![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/herb-garden-823780027.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHAVE you heard of the Blue Zones? <\/p>\n
They're five spots dotted across the world – in Greece, Italy, Costa Rica, California and Japan – where many residents happen to live to the ripe old age of 100. <\/p>\n
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It might seem like pure coincidence, but there are remarkable similarities between the lifestyles, habits and diets of these famed centenarians. <\/p>\n
Not only do they live a long life – many Blue Zoners are also largely free of chronic disease, according to National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner. <\/p>\n
The buzz around these longevity regions stems from a study Dan and his team published in 2016, which studied the lifestyles of people in Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California;and Okinawa, Japan. <\/p>\n
The researchers identified nine common practices residents of these regions followed, which might explain why they live longer lives. <\/p>\n
Dubbed the 'Power Nine', they fall into varying categories, such diet, exercise and even social life. <\/p>\n Dan told Medical News Today: "These people\u2019s lifestyles and environments offer us instructions and clues for how we can set up our lives to live longer.\u201d<\/p>\n Blue Zoners incorporate exercise into their lives but, as Dan put it, they "don\u2019t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms". <\/p>\n "Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it," he explained. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n This can include doing yard work, pottering around the garden and walking lots. <\/p>\n Dan stated: "Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy."<\/p>\n He said Okinawans call this Ikigai\u201d and the Nicoyans call it \u201cplan de vida", which roughly translates to "why I wake up in the morning". <\/p>\n Everyone can experience stress, even Blue Zoners. <\/p>\n But Dan warned it can lead to chronic inflammation, which is linked to age-related diseases.<\/p>\n He said centenarians in these famed regions have daily routines to shed the stress, like taking a nap or indulging in (restrained) happy hour.<\/p>\n Though many of us keep eating till there's no room left in oour belly, residents of Okinawa practice what's called the 80 per cent diet rule, or \u201chara hachi bu\u201d. <\/p>\n It involves pushing away your plate of food when you're 80 per cent full. <\/p>\n According to Dan, "the 20 per cent gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it".<\/p>\n Blue Zoners eat a plant based diet for the most part – indulging in fish and eggs a couple times a week and having meat for only special occasions. <\/p>\n Beans feature heavily in their diets