It is the dream of every human to live a healthy and longer life. In recent years, scholars have actively engaged in studies focused on examining the various activities individuals can do to maintain health and live a longer life. Nutritionists have developed various diets that enhance the quality of life and provide eating habits that are perceived to reduce the rate of dietary-induced health conditions linked to a low life expectancy across the world. The information about healthy lifestyles and high life expectancy is enhanced by identifying the blue zones where most individuals live to attain an age of over 100 without any chronic conditions. Research on individuals’ lifestyles in the blue zones has enabled the identification of practices that play a critical role in life longevity, as addressed in Melissa Matthews (2022) and Dan Buettner’s (2009) article and video presentation, respectively.
Focus on natural movement is one of the activities linked to living a long and healthy life. According to Matthews (2022), people in blue zones stay an active life as they choose to walk over driving. Such people engage in physical activities like yard work and other activities involving long hours of movement rather than going to the gym (Buettner, 2009; Matthews, 2022). It is presumed that low-intensity movements burn more calories than an hour of weight lifting in the gym. Buettner (2009), a national geographic writer, mentions the impacts of physical activities on longevity in his 2009 Ted talk presentation on how to live to be 100. Having visited different blue zones worldwide, the writer stated that activities like walking and cycling are key reasons why people in blue zones have a high life expectancy. Physical activities are, therefore, activities that individuals should engage in for them to enjoy a long and healthy life.
Having a life purpose is another factor that enhances longevity and high life expectancy. Research on individuals living in the blue zones has discovered that having a clear reason to live motivates them to wake up early and do activities they love. The blue zone project has indicated that individuals with a clear purpose in life are likely to enhance their life expectancy by seven more years. According to Buettner (2009), people in the various blue zones have unique purposes based on the culture maintained in the areas they live. While some people wake up to undertake the professional jobs of their dreams, others teach activities like tai chi, which motivates them to push on with life irrespective of their ages (Buettner, 2009; Matthews, 2022). Therefore, people seeking to live a long and healthy lifestyle should have a specific purpose they should pursue for the rest of their lives.
In addition, stress management also plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy and long life. Stress is linked to the development of health conditions like inflammation, heart attacks, and high blood pressure, which are the main causes of death among the elderly in most parts of the world (Li et al., 2018). Stress is common in humans, but people in the blue zones are presumed to have different ways to manage their stress and live happy and healthy life. For example, the blue zone project identified that the Sardinians participate in a happy hour while Okinawans set aside time to remember their ancestors daily as a stress management practice (Buettner, 2009; Matthews, 2022). Therefore, individuals seeking to live a long and healthy life should develop mechanisms to manage their stress daily to attain the goal.
Eating habits are also another aspect that influences the life expectancy of individuals. The nature of an individual’s diet plays a critical role in their health conditions. Research has shown that people who maintain a plant-based diet have a longer life expectancy due to fewer nutrition-based conditions (Li et al., 2018). Individuals living in the blue zone areas maintain a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and legumes. In addition, the individuals living in the blue zone areas prefer plant-based proteins, which are also rich in fiber and not animal-based (Buettner, 2009; Matthews, 2022). Such proteins contain the necessary amino acids that are necessary for animal growth. Plant-based diets are rich in natural vitamins and minerals, which are important for healthy growth and development. Due to this reason, individuals aiming to live a longer life should focus on consuming more vegetables and fruits and avoid processed foods.
In conclusion, the blue zone project has played a significant role in identifying healthy practices linked to long and healthy lives. The study of individuals who lived more than 100 years has provided relevant and practical information from individuals who have managed to maintain a healthy lifestyle based on their practices. The blue zone project is a masterpiece and an eye-opener to individuals worldwide as they can apply the various practices to live a longer life. Such information has enabled people to understand the mistakes they make that lead to the development of nutrition-based health conditions, leading to a low life expectancy worldwide. Therefore, individuals should maintain the proposed behaviors in the blue zone project to live a healthy and long life.
References
Buettner, D. (2009). How to live to be 100+. [Video]. TED. Web.
Li, Y., Pan, A., Wang, D., Liu, X., Dhana, K., & Franco, O. et al. (2018). Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Circulation, 138(4), 345-355. Web.
Matthews, M. (2022). 9 lifestyle habits of people who live past 100. Men’s Health.Web.