"Blue zones of longevity" have been found in Russia. Geographical areas where people live the longest and why this happens

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

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

Natural movement

The oldest people on earth don't run marathons or compete in triathlons or pretend to be sports stars on Saturday mornings. Instead, they engage in low-impact physical activity as an integral part of their daily routine. Long-lived men in Sardinia's Blue Zone spent most of their lives working as shepherds, and had to walk many kilometers a day. Okinawans work in their gardens every day. 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 Kane, "Evidence suggests that moderate exercise is very beneficial."

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 your major muscle groups at least twice a week. Equilibrium also has great value, because falls are a common cause of injury and death among older adults (one in three people over 65 years of age suffer a fracture due to a fall each year in the United States). Even standing on one leg ( For example when brushing your teeth) is a small step towards improving your balance.

Yoga also helps maintain balance by strengthening all muscle groups, increasing flexibility, benefiting joints and reducing lower back pain. In addition, yoga serves as a means of communication and spiritual enrichment, just like religion.

In all cultures of longevity, regular low-intensity physical activity meets all the requirements described above and does not create stress on the knees and hips. Here's what Dr. Kane says about it: “You should act not like a sprinter, but like a multi-mile runner. It’s impossible to say: this year I’ll train like crazy, but next year I’ll rest, since I’ve already worked out my time.” The main goal is to get into the habit of doing exercise for 30 minutes (ideally for an hour) at least five times a week. It is possible, but still undesirable, to split this half hour or hour into several sessions.

Cut calories by 20 percent

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

Dr. Craig Wilcox argues that this tradition is a kind of painless option for limiting consumption. And this method is really effective: it increases the life expectancy of experimental animals and improves heart function in humans. Some of the benefits of calorie restriction come from less harm caused to cells by free radicals. But there is another benefit: weight loss. It is known that reducing body weight by 10 percent helps reduce levels of blood pressure and cholesterol, and this in turn reduces the risk of developing heart disease. But how can this be achieved? We do not live on 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 we know of ever went on a diet and none of them suffered from obesity. “There are currently no diets that work for everyone,” says Dr. Bob Jeffrey of the University of Minnesota. “As a rule, you follow a diet for about six months, and then 90 percent of people simply run out of steam.” Even with the most effective programs, only a small number of participants see long-term results.

The secret to proper nutrition is following the habits of the world's longest-living people. Dr. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, has conducted perhaps the most innovative research into the causes of our eating habits. As older Okinawans subconsciously know, the amount of food they eat depends not so much on the feeling of fullness, but on the environment. We overeat because of circumstances - friends, family, plates, food names, numbers, labels, lights, colors, candles, smells, shapes, distractions, buffets and containers.

In one experiment, Wansink had a group of participants watch a video and gave 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, while those who received the 250-gram bags only ate 71. We tend to eat more if we take a larger bag. Wansink conducted similar experiments using 47 different products, and got similar results every time. He also noted the influence that dishes have on the amount 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 25-30 percent more from short, wide glasses than from tall, narrow glasses, and eat 31 percent more from a liter bowl than from a half-liter bowl.

The amount of food you eat is only one factor. The other is the number of calories. A standard fast food meal consisting of a large hamburger, a large portion of fries and a glass of soda contains approximately 1,500 kcal. Craig and Bradley Wilcox estimate that Okinawan food contains, on average, five times fewer calories. In other words, a hamburger with fries and a full plate of Okinawan fried tofu with green peas have the same volume, but Okinawan food has five times less calories.

Plants are everything to us

Most people in Nicoya, Sardinia, or Okinawa have never tried processed foods, sodas, or pickled snacks. For most of their lives they ate small portions of unprocessed food. They gave up meat, or rather, they simply did not have the opportunity to eat it, except on rare occasions. Traditionally, the inhabitants of these places eat what they grow in their own garden, supplemented by staples: durum wheat (Sardinia), sweet potato (Okinawa) or maize (Nicoya). Particularly consistent Adventists completely abstain from meat.

Scientists analyzed six different studies involving thousands of vegetarians and found that those who kept their meat consumption to a minimum lived longer. Some people worry that plant-based foods don't provide sufficient quantity proteins and iron. But the thing is, says Dr. Leslie Lytle, that people over 19 only need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or an average of 50-80 grams of protein daily.

The basis of all food crops that promote longevity are legumes, grains and vegetables. Sardinian shepherds take bread made from semolina flour with them to the pasture. For the residents of Nikoy, not a single meal is complete without corn tortillas. And whole grain foods are an essential component of the Adventist diet. These foods are a source of fiber, antioxidants, anti-cancer agents (insoluble fiber), cholesterol-lowering and blood clot-preventing agents, and all essential minerals. Legumes are an integral part of the cuisine of all “blue zones”. A diet rich in legumes helps reduce the incidence of heart attacks and the likelihood of developing bowel cancer. Legumes contain flavonoids and fiber (which reduce 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, but tofu is an almost ideal product: it has few calories, a lot of protein and minerals, no cholesterol, but contains all the amino acids necessary for the human body. 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 long-livers never eat meat at all. A festive meal in Sardinia always includes meat dishes. Okinawans slaughter a pig for Lunar New Year. The people of Nicoya also fatten the pig. However, meat is eaten infrequently: only a few times a month. Most of the concerns revolve around red and processed meats such as ham. Doctors Robert Kane and Robert Butler argue that when planning a diet, it is very important to wisely distribute calories between complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins, minimizing trans fats, saturated fats and salt.

