Live to 100

John Yeigh · Sep 26, 2023 · 9 replies

MY WIFE AND I JUST finished watching the Netflix documentary Live to 100, which I highly recommend. The four-part series focuses on Dan Buettner’s study of pockets of people around the world who achieve amazing longevity, including many residents who live to age 100 and beyond.

The seven longevity locations include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California. These locations of long-lived people have been labeled “blue zones” based on the seminal demographic work on Sardinia by Giovanni Mario Pes, Michel Poulain and others.

Buettner identified nine characteristics shared by these blue zone residents. He further distilled that list down to four basic practices:

Eat well. This consists largely of a plant-based diet consumed in moderation. A little bit of wine is common, but modern processed foods are not.
Move naturally. Blue zone residents do plenty of daily walking, plus typically a moderate level of manual labor, and keep it up into old age. In effect, many of these folks don’t retire, but rather undertake light but meaningful work-based physical activity—such as gardening, farming, sewing, cooking, home maintenance—as part of their daily routine. They effectively use it, so they don’t lose it.
Maintain a positive outlook. It seems a purpose-driven life delivers both happiness and longevity. Many blue zone residents build leisure activities into their daily lives, giving them a chance to periodically decompress. Most also lead a faith-based life.
Connect with others. This includes their spouse, family members and their larger social network.

Interestingly, these blue zone traits mirror the advice of many HumbleDollar contributors: eat healthily, exercise, stay connected for greater happiness, and develop a sense of purpose.

How do Buettner’s findings help if you don’t come from a family with notable longevity and you don’t live in one of these blue zones? Buettner and others have found that heredity is not the largest contributor to longevity.

Buettner has helped implement well-being transformation programs in several U.S. communities. In every case, these communities have dramatically improved population health and longevity. In other words, we can improve our long-term health by adopting the lifestyle of blue zone residents.

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sumzero

3 years ago

I consider my house on a half acre is my gym club substitute: always something needs doing. And I was relieved to read, “A little bit of wine is common.”

David Lancaster

3 years ago

We watched the series as well. One saying they mentioned in the Japanese episode was to eat until you are 80% full. It takes a while for the full signal to get to the brain. Unfortunately I grew up in the 60s where my parents preached the mottos of being, “ be a member of the clean plate club”, as “children in Africa are starving”. I have finally broken that habit, but it took decades.

Edmund Marsh

3 years ago

John, I appreciate an article that presents information advocating good food and activity. It’s good to be reminded that the basics of good health are relatively simple, though life can sometimes complicate matters.

Andrew Forsythe

3 years ago

John, thanks for this. The “Eat well” characteristic mirrors Michael Pollan’s famously simple food rule: “Eat food (i.e., real food, not processed). Not too much. Mostly plants”. ‘In Defense of Food’ Author Offers Advice For Health : NPR

And all those centenarians brings to mind a quip: “Who’s the only person who wants to live to 100?” Answer: “Someone who’s 99.”