Why is it that there are some parts of the world – particularly the Mediterranean and the Orient – where the local denizens live measurably longer lives than anyone else? In 2005, author/explorer/researcher Dan Buettner advanced the concept of “Blue Zones” (so named for the blue pen he used to circle target regions) and suggested that cultural, environmental, dietary and spiritual practices are contributing factors to extraordinary longevity. Do these elements hold the secret to the fountain of youth? Buettner’s demographic findings based on the following common denominators make a strong argument to that effect:
• Find your purpose. When you wake up in the morning, create something meaningful to do or work towards.
• Have faith. It doesn’t matter if you are religious or just pray to the universe. Simply knowing that you have some divine help will get you through the toughest of times.
• Love and community. Keep family and loved ones close by for support and guidance.
• Stay social. A social life with healthy behaviors will keep your mind and body active.
• Relax. Don’t underestimate the importance of downtime. Rest, pray, meditate, and do things that don’t create stress.
• Move naturally. Pumping iron, triathlons, and no pain/no gain mentality are often American hobbies. Garden, take a walk or ride your bike outdoors in nature.
• Eat less. Eat slowly and stop when you are about 80 percent full. We have a limited amount of enzymes to break down the foods we eat. Eating smaller quantities helps to use fewer enzymes, therefore, prolonging life.
• Stay away from processed foods. The food in the Mediterranean and Japan is not tainted like in the United States. GMO foods are widely cautioned against. The food you buy at the market during the day is then cooked for dinner, not kept in the freezer for weeks.
• Drink Wine. While alcohol has a bad rap, red wine has antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids that are very beneficial for the heart.
So how many practices on that list do you follow? Do you take care of your physical body and spirit or live a stressed existence without enough time in the day, surrounded by the wrong people with not enough emphasis on your own well being? Without slowing down, there isn’t time to cook healthy, exercise, and do prayer or meditation.
It also gets back to whether, ultimately, you look at your age as a number (over which you have no control) or as an attitude (which you most certainly can change any hour of the day or day of the week). I’ve known people who are “old” in their 20’s. On the flip side, I’ve been inspired by – and privileged to know – people in their 80’s who can literally run circles around those who aren’t even half their age.
And, yes, while it’s easy to be nostalgic and to even long for the past, you still have the rest of life’s journey ahead of you. You’re only as old as you think, but wanting to feel young enough to create new and exciting experiences is a dynamic that can occur at any age…and does.