Eat more nuts

Nuts are perhaps the most amazing element of all the “longevity foods.” According to a study of Seventh-day Adventists, those who ate nuts at least five times a week were half as likely to suffer from heart disease compared to those who ate nuts less frequently. Office of Sanitary Supervision of Quality food products and the US Drug Administration included nuts in its first health declaration. In 2003, the agency issued a health statement that stated: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that a daily intake of 42 g of nuts with low content"saturated fat and cholesterol may prevent the risk of heart disease."

Research shows that nuts protect the heart by lowering blood cholesterol levels. A large population study conducted by the Harvard University School of Medicine found that people who ate nuts were less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease compared to those who ate them rarely or not at all. The Adventist Health Study (AHS) found that people who consumed 56 grams of nuts five times a week lived an average of two years longer than those who did not eat nuts.

One explanation suggests that nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber, which lower LDL cholesterol, he says. They are also a good source of vitamin E and other heart-healthy substances. Almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts and pine nuts are considered the best. Brazil nuts, cashews and Australian nuts are slightly higher in saturated fat and less desirable. But nevertheless, all nuts are healthy.

A glass of red wine a day won't hurt

Based on the results of epidemiological studies, 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 key. 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 may reduce your risk of heart disease, but drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer. Alcohol actually relieves stress and reduces the harmful effects of chronic inflammation. Moreover, a glass of wine that complements your meal allows you to eat less.

Additional benefits of red wine include its ability to cleanse arteries due to the polyphenols it contains, which fight atherosclerosis. For extra antioxidant benefits, choose Sardinian Cannonau. However, we 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 significantly outweigh any beneficial properties. A friend recently asked if it was possible to abstain all week and drink fourteen glasses at once on Saturday evening. 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. Loma Linda's longest-living residents are Seventh-day Adventists. They are all members of one religious community or another. Faith in God is one of the useful habits that increases the chances of a long healthy life. Religious affiliation does not matter: you can be Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jew or Hindu.

Research shows that attending church services - even once a month - has a positive effect on life expectancy. A recent study published in the Journal of Heath and Social Behavior looked at 3,617 people. The study lasted seven years and found that people who attended the service at least once a month had a reduction in their risk of death by about a third. Churchgoers had a longer average life expectancy, which was affected by faith in the same way as moderate physical activity.

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

Belonging to a religious community contributes to the establishment of extensive social connections. People who attend church have self-esteem and a higher sense of self-esteem, because religion stimulates positive expectations, which in turn improves health. When people behave exactly according to their role, their self-esteem increases. 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 behavior and thanks to this they gain peace of mind, knowing that they are living “correctly”. 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 met in the Blue Zones always put family first. Their whole life was built around marriage and children, family duty, rituals and spiritual intimacy. This statement is especially true in Sardinia, where residents are still passionately devoted to family and family values. I once asked a vineyard owner whether it would not be easier to send his ailing mother to a nursing home. He pointed his finger at me indignantly: “I can’t even think about this. This is a shame for my family."

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

Okinawans' devotion to family extends beyond earthly life. Okinawans over seventy begin their day by celebrating the memory of their ancestors. There are often tables at graves so that family members can share a Sunday meal with deceased relatives.

How does this contribute to longevity? By the time centenarians reach 100 years of age, their attachment to family bears fruit: children respond with gratitude for love and care. They regularly visit their parents, and in three of the four “blue zones” the younger generation happily hosts their elders. Research shows that older people living with children are less likely to get sick and stressed, eat healthier foods, and are less likely to experience serious accidents. The MacArthur Healthy Aging Study, which followed 1,189 people aged 70 to 79 over seven years, found that people who live near children have clearer minds and better social skills.

“The family is the highest level 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've been making investments of some sort almost our entire lives, he says. So you make an investment 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 living with family remain sane longer than those living alone or in a nursing home.

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

How to counteract this trend? Gail Hartmann, a licensed psychologist, believes that a solution will be found when all generations of the family want 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. There is no need to stop your normal life. Children can cook homework, and the parents - lunch, but such a family will be distinguished by strong bonds and a sense of unity.”

Andrew Gross

Dear friends!

You may have already read some of my books, even bought them, but you still don’t know my name. The fact is that I am the co-author of five New York Times bestselling novels with James Patterson. The most recent are “Bodyguard” and “Judge and Jury.” I also helped produce his incredibly popular crime series, The Ladies' Detective Club.

It is with great pride that I present to you my first novel, Blue Zone, about a young woman forced to search for her father, who has disappeared from the radar of the witness protection program. She has to delve into the secrets of this program to find her father and learn about his dark past.

I've learned a lot from James Patterson over the years, but I have no intention of imitating him. I want to write a compelling story about people in difficult situations. "The Blue Zone" is just such a story, and I hope readers will agree with me. I'm sure you'll find it a fascinating read.

