A Look into Our World's Blue Zones: What Is Their Secret to Health and What Are We Doing So Wrong?

As a new year begins, the cycle of new resolutions and fresh starts sparks hope in many Americans. The most common among these new approaches to daily life are a gym routine and healthier eating habits. We all strive to achieve wellness, but with today's abundance of information and misinformation, many struggle to know what healthy really is. I often find myself trapped in contradictory messages online from people claiming to be knowledgeable about food or health, but of course, not many will take the time to fact-check or do personal research. It's so easy to get swayed by what people say online because we all want that simple health fix, that magic cure to longevity and wellness. But there is no magic pill or magic food or specific exercise to achieve that. So many Americans rely on new medicine and technology to stay healthy yet simultaneously choose habits that actually lead to these health issues. It upsets me to know how misguided people can be when it comes to the simple concept of “health.” 

I recently watched a Netflix documentary series on our world's blue zones. Blue zones are areas of the world where the levels of longevity are the highest, meaning people live longer on average in these areas than anywhere else. The series studied many of these regions, focusing on different factors like dietary intake, physical activity, daily habits, and overall culture. The findings are quite inspiring. These blue zones show us how simple health can be. In this article, I will explore two of our world's blue zones and hope to learn from their lifestyle. 

Okinawa, Japan

People living in Okinawa, Japan have among the highest life expectancies in the world, with very low rates of cancer, heart disease, and dementia compared to the US. Women in Okinawa live longer than anywhere in the world. So what did they do that's so different from us? 

We can start by looking into their diet. Okinawan people eat a majority whole-food plant-based diet—60% of their calories come from vegetables, 30% from whole grains, 5% from soy foods like tofu, and only 1-2% from fish and meats like pork. A huge staple here is sweet potatoes; they make up more than half of the amount of food consumed. This high-nutrient, high-fiber, and soy-prominent diet provides numerous health benefits that fuel a healthy gut and guard people from certain cancers. Another aspect of their diet to consider is that most of their food is gardened in their own home and spruced locally, meaning their diet is free of any processed foods or chemicals. Their food is simple and surprisingly cheap to replicate. 

However, diet isn't all. This culture of gardening is a huge contributor to their physical activity, which supports their longevity. All day long these people are engaging in low-impact physical activities which keep even the oldest of people here mobile and active. One thing that many Americans may not see as a key to longevity is their mindset. The Okinawan people have what's called moia and ikigai. Moia is a kind of social safety network—a group of friends who give each other emotional support and even financial help, which come to be especially important among the older population. Ikigai is another huge part of their culture, and provides their lives with purpose and deep value. The main rules of ikigai, as stated by JapanGov, are as follows: “‘What you love,’ ‘what the world needs,’ ‘what you can be paid for,’ and ‘what you are good at’ can help you find your ikigai if used as a basis to sort out your thoughts.”’ These staples in their life show us the importance of mindfulness and the huge impact it has on our overall health. 

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria, Greece is referred to as “the island where people forget to die” by bluezones.com due to their longevity rates. In Ikaria, 1 in 3 people live through their 90s. A key factor is their location, which is mountainous and rocky. This in turn results in increased physical labor and daily exercise. As in Okinawa, gardening is largely prevalent in daily routines and keeps people active every day. 

The Ikarian diet is a Mediterranean diet, but when we break it down, we see many similarities between food in Okinawa and Ikaria. The Mediterranean diet in Ikaria is primarily plant-based and follows the practice of everything in moderation. This allows for a balanced life where food such as wine is enjoyed in moderation for the benefit of social and mental health. Still, over half of their diet consists of vegetables, fruits, and greens. But we do see more variation in their diet—4% of it comes from sweets, 5% from pasta, 5% from meat, and 6% from olive oil. The rest comes from legumes and grains like beans and lentils. When people do eat meat and dairy, the animals are raised by the Ikarians themselves, and many people choose goat milk over cow’s milk, which is more digestible to lactose intolerant people and contains tryptophan and potassium. The last aspect of their life has to do with their social connections. Individuals live in strong communities and hold communal events that keep them all in healthy mental states. 

So, what can we take away from these regions of the world? 

Although this was just a look at two places, all blue zones are similar in the fact that they are fueled by plant-based whole-food diets. These places have strong communities that keep stress levels very low and people stay active in simple ways like gardening or walking. 

In the U.S., we are taught that meat and dairy are keys to a healthy diet and that we will actually be less healthy in their absence. Without them, how will we have strong bones or protein? Well, even overlooking the fact that we are fed this information by meat and dairy industries who hope to make large profits, science shows us the ways in which health improves in the absence of animal products. One key factor seen in blue zones has to do with low-fat, cholesterol-free sources of protein like beans, soy, and grains. And while meat is occasionally eaten, the biggest point to emphasize is that none of it is processed or packaged, which is unlike what is available or eaten in the U.S. 

A healthy gut and microbiome play a huge role in our health. Your microbiome contains tons of bacteria, which strengthen your immunity and aid in disease prevention. Having a healthy gut and healthy microbiome entails eating a diverse range of vegetables to add different bacteria to your gut. Adding fermented foods to your diet is also a great way to boost your microbiome health. If your microbiome is unstable or lacking sources of bacteria, you are at risk of a variety of health issues like high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and a variety of bowel complications. Fiber has also been proven to be necessary to keep us healthy, yet most Americans are not eating nearly enough. According to cancerresearchUK.org, “When fiber meets the bacteria in the bowel, the bacteria make something called butyrate. Butyrate helps the cells in our bowel to stay healthy, so that tumors are less likely to develop.”

If you are still skeptical about the advantages of removing animal products from your diet, a recent study tested 22 sets of twins and compared aspects of their health based on two different diets. One twin was given a healthy omnivorous diet, while the other had a healthy vegan diet. The twins were tested on the following: visceral fat levels, body fat percentage, microbiome health, cognitive health, biological age, and other areas. The twins were guided by a vegan personal trainer (@NimaiDelgado) who specializes in coaching people to put on muscle mass while eating a vegan diet. After 8 weeks the results were clear: the twins in the vegan diet were biologically younger (measured by the change in telomeres length), their LDL cholesterol had gone down 10% on average, their levels of TMAO (a harmful metabolite produced by gut bacteria abundant in animal products) had decreased, and they had less visceral fat around their intestines. These findings, among numerous other studies, are proof that food is medicine, but it can also be what is harming you.  

The good news is that all the foods that are shown to add years to our lives are affordable and easy to incorporate. For example, lentils contain 22 grams of protein per ½ cup and cost only $1.50 per pound. Tofu and beans are also super cheap and only require seasoning; they can be prepared by utilizing one of the millions of recipes online. 

We can take so much inspiration from blue zones around the world, from the food people eat there to their way of life. Human connection, purpose, and self-care can add years to your life—it is worth the time to make these things a priority in your life. If you want to explore recipes or learn more about these regions you can refer to these websites:

Blue Zone , Healthline.com, Ikarian-Food-Diet