Table of Contents
Experts in this article
- Anne OrnisAnne Ornish is the Digital Director of Ornish Lifestyle Medicine and vice president of program development at the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute.
- Dan BuettnerBlue Zones expert and author of The Blue Zones Secrets to a Longer Life
- Dean Ornish, MDDean Ornish, MD, is the founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
The couple shares some of their findings in their new book, Undo it! With Ornis, where they explain that many diseases, including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress (an interruption of the natural balance of free radicals and antioxidants in your system), and changes in your microbiome, stem from the same sources. They have discovered that most of these biological problems can be traced back to four key lifestyle habits: how we eat, manage our stress, move our bodies, and prioritize our interpersonal relationships. (Right now, the Ornishes are conducting the first randomized trial to determine whether improving these four lifestyle habits can reverse early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.)
“This theory provides a more scientific basis for understanding disease and helps explain why the Blue Zone regions and some Asian countries have low rates of all these different chronic diseases,” Dr. Ornish recently shared in an interview with longevity expert Dan Buettner, founder of the Blue zoneswho studies places in the world where people live exceptionally long and healthy lives.
Below we outline the four most important longevity lifestyle tips we can learn from the world’s longest-living people. Read on to learn about the diet, stress management, physical activity, and social habits they use for a longer, healthier life.
4 lifestyle tips for longevity from the longest living people on earth
1. They eat a plant-based diet
When it comes to filling their plates, the people of the Blue Zones focus on plants. “They’re eating 90 to 100 percent plant-based foods, without a doubt,” Buettner previously told Well+Good. Why? Because foods like vegetables, fruits, grains and beans are good for your heart, intestines and brain. Additionally, plant-based diets are associated with: lower risk of heart disease, prevention of type 2 diabetesa reduced risk of cancer, the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (and the list goes on).
The people of the Blue Zones also occasionally eat small portions of meat the size of a playing card, and usually stick to drinking water, coffee and – yes! – wine.
Enjoy your veggies with this vegan Italian meatball soup:
2. They manage stress through gardening
Researchers are just beginning to understand how stress contributes to disease, but early findings indicate that the mental anxiety caused by too long a to-do list or too many nights of poor sleep is essentially compromises our body’s ability to regulate inflammation. And scientists now believe this could lead to… diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease to both develop and progress – hence stress management is a big part of protecting your body and mind against disease.
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce stress – from meditation to… prayer to dancing. But in the Blue Zones, gardening is perhaps the most popular form of stress relief. The positive side effects of gardening include: delayed symptoms of dementiaAnd improved mental and physical health.
3. Residents of the Blue Zone remain physically active throughout the day
Blue Zone residents are not known to do heavy workouts, but their lives are dynamic. Emily Kiberd, DC, founder of the Urban Wellness Clinic in New York City, previously told Well+Good. For example, they walk to the supermarket, dance, practice Thai chi and cycle In principle everywhere. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, to walk, dancingAnd misuse They have all been shown to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. So keep in mind that your morning walk and lunch dance break make a difference (even if each walk is only 15 minutes).
4. They remain closely connected to their community
Think about it: having people in your life who love and care for you—and who you love and care for in return—is good for you. “Love isn’t something you hear about often in mainstream medicine, and that’s the part our participants are most concerned about, even though it’s probably the most valuable,” says Anne Ornish. One study showed that the risk of dementia exists in people over 75 years of age was lowest for those who had several, satisfying social connections.
So as you think about how to take care of yourself today, make sure you make some time for someone you love. Your body will thank you in the long run.
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