WITH Best wishes,

Andrew Gross

“The Witness Protection Program Regulations and the Federal Marshals Agency, which oversees the witness protection program, define three stages of agency involvement in the process.

The red zone is when the subject is in custody, in prison or in court.

Green zone - when the subject, along with his family, is provided with a new biography and a new residence and lives there under a name known only to his witness protection agent.

The Blue Zone is the most dangerous situation when there is a suspicion that a new witness's background may be revealed or has already been revealed. When he or she is in an unknown location and has no contact with the lead agent or has left a designated program safe place. When there is no official data whether a person is alive or dead.”

It took Dr. Emil Varga only a few minutes to reach the old man's bedroom. He slept soundly and dreamed of the woman he had been chasing after while studying at the university, a hundred years ago. But, hearing the alarming knock of the maid on the door, he immediately threw a woolen robe over his nightgown and grabbed his suitcase.

“Please, doctor,” said the maid, hurrying ahead of him, “please, quickly.”

Varga knew the way. He had been living in this hacienda for several weeks. In fact, this stubborn, unbending old man who had resisted death for so long was in Lately his only patient. Sometimes Varga thought about a glass of cognac at night, which hastened the end of his long and successful career.

Is it really the end for her?..

The doctor paused a little at the bedroom door. The room was dark and smelled bad; narrow arched windows prevented the first light from entering morning dawn. The smell told him everything he needed to know. This and the old man's chest, which for the first time in these weeks did not make any sounds. The mouth was open, the head was slightly tilted to the side. Yellow saliva accumulated on the lips.

Varga slowly walked up to the huge mahogany bed and placed his suitcase on the table. He no longer needed any instruments. In life, his patient was a real bull. Varga thought about how many acts of violence he had committed. But now the sharp cheekbones were tightly covered with thin skin. There was something, in the doctor's opinion, deeply undeserved about this. How could someone who had caused so much fear and grief in his life now look so frail and withered?

– Is he really dead?

The doctor nodded:

“He finally let go of life.” For eighty years he had her by the balls.

Bobby's wife, Margarita, pregnant with the old man's third grandson, stood in the doorway and began to cry. The son carefully crept towards the bed, as if he were approaching a sleeping lion, who at any moment could jump up and rush at him. He knelt down and touched the old man's face, his dry cheeks. Then he took his father's hand, which even now was rough and calloused like a workman's, and kissed the knuckles.

“Todas apuestas se terminaron, papa,” he whispered, looking into dead eyes father.

Bobby then stood up and nodded.

- Thank you, doctor, for everything you did. I will make sure my brothers know about this.

No, rather, there was a question in those eyes. Long years the old man held everything in his hands only thanks to his willpower.

What will happen now?

Bobby took his wife's hand and they left the room together. Varga went to the window. He opened the blinds, letting morning light into the bedroom. The dawn has already washed the valley.

The old man owned everything here for miles around, far beyond the gates: meadows, pastures, sparkling mountains three thousand meters high. There were two SUVs parked near the stables. A couple of bodyguards with automatic pistols were leaning against the fence, drinking coffee, still not knowing anything about what had happened.

“Well, yes,” muttered Varga, “tell everything to your brothers.” “He turned again to the dead old man. “You see,” the doctor sighed, “you’re dangerous even dead, you old bastard.”

The floodgates have opened. The current will be strong. Blood can never be washed away with blood.

Only here.

Above the bed hung a framed portrait of the Madonna and Child, which Varga knew had been given to the old man by the church in Bunaventura, where the old man was born. The doctor was not a religious man, but he crossed himself anyway, then lifted the damp sheet and covered the face of the deceased with it.

- Wherever you are now, old man, I hope you have found peace... Because here now there will be real hell.

I don't know if this is a dream or reality.

I get off the bus on Second Avenue. It's only a couple blocks from where I live. I

© Paul Calver

“Blue Zones. 9 rules for longevity from people who live the longest"

Natural movement

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 your major muscle groups at least twice a week. Balance is also critical because falls are a common cause of injury and death among older adults (in the United States, one in three people over age 65 suffers a fracture from a fall each year). Even standing on one leg (for example, when brushing your teeth) is a small step towards improving your balance.

Exercise also helps maintain balance by strengthening all muscle groups, increasing flexibility, benefiting joints and reducing lower back pain. In addition, yoga serves as a means of communication and spiritual enrichment, just like religion.

Cut calories by 20 percent

Dr. Craig Wilcox argues that this tradition is a kind of painless option for limiting consumption. And this method is really effective: it increases the life expectancy of experimental animals and improves heart function in humans. Some of the benefits of calorie restriction come from less free radical damage to cells. But there is another benefit: weight loss. It is known that reducing body weight by 10 percent helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, which in turn reduces the risk of developing heart disease. But how can this be achieved? We do not live on the Japanese archipelago and are not surrounded by age-old cultural norms.

