experiment, Wansink had a group of participants watch a video and handed each of them either a 500-gram or 250-gram bag of M&M's. After watching the video, he asked both groups to return the uneaten candy. Those who received the 500-gram bags ate an average of 171 candies, those who received the 250-gram bags only 71. We tend to eat more if we take a larger package. Wansink ran similar experiments using 47 different products and got the same results every time. He also noted the influence that dishes have on the volume of food eaten. At least three-quarters of the food eaten is served on plates, bowls or glasses. Wansink's experiments showed that people drink 25 to 30 percent more from short, wide glasses than from tall, narrow ones, and eat 31 percent more from a one-liter bowl than from a half-liter.
The amount of food you eat is just one of the factors. The other is the number of calories. A typical fast food meal, consisting of a large hamburger, a large fried potato, and a glass of fizzy drink, contains approximately 1,500 calories. Craig and Bradley Wilcox calculated that Okinawan food contains five times fewer calories on average. In other words, a hamburger and chips and a full bowl of Okinawan fried tofu with green peas are the same volume, but Okinawan food is five times less caloric.

Plants are everything.

Most residents of Nicoya, Sardinia, or Okinawan have never tasted processed foods, sugary sodas, or pickled snacks. For most of their lives, they ate small portions of unprocessed food. They refused meat, or rather, they simply did not have the opportunity to eat it, except in rare cases. Traditionally, the inhabitants of these places eat what they grow in their own garden, supplementing with the main products: durum wheat (Sardinia), sweet potato (Okinawa) or maize (Nicoya). Particularly consistent Adventists in general completely refuse meat.
Scientists analyzed six different studies that included thousands of vegetarians and found that those who reduced meat consumption to a minimum lived longer.
Some people worry that plant foods don't provide enough protein and iron. But the bottom line, as Dr. Leslie Little says, is that people over 19 need only 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight, which is an average of 50-80 grams of protein daily.
Legumes, grains, and vegetables form the basis of all longevity food crops. Sardinian shepherds take bread made from semolina flour with them to pasture. Among the inhabitants of Nicoya, not a single meal is complete without corn tortillas. And whole grains are an essential component of the Adventist diet. These foods are a source of fiber, antioxidants, anti-cancer agents (insoluble fiber), cholesterol-lowering and anti-clotting agents, and all essential minerals. Legumes are an integral part of the cuisine of all the Blue Zones. A diet rich in legumes can help reduce heart attacks and bowel cancer. Legumes contain flavonoids and fiber (reducing the risk of heart attacks); it is an excellent source of proteins.
Tofu (soybean curd), a staple in the Okinawan diet, is often compared to bread in France or potatoes in Eastern Europe. True, you cannot live on bread or potatoes alone, and tofu is an almost ideal product: it has few calories, a lot of protein and minerals, no cholesterol, but all the amino acids necessary for the human body are present. In addition, it is environmentally friendly. An excellent source of protein without the harmful side effects of meat, tofu contains phytoestrogens that have beneficial effects on the heart in women. In addition, phytoestrogens significantly reduce cholesterol levels and help strengthen blood vessels.
All of the above does not indicate that centenarians never eat meat at all. A festive meal in Sardinia necessarily includes meat dishes. Okinawans slaughter a pig for the Lunar New Year. The inhabitants of Nicoya also fatten the piglet. However, meat is eaten infrequently: only a few times a month. Most concerns are related to red and processed meats such as ham. Drs. Robert Cain and Robert Butler argue that when planning a diet, it is very important to correctly distribute calories between complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins, while minimizing trans fats, saturated fats and salt.

Nuts are an amazing longevity product.

Nuts are probably the most striking element of all "longevity foods". According to a study targeting Seventh-day Adventists, those who ate nuts at least five times a week were twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who ate nuts less frequently. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration included nuts on the first health declaration. In 2003, the FDA issued a "declaration of health" stating: "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that a daily intake of 42 grams of nuts, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can prevent the risk of heart disease."
Studies show that nuts protect the heart by lowering blood cholesterol levels. In a large population study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, it was found that people who consumed nuts were less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease compared to those who rarely or not eat them at all. The Adventist Health Study (AHS) found that people who eat 56 grams of nuts five times a week live an average of two years longer than those who don't eat nuts.
One explanation suggests that nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber, which lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, he says. They are also a good source of vitamin E and other heart-healthy substances. The best are almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts and pine nuts. Brazil nuts, cashews, and Australian nuts contain slightly more saturated fats and are less desirable. But nevertheless, all nuts are useful.

A glass of red wine a day won't hurt.

Epidemiological studies suggest that a glass of beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverage per day provides some health benefits. However, the secrets of the "blue zones" indicate that consistency and moderation are decisive factors. In Okinawa, it's a daily glass of sake with friends. In Sardinia, a glass of red wine with every meal and every meeting with friends.
A glass or two of wine a day reduces the risk of heart disease, but excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer. Alcohol does relieve stress and reduce the harmful effects of chronic inflammation. Moreover, a glass of wine that complements the meal allows you to eat less.
Additional benefits of red wine include its ability to cleanse the arteries due to the polyphenols contained in it, which fight atherosclerosis. For an added antioxidant effect, choose Sardinian Cannonau. At the same time, one should not forget about the toxic effects of alcohol on the liver, brain and other internal organs if you exceed daily portions. In this case, the risk of abuse will greatly outweigh any useful property. A friend recently asked if it was possible to abstain all week and drink fourteen glasses at once on Saturday night. The answer is no.

Religion helps you live longer.

Healthy centenarians have faith. Sardinians and Nicoyans are predominantly Catholic. Okinawans belong to a mixed religion that honors ancestors. The long-livers of Loma Linda are Seventh-day Adventists. All of them belong to one or another religious community. Faith in God is one of the good habits that increases the chances of a long healthy life. Religious affiliation doesn't matter: you can be Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu.
Studies show that attending church services - even once a month - has a positive effect on life expectancy. The subject of a recent study published in the Journal of Heath and Social Behavior was 3,617 people. The study lasted seven years and found that people who attended the service at least once a month, the risk of death was reduced by about a third. The parishioners had a longer average life expectancy, on which faith had the same impact as moderate physical activity.
The Adventist Health Study found similar results. Over the course of 12 years, 34 thousand people participated in it. It turned out that those who often attend church, the risk of death at any age is reduced by 20 percent. People who do not forget about the spiritual aspect suffer less from cardiovascular diseases, depression, stress, commit suicide less often, and their immune system functions much better.
Belonging to a religious community contributes to the establishment of extensive social ties. People who attend church have higher self-esteem and a higher sense of self-worth because religion stimulates positive expectations, which in turn improves health. When people's behavior matches their role exactly, their self-esteem rises. To a certain extent, belonging to a particular religion allows you to get rid of the stresses of everyday life, transferring them to a higher power. They follow clearly defined rules of conduct and through this they gain peace of mind, knowing that they are living the “right” way. If everything is good today, then you deserve it. If it's bad, it's not up to you.

Family comes first.

The longest-lived people you'll meet in the Blue Zones have always put family first. Their whole life was built around marriage and children, family duty, rituals and spiritual intimacy. This statement especially applies to Sardinia, where residents are still passionately devoted to the family and family values. I once asked a vineyard owner if it would not be easier to send his infirm mother to a nursing home. He pointed his finger at me indignantly: “I can’t even think about such a thing. This is a disgrace to my family."
Tonino Tola, a Sardinian shepherd, loved to work, but admitted: "Everything I do is for the sake of the family." On the Nicoya Peninsula, all family members live nearby. So, all 99 inhabitants of one village were descendants of one 85-year-old man. They still used to gather for meals at the family restaurant, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited their grandfather daily to help with the cleaning or just play checkers with him.
Loyalty to the Okinawan family goes beyond earthly life. Okinawans over seventy start their day by praising the memory of their ancestors. There are often tables near the graves so that family members can organize a Sunday meal with deceased relatives.
How does this contribute to longevity? By the time the centenarians turn 100 years old, their attachment to the family bears fruit: children respond with gratitude for love and care. They visit their parents constantly, and in three of the four Blue Zones, the younger generation is happy to host their elders. Research shows that older people who live with children experience less illness and stress, eat healthier foods, and are less likely to have serious accidents. The MacArthur Healthy Aging Study, which followed 1,189 people aged 70 to 79 over seven years, found that people who live close to children have clearer minds and better social skills.
"The family is the highest rung in the social hierarchy," says Dr. Butler. “Parents give you a sense of reality, teach you a healthy lifestyle, help you find purpose, and in case of illness or problems, family support becomes extremely important.” We spend most of our lives investing in some way, he says. Here you make investments when you go to school and get an education in a certain field. Then you invest in children when they are young, and then they invest in you when you are old. Recoil? Older people who live with families tend to stay sane longer than those who live alone or in a nursing home.
In America, the opposite trend is observed. In many families where there are working parents and busy children, spending time together becomes a rarity, since everyone is busy with their own affairs. Joint meals and rest disappear from our lives, become a rarity.
How to counteract this trend? Gail Hartmann, a graduate psychologist, believes that a way out will be found when all generations of the family are willing to spend time together. “In strong families, it is customary to eat at a common table at least once a day, go on vacation together and spend time together. You don't have to stop your normal life. Children can prepare homework and parents can prepare dinner, but such a family will be distinguished by strong bonds and a sense of unity.

In many countries of the world, there are Scientific research, which aim to identify factors and habitats that contribute to increasing the life expectancy of people on our planet. Most recently, a famous American traveler discovered the "blue zones" of longevity...

On our planet, there are only a few "blue zones of longevity", where the population continues an active life even at the age of one hundred. All these zones, as scientists have found out, are located in mountainous areas. The strongest of these are the zones found in the following places in the world: Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan), Southern California (USA), a peninsula on the Pacific coast (Costa Rica). In Russia, such zones are located mainly in the Caucasus and Altai.

For the first time the concept of "blue zones of longevity" was introduced by Dan Buettner who explored the places with the most high rates life expectancy of people. He began to call these places "blue zones". In the process of research, the scientist met and communicated with people who lived longer than others on our planet. It was found that the inhabitants of these "blue zones" were much less likely to be exposed to serious illnesses and much more often than other people lived to the age of a hundred.

Experts have identified seven main factors that contribute to the increase in life expectancy of people in these areas and in fact are the secret of eternal youth:

1) Breath and Mountain air . Oxford University professor Federico Formenti considers this factor to be the main recipe for longevity. In his opinion, the reason is that the mountain air is discharged and in order to compensate for the reduced amount of oxygen that enters the blood, the process of producing red blood cells - red blood cells that deliver oxygen to the muscles - is activated. People living in the mountains gradually adapt to reduced oxygen levels. As a result, the body's endurance increases and, as a result, life expectancy increases. It is especially useful, in his opinion, to alternate being in the mountains with life in the valley. It is no coincidence that famous athletes prefer to train high in the mountains from time to time.

2) Sunshine Vitamin . Scientists from the University of the American State of Colorado, together with researchers at the Harvard School of Global Health, came to the conclusion that the reason for the longevity of the highlanders is not only the mountain air, but also increased solar activity in the mountains. Because of this, vitamin D is synthesized in large quantities in the body. This has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the heart, and also prevents the appearance of cancer cells.

3) Healing mountain water . Unique composition of the purest mountain waters, enriched with special minerals, is a real "health elixir", which contributes to a significant increase in people's life expectancy.

4) Constant activity . It is known that mountaineers lead active image life and regularly for a long time make ascents and descents from mountain plateaus, which maintains their vitality at a very high level. The “secret” to their longevity lies in high physical activity. It is connected not only with the need to move around uneven terrain, but also with their occupation - most mountaineers are engaged in agriculture or animal husbandry.

5) Highlander Diet , the site says. An important feature their food is that the highlanders never prepare it for the future. They have a lot of raw and uncooked vegetables and fruits in their diet. Instead of regular bread, they prefer to eat healthy, yeast-free flatbread. The very way of cooking they have is significantly different from that to which we are accustomed. Highlanders boil their food, not fry it.

6) Healing herbs . American scientists were amazed when they found out that the action of mountain phytoncides and various herbal cocktails (tinctures) increases life expectancy by 24%.

7) simple truths . Highlanders always tried to live by certain rules and avoided unnecessary stress and anxiety over trifles.

Recently, a unique health resort "Lago-Naki" in which all these seven factors are used for recovery. In addition, ancient methods are used for a more effective effect. oriental medicine and other state of the art technologies.

Scientists in Silicon Valley and around the world are trying to crack the code for living longer and aging better, and the ways to do it—better health and longer lifespans—continue to be very low-tech, even old-school. Dan Buettner, author of publications such as National Geographic and NYT, has studied the hotspots of longevity around the world - places where people live long and stay in excellent health. He, having received a grant from the National Institute for the Study of Aging, together with a team of scientists and demographers began the study. They established criteria by which they studied five places, the so-called "blue zones" of the Earth. We will tell you about this study today.

What are these five Blue Zones, and what do people do there that distinguishes these places from many others?

Sardinia. Italy.

On this Italian island you will find men from the most long duration life. The longevity phenomenon is most common among shepherds, who tend to eat variations of the Mediterranean diet. Their diet includes legumes, yeast-free sourdough bread, and a special type of wine called cannonau, which contains more flavonoids than most other wines.

Okinawa. Japan.

These islands are famous for the record long life expectancy of women. Their diet consists mainly of plant-based ingredients, and necessarily includes tofu, bitter melon and corn. What makes Okinawa stand out are concepts like ikigai (being imbued with the meaning of life) and moai (strong social support).

Nicoya. Costa Rica.

The lowest death rate in middle age is in the Nicoya Peninsula. This means that people there have the best chance of living in good health until the age of 90. The inhabitants of Nicoya consume three main products that allow them to achieve wellness and, as a result, longevity: corn tortillas, black beans and squash (pumpkin), - and this set is supplemented year-round tropical fruits. It is cheap, tasty, rich in complex carbohydrates, and also contains all the amino acids necessary for our existence. This set of products is ideal for farmers, while not depleting the soil and does not involve the slaughter of livestock, both of which are extremely negative for the environment.

Loma Linda. California.

In the study of the "blue zones" it was noticed that they depend not so much on their location, but on the lifestyle that people lead there. In Loma Linda, the Blue Zone is owned by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who are considered America's longest-lived people. Adventists have taken the basis of their diet from the Bible, it is based on plant foods (i.e. all plants that bear seeds and all trees that bear fruit), usually vegetarian. They spend time with other Adventists, and health is their greatest asset: they don't drink, they don't smoke, they value religion and relationships.

Ikaria. Greece.

In Ikaria, people live an average of 8 years longer than in America, and practically do not suffer from dementia. They reside long life, remaining in sound memory until the very end. The menu of the inhabitants of Ikaria is mediterranean diet in our classical sense (vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, olive oil). They also drink a lot of herbal teas with oregano and rosemary. What is most interesting about their diet is that it includes about 120 types of greens, which ordinary people considered weeds. In Ikaria, they prepare exotic salads from these herbs and bake them in delicious pies. Many of these plants contain 10 times more antioxidants than you'll find in wine. And a study confirmed that eating half a cup of cooked greens a day would increase life expectancy by about four years!

What are the biggest misconceptions about the Blue Zones? It is a mistake to think that you can go to one of these zones, find the secret ingredient there, bring it into your home, rub it on your face or eat it, and thereby receive the key to longevity. Alas, no. So it doesn't work. Mostly we are talking about a combination of factors. Don't think, "Oh, I'm going to go buy beets or turmeric and I'll live a long time." The lifespan of people stems from their habits, which in turn are the result of being in the right environment.

So what is the correct environment?

This is an environment that helps you eat plant foods. In all the five places mentioned above, legumes, leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are very cheap and readily available. And what is most important is that the society living in these zones has cherished recipes for cooking vegetables, and makes them so delicious that everyone eats them with pleasure. In contrast to us, the inhabitants big cities living among endless restaurants fast food and consuming cheap burgers, greasy potatoes and other harmful things.

At the same time, studying what centenarians eat, you need to understand that it is important not only what they ate yesterday or today. The big picture is important: how they ate as children, what they ate when they became parents or grew old. Hundreds of respondents in the Blue Zones noted that 95-100% of their diet consisted of very unprocessed or low-processed plant foods. The basis in all zones were greens, whole grains, legumes and nuts. If you are not allergic to any of the above, you should also consume these foods every day. It might add five years to your life expectancy.

In the Blue Zones, people eat no meat at all or no more than five times a month, usually around holidays. Some fish may be present in the diet - less than twice a week. They can drink wine, but not sugary sodas. Most often it is water, tea and sometimes coffee. Overall, this is a relatively low-protein, high-carb diet. But don't jump to conclusions about high content Carbohydrates - There are different types of carbohydrates. Both candy and legumes are carbohydrates, but they are completely different in terms of their benefits. About 65-70% of the diet of the inhabitants of the "blue zones" is complex carbohydrates, mostly of vegetable origin.

But the right environment is not only nutrition, but also a way of life in general. In the Blue Zones, people wake up in the morning and know exactly how they will spend the day. They don't suffer from existential stress, wondering why I'm here. This is so clear. This is usually for their family, for religion - sometimes they are part of something in common, for which they feel responsible. The scourge of electronic networks has not yet destroyed them, but it has destroyed us. Instead of sitting on their smartphones as they do around the world, people in the Blue Zones continue to be socially connected in life. If you don't show up at church or a village festival, or if people don't see you for a couple of days, there's bound to be a knock on your door. We humans are social beings. Every day, leaving the door of your house, you will certainly stumble upon someone you know. But loneliness takes a couple of years of life.

Now scientists continue to look for "blue zones". There are several candidates for this title, but they quickly disappear. Once modern standards touch these places, everything immediately stops. Most of the areas that this moment open, will not be so in a couple of decades. Scientists led by a journalist from NG are trying to protect them from modern projects, planning to keep these places in their current form as long as possible. The research team is also working to create places where people can live long and healthy lives. The very idea of the Blue Zones project lies in the organization of the principles that are followed in existing zones - a product of living in right conditions. Assuming that people are genetically programmed to consume fat, sugar, salt and rest whenever and wherever they want, scientists suggest that instead of fighting these temptations, create an environment that will encourage people to consume more plant food and to socialization. Also, people will be helped to feel a sense of self-worth, usually through involvement in volunteer work, as well as important point there will be communication with other people with similar interests. People will also be helped to move more naturally - living in the right community can help increase people's physical activity levels by 30%.

Seems to exist Feedback between the amount of time we spend on our devices and how long we live, or at least how healthy we are. The study of the Blue Zones proves to us that we are going in the wrong direction. If you really want to become healthier, you must first make your environment healthier. Or you can try to move to a healthier place.