The traditional way to combat a growing waistline is diet. But none of the centenarians we know of ever went on a diet and none of them suffered from obesity. “There are currently no diets that work for everyone,” says Dr. Bob Jeffrey of the University of Minnesota. “As a rule, you follow a diet for about six months, and then 90 percent of people simply run out of steam.” Even with the most effective programs, only a small number of participants see long-term results.

In one experiment, Wansink had a group of participants watch a video and gave 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, while those who received the 250-gram bags only ate 71. We tend to eat more if we take a larger bag. Wansink conducted similar experiments using 47 different products and obtained similar results each time. He also noted the influence that dishes have on the amount 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 25-30 percent more from short, wide glasses than from tall, narrow glasses, and eat 31 percent more from a liter bowl than from a half-liter bowl.

Plants are everything to us

Scientists analyzed six different studies involving thousands of vegetarians and found that those who kept their meat consumption to a minimum lived longer. Some people worry that plant-based foods don't provide enough protein and iron. But the thing is, says Dr. Leslie Lytle, that people over 19 only need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or an average of 50-80 grams of protein daily.

The basis of all food crops that promote longevity are legumes, grains and vegetables. Sardinian shepherds take bread made from semolina flour with them to the pasture. For the people of Nicoya, no meal is complete without corn tortillas. And whole grain foods are an essential component of the Adventist diet. These foods are a source of fiber, antioxidants, anti-cancer agents (insoluble fiber), cholesterol-lowering and blood clot-preventing agents, and all essential minerals. Legumes are an integral part of the cuisine of all “blue zones”. A diet rich in legumes helps reduce the incidence of heart attacks and the likelihood of developing bowel cancer. Legumes contain flavonoids and fiber (which reduce the risk of heart attacks); it is an excellent source of proteins.

All of the above does not indicate that long-livers never eat meat at all. A festive meal in Sardinia always includes meat dishes. Okinawans slaughter a pig for Lunar New Year. The people of Nicoya also fatten the pig. However, meat is eaten infrequently: only a few times a month. Most of the concerns revolve around red and processed meats such as ham. Doctors Robert Kane and Robert Butler say that when planning your diet, it is very important to wisely distribute calories between complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins, while minimizing trans fats, saturated fats and salt.

Eat more nuts

Nuts are perhaps the most amazing element of all the “longevity foods.” According to a study of Seventh-day Adventists, those who ate nuts at least five times a week were half as likely to suffer from heart disease compared to those who ate nuts less frequently. The US Food and Drug Administration included nuts in its first health declaration. In 2003, the agency issued a health statement that stated, “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that consuming 42 grams of nuts low in saturated fat and cholesterol every day may prevent the risk of heart disease.”

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 key. 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.

Religion helps you live longer

The Adventist Health Study found similar results. Over 12 years, 34 thousand people took part in it. It turned out that those who frequently attend church have a 20 percent reduced risk of death at any age. People who do not forget about the spiritual aspect are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, 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 connections. People who attend church have self-esteem and a higher sense of self-worth because religion encourages positive expectations, which in turn improves health. When people behave exactly according to their role, their self-esteem increases. 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 behavior and thanks to this they gain peace of mind, knowing that they are living “correctly”. If everything is good today, then you deserve it. If it's bad, it's not up to you.

Family comes first

photo: www.bluezones.com

How does this contribute to longevity?

By the time centenarians reach 100 years of age, their attachment to family bears fruit: children respond with gratitude for love and care. They regularly visit their parents, and in three of the four “blue zones” the younger generation happily hosts their elders.

Research shows that older people living with children are less likely to get sick and stressed, eat healthier foods, and are less likely to experience serious accidents. The MacArthur Healthy Aging Study, which followed 1,189 people aged 70 to 79 over seven years, found that people who live near children have clearer minds and better social skills.

We've been making investments of some sort almost our entire lives, he says. So you make an investment 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 living with family remain sane longer than those living alone or in a nursing home.

How to counteract this trend?

Gail Hartmann, a licensed psychologist, believes that a solution will be found when all generations of the family want 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. There is no need to stop your normal life. Children may do homework and parents may prepare dinner, but the family will have strong bonds and a sense of unity.” published

Scientists have discovered that people live significantly longer in these places and have studied their habits, diet, socialization and much more for many years.

This chapter from the book “Blue Zones” contains 9 useful rules - lessons from the “Blue Zones”, the cross-cultural quintessence of the world's best traditions in the field of health and longevity.

And although these traditions are only associated with longevity, and it is not known exactly how much they determine it, by following them you will learn good habits that will help you make your life better.

We are publishing 9 lessons - a chapter from the book - with abbreviations with the permission of the publishing house Mann, Ivanov and Ferber.

Lesson 1: natural movement. Be active, but don't obsess over it

Long-lived men in Sardinia's Blue Zone spent most of their lives working as shepherds, and had to walk many kilometers a day. Okinawans work in their gardens every day. 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 Kane, "Evidence suggests that moderate exercise is very beneficial."

100-year-old runner Fauja Singh.

Dr. Robert Butler recommends training your major muscle groups at least 2 times a week. Balance is also of great importance, since falls are common cause injuries and death among older adults (in the United States, every year one in three people over 65 years of age suffers a fracture due to a fall). Even standing on one leg (for example, when brushing your teeth) is a small step towards improving your balance.

In all cultures of longevity regular low-intensity physical activity meets all the requirements described above and does not create stress on the knees and hips. Here's what Dr. Kane says about it: “You should act not like a sprinter, but like a multi-mile runner. It’s impossible to say: this year I’ll train like crazy, but next year I’ll rest, since I’ve already worked out my time.” The main task is to get into the habit of doing physical exercise for 30 minutes (ideally for an hour) at least 5 times per week.

First Lesson Strategies

- Make yourself uncomfortable . By introducing certain difficulties into your daily life, you can easily provide yourself with additional physical activity. Even just getting off the couch every time you want to change TV channels or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can help you maintain a more active lifestyle.

- Enjoy. Move. Make a list of physical exercises that you enjoy. Instead of exercising for the sake of exercising, lead an active lifestyle. Use a bicycle, not a car. Walk to the store. Replace lunch coffee and donut with a walk fresh air. Fill your daily life with active activities. Do what you like. Forget about the gym if you don’t like it: you won’t go there anyway if you perceive it as an unpleasant duty. Don't force yourself to do something you hate.

- Walk . All centenarians walked and walk almost every day. Hiking They are free, they do not put too much strain on the joints, unlike running, they do not require additional equipment, and they bring people together. In addition, vigorous walking has the same beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels as running. A walk at the end of a hard day helps relieve stress, and after eating it eases digestion.

- Find yourself a company . Doing things with other people is much more enjoyable and fun. Think about who you can go for a walk with; combination of walking with pleasant communication will be the optimal strategy for cultivating a habit. Having someone who depends on you will not allow you to quit halfway. First, think about whose company you enjoy. Who do you enjoy spending time with? Who has about the same level of fitness?

- Plant a vegetable garden . Work in the garden involves a low-intensity load, which involves the most various movements: You dig, bend and carry various objects. Gardening helps relieve stress. In addition, you will always have fresh vegetables at the table. Triple Blue Zone Effect!

- Do yoga . Sign up for yoga and attend classes at least twice a week.

Lesson 2: Cut calories by 20% without regrets

If you are ever lucky enough to meet elderly Okinawans at dinner, you will likely hear them utter the old Confucian saying, “hara hachi bu,” before eating. This is a reminder that you should not eat your fill, but should stop eating when your stomach is 80% full. Even today, their daily calorie intake does not exceed 1900 kcal (the rather meager diet of Sardinians is also about 2000 kcal per day).

But there is another benefit: weight loss. It is known that reducing body weight by 10% helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, which in turn reduces the risk of developing heart disease. But how can this be achieved? We do not live on the Japanese archipelago and are not surrounded by age-old cultural norms.

The traditional way to combat a growing waistline is diet. But none of the centenarians we know of ever went on a diet and none of them suffered from obesity. “There are currently no diets that work for everyone,” says Dr. Bob Jeffrey of the University of Minnesota. “As a rule, the diet is followed for about six months, and then 90% of people simply run out of steam.” Even with the most effective programs, only a small number of participants see long-term results.

The secret to proper nutrition is following the habits of the world's longest-living people. Dr. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, has conducted perhaps the most innovative research into the causes of our eating habits. As older Okinawans subconsciously know, the amount of food they eat depends not so much on the feeling of fullness, but on the environment. We overeat because of circumstances - friends, family, plates, food names, numbers, labels, lights, colors, candles, smells, shapes, distractions, buffets and containers.

At least 3/4 of the food eaten is served on plates, bowls or glasses. Wansink's experiments showed that people drink 25-30% more from low, wide glasses than from tall, narrow glasses, and eat 31% more from a liter bowl than from a half-liter bowl.

Many Americans eat until they are completely full, but Okinawans stop eating when the feeling of hunger disappears. “There's a huge difference in calories between the American 'I'm full' and the Okinawan 'I'm not hungry anymore,'” explains Wansink. “We gain weight unnoticed, without even eating too much, just without thinking about eating a little more every day.” Wansink argues that we may well eat either 20% more or 20% less without noticing it at all. But it is this 20% difference that plays an important role in weight loss or gain.

He describes flow as a Zen-like state of being completely at one with an activity in which you are fully involved. It is characterized by a sense of freedom, joy, satisfaction and mastery, where some basic needs (time, food, ego, etc.) are completely ignored. If you can identify an activity that gives you a sense of flow and turn it into a job or hobby, it will also become the meaning of your life.

New activities often turn into goals. Learning to play musical instrument or learning a new foreign language will bring double benefits, since both will keep the mind clear and sharp longer.

“It’s very important to train your brain,” says Dr. Thomas Perls of Boston University School of Medicine, “to try something new and challenging. As soon as you reach heights in this activity and it loses its novelty, move on to another. "It's like strength training for the brain: it strengthens memory and possibly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease."

Lesson 5 Strategies

To find the meaning of life, take into account the recommendations below.

- Formulate your personal mission . If you don't have a goal in life yet, how to find one? To begin with, it would be good to formulate your personal mission and say it out loud. But first answer: why do you get up in the morning? Think about what you are passionate about, what is truly important to you, what talents you would like to use.

- Learn new things. Learn to play a new musical instrument or learn a foreign language. Both activities help keep your mind clear and sharp.

Lesson 6: Time to rest. Be sure to relieve stress

Sardinians go out at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Nicoyans take a break at noon and socialize with friends. Remember Ushi and her moai? They gather every evening before dinner to chat. People who live to be 100 years old seem to radiate an inexhaustible serenity. Part of the reason for this is that body functions do slow down with age, but this is not the only explanation.

Centenarians - wise people and they understand perfectly well that if you fly headlong towards your goal, you can miss many precious moments. I remember watching Godzei Shinzato, who admired the thunderstorm while washing the dishes after breakfast, and the Sardinian shepherd Tonino Tola, who looked lovingly at the emerald fields that lay around. This majestic landscape presented itself to his gaze for almost 80 years, and yet he stopped every day to enjoy this beautiful spectacle.

For Adventists, Shabbat has a very deep meaning. Firstly, it helps relieve tension. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, Adventists create a “sanctuary in time” during which they focus on God, family, and nature. They do not work. Children do not play sports and do not study homework. Families go for walks, for example, which helps them become friends and draw closer to God. For Adventists, it is also an opportunity to prepare for the coming week and take some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Thanks to such pauses, our well-being improves significantly.. But how does a slower pace of life affect longevity? The answer may lie in a chronic inflammatory process. Inflammation is the body's response to stress, which manifests itself in the form of infection, injury, or increased anxiety. A little stress is good - it helps you fight illness, heal, or prepare for certain events. But with chronic inflammation, our body “inflates” itself.

Italian endocrinologist Claudio Franceschi saw a relationship between chronic inflammation and the rate of aging. Over time, says Franceschi, Negative consequences inflammation accumulates and accelerates the development of such age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Slowing down the pace of life does not allow chronic inflammation develop and get out of control and theoretically prevents the occurrence of associated diseases.

Deep sleep. Getting enough sleep helps your immune system function, reduces your risk of heart disease, and rests your brain. Adults - both young and mature - need 7-9 hours of sleep every day. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time, get a comfortable mattress and pillows. The bedroom should be dark, cool and quiet.

In addition to the stated health benefits, this Blue Zone lesson is life-enriching. Slowing down the tempo ties together everything we've been talking about: proper nutrition, the ability to value friends, spirituality, family priority, finding the meaning of life.

I remember how one cloudy day I talked with Raffaella Monnet from the village of Arzana in Sardinia. Having outlived almost all her children, this woman led a busy life: at the age of 107, she spent most of her time at home, occasionally going out to the city square. Although she could only speak in a whisper, her gentle, kind disposition attracted people. And the children often ran to her after school on their way home.

Raffaella peeled an apple while I bombarded her with dozens of questions regarding nutrition, physical activity, relationships with family, etc. She limited herself to laconic and uninformative answers. Finally, exhausted, I asked if she, having lived in the world for 107 years, could give any advice to young people. She looked at me with sparkling eyes and replied: “ Yes. Life is short. Don't rush headlong and miss it ».

And again we found ourselves in a vicious circle. In the Western world, achievements, status and material wealth are highly valued, which we spend a lot of time acquiring. Americans work an average of 43 hours a week full-time and have the shortest vacation time in the world. But even when they're on vacation, 20% of them still stay in touch with the office, according to one source. We highly value hard work and productivity; constant employment increases our importance. Few cultural institutions encourage us to stop, relax, and de-stress.

But setting aside time for spiritual pursuits helps slow down, and practices such as yoga and meditation ( – article on Zozhnik), give the brain a break.

Steve Hagen, ordained in the Sotozen school of Buddhism and author of Buddhism, Plain and Simple, calls meditation the cornerstone of relaxation. “Meditation offers us the opportunity to turn away from ourselves and find true freedom.”

Regular Meditation allows you to calm your mind, muffle the incessant hum of voices in your head, concentrate and see the world as it is, and not as we want it to be. It helps you tune in and realize that vanity, anxiety and many urgent problems are actually not that important. Once you understand this, all other methods of relaxation will become much easier for you.

Lesson 6 Strategies

- Reduce extraneous noise . Minimize time spent on TV, radio and the Internet - this helps reduce extraneous noise. Clear your home of as many televisions and radios as possible, or keep them in just one room or get rid of them altogether. Most electronic devices only increase mental clutter and go against the concept of relaxation.

- Come earlier. Plan your time so that you arrive 15 minutes early for any meeting. This habit reduces the stress associated with public transport, delays and choosing the wrong route. It allows you to relax and tune in to the upcoming meeting.

- Meditate. Create a quiet corner in your home where it is not too hot and not too cold, not too dark, but not too light. Place a meditation cushion or chair there. Develop a meditation schedule and try to meditate every day, no matter what (but don't worry if you don't have time for it some day). Start with 10 minutes and slowly increase the duration of meditation to half an hour. Try meditating with other people from time to time.

Lesson 7: Social connections. Join a Spiritual Community

Research shows that attending church services - even once a month - has a positive effect on life expectancy. A recent study published in the Journal of Heath and Social Behavior looked at 3,617 people. The study lasted 7 years and found that people who attended the service at least once a month had a reduction in their risk of death by about a third. Churchgoers had a longer average life expectancy, which was affected by faith in the same way as moderate physical activity.

How can we explain this? In his book “Diet, Lifespan and chronic diseases: Studies of Seventh-day Adventists and Other Vegetarians" (Diet, Life Expectancy and Chronic Disease: Studies of Seventh-day Adventists and Other Vegetarians) Dr. Gary Fraser provides evidence to support this idea. People who attend church are less likely to engage in harmful behavior and are more likely to choose healthy and beneficial habits. They are more physically active, smoke less, and are less likely to use drugs or drink and drive. People who attend church by default have opportunities for reflection, relaxation and meditation, either through prayer or during the service.

Lesson Seven Strategies

- Take a more active role . If you already belong to a religious community, take an active part in its life. Life expectancy depends not so much on the fact of belonging to a community, but on the nature of your participation in its life. Singing in a choir or volunteering improves well-being and is thought to reduce mortality.

- Cultivate a new tradition . If you haven't found your faith yet, try becoming a member of a new religious community. If you don't want to join a denomination, try to find a religion that is not based on strict dogma. Unitarian Universalism, for example, is open to all who believe in the dignity and worth of every person and in the importance of their spiritual journey. By the way, you can turn your attention to Buddhism. There's also the American Ethical Union, which describes itself as a "humanistic religious and educational movement." The Union is inspired by the idea that the highest goal of life is the creation of a humane society.

- Just go. For the next 8 weeks, try to set aside an hour a week to attend a church service. Don't think about anything. Just walk. Attend services with an open mind. Research shows that people who participate in services (singing in a choir, praying, volunteering) experience improved well-being.

Lesson 8: favorites first. Family comes first

The longest-living people we met in the Blue Zones always put family first. Their whole life was built around marriage and children, family duty, rituals and spiritual intimacy.

Okinawans' devotion to family extends beyond earthly life. Okinawans over 70 begin their day by celebrating the memory of their ancestors. There are often tables at graves so that family members can share a Sunday meal with deceased relatives.

How does this contribute to longevity? By the time centenarians reach 100 years of age, their attachment to family bears fruit: children respond with gratitude for love and care.

They constantly visit their parents, and in 3 out of 4 “blue zones” the younger generation happily hosts their elders. Research shows that older people living with children are less likely to get sick and stressed, eat healthier foods, and are less likely to experience serious accidents.

The MacArthur Healthy Aging Study, which followed 1,189 people ages 70 to 79 over seven years, found that people who live near children have clearer minds and better social skills.

“Family is the highest level in 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.”

How to counteract this trend? Gail Hartmann, a licensed psychologist, believes that a solution will be found when all generations of the family want 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. There is no need to stop your normal life. Children may do homework and parents may prepare dinner, but the family will have strong bonds and a sense of unity.”

Lesson Eight Strategies

- Come up with rituals . Children need rituals like air; they love repetition. The daily family meal should become a tradition that is not customary to break. Cultivate family holiday rituals. For example, every Tuesday, come to your grandmother for dinner. Be sure to celebrate all holidays together.

- Create a family altar. In Okinawan homes, the ancestral altar takes pride of place in best room. It consists of photographs of deceased relatives and things dear to their hearts. And it serves as a reminder that we are not alone in time, but are inextricably linked to each other. Photos of parents and children can be hung on the wall or stored family photos in chronological order.

- Put family first. Give children, parents and spouses time and energy. Play with your children, take care of your marriage and honor your parents.

Lesson 9: the right tribe. Surround yourself with those who share Blue Zones values

The inhabitants of Sardinia lived in isolation in the Nuoro mountains for two thousand years. As a consequence, members of the described longevity cultures work and communicate with each other, and this in turn reinforces the behavior prescribed by the culture. It is much easier to learn good habits if everyone around you follows them.

A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals the significance social network. Studying a group of 12,067 people over 32 years, researchers found that people were more likely to be obese if their friends were also obese. Among close friends, obesity in one of them almost tripled the likelihood of obesity in the other. The same effect occurred with weight loss.

Social community is an essential element of Blue Zones. Okinawans have moai - groups of people who stick together throughout their lives. Originally created to provide friendly financial assistance, moai have grown into support groups. Sardinians spend the end of the day in a local bar, where they chat with friends. The annual grape harvest and village festivals bring the entire community together.

Professor Lisa Berkman from Harvard University looked at the relationship between social connections and longevity. In one study, she attempted to establish the relationship between matrimonial status, having friends and family, club membership, volunteer work, and the quality of aging.

Over the course of 9 years, she discovered that people with the largest number social connections last longer. Social connections determine long life. As it turned out, people with fewer social connections died 2-3 times more often than those who had many. The nature of the connections does not matter for longevity, provided that it is truly a connection. Even the absence of a spouse or significant other can be compensated for by other forms of togetherness.

“I think greater social contact is one of the reasons why women live longer than men,” says Dr. Robert Butler. “They have more cohesive support groups, are more involved in each other’s lives, help each other more often, and are more willing and open to express feelings, including sadness, anger and other aspects of close relationships.”

Lesson Nine Strategies

- Define your inner circle . Highlight the people who stick healthy habits, are familiar with the secrets of the “blue zones” and are guided by them. View your address book or contact list Email. Remember who's leading healthy image life, someone you can rely on in times of need. Note their names. Ideally, your family members will be first on your list.

- Win people over. Among the centenarians, we did not meet a single whiner or grouch. Dr. Nobuyoshi Hirose, one of Japan's foremost experts on longevity, came to the same conclusion: people who are pleasant to talk to are popular and attracted to them. Such people, even in old age, have a wide circle of acquaintances, guests often come to them, and they are happily looked after. They are less likely to experience stress and live richer lives.

- Spend time together. Spend at least half an hour a day with members of your inner circle. Arrange to meet or have a meal together. Go for a walk together. Forming friendships takes some effort, but it pays off in extra years of life.

Where to live to live to be a hundred years old? National Geographic columnist Dan Buettner showed us 50 shades of blue, the so-called “blue zones”, where people are all abnormal long-livers. These include the island of Sardinia in Italy, the island of Ikaria in Greece, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Okinawa Prefecture in Japan and the city of Loma Linda in California. So what are these Blue Zones?

Every person wants to live not only a happy, but also a long life. In fact, if some people live more than 100 years, then why shouldn’t others strive for this? The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, global life expectancy will “significantly increase.” So, in South Korea by this time, the average life expectancy of men will reach 84.1 years, and women - 90.8 years. WHO specialists, making such forecasts, took into account many factors, including the availability of medical care, the percentage of tobacco smokers, stress levels and many others.

According to official data, in Ukraine the average life expectancy of men and women is now 71.4 years. Our government believes that the number will increase, albeit slowly. This is facilitated, in particular, by the ban on certain types of advertising of tobacco and alcohol.

Dan Buettner, National Geographic columnist, claims that the human body can function for a very long time, and 100 years is not the limit. He identified several places on Earth where people live significantly longer than usual, and visited them with a team of doctors, demographers and journalists in 2012 to understand this phenomenon. Buettner summarized the results of his work in the book “Blue Zones,” which was first published several years ago.

Ikaria Island, Greece

The small Greek island of Ikaria is located in the Aegean Sea, very close to Samos, where Pythagoras and Epicurus once lived a long time ago. Ikaria is called the “island of long-livers.” It is still a very secluded place where the traditional way of life has been preserved. Its inhabitants live on average 8 years longer than Europeans, and dementia (senile dementia) is very rare among them. By the way, in the USA, for example, 50% of people over the age of 85 suffer from dementia.

The key to the longevity of the inhabitants of Ikaria is diet. This is one of the options for the Mediterranean diet. It differs from the traditional Mediterranean diet in that it contains a lot of potatoes. Also, the inhabitants of this island eat a lot of legumes and greens. Special attention should be addressed plant horta . You and I would mistake horta for an ordinary weed, but the Icarians eat it all the time, adding it as greens to salads, pies and other dishes. Dan Buettner believes that horta has a positive effect on life expectancy, providing sound mind until old age.

But that is not all secrets of longevity of the inhabitants of Ikaria. In order to live to 100 years, you need to sleep at least half an hour during the day, have sex regularly, and also drink moderate amount guilt. True, in this case it is recommended to drink wine only for lunch, and only if you are eating. In other cases, wine is unlikely to provide health benefits.

Scientists say that for longevity you need to exercise. Europeans and Americans take this literally - they go to GYM's. And here residents of Ikaria practically do not visit Sport halls . They have a different look physical exercise - . Physical activity they receive, for example, by working in a garden or vineyard.

Okinawa Island, Japan

The inhabitants of this Japanese island also lead a traditional lifestyle, but their diet is noticeably different from what the Icarians eat. Okinawans eat the most in the world. But they consume little fish. It occupies a large place in the diet of Okinawans. Sweet potatoes are high in flavonoids and complex carbohydrates. Turmeric is good for heart health. In addition, this spice reduces the risk of cancer.

But food is not the whole secret of Okinawans' longevity. This Japanese prefecture has very strong traditions. social support and mutual assistance. These are called social institutions Yuimaru and Moai. Okinawans, when they meet each other, offer help. This is how Yuimaru manifests itself. As for the moai, they are actually groups of friends and relatives who provide each other with support, including emotional and financial support.

Okinawa Prefecture currently has more than 40,000 people over 100 years of age.

Sardinia

The island of Sardinia is like a two-faced Janus - rich tourists relax there on the sea coast, and ordinary Sardinians still live in the mountains, leading a patriarchal lifestyle. Sardinians engage in livestock farming, grow fruits and vegetables, make wine and olive oil, and live up to 100 years, and sometimes longer.

Interestingly, in Sardinia, longevity rates are split equally between men and women. This is the only place like this in the world. In other “blue zones,” the ratio of longevity between men and women is always, for some reason, in favor of the weaker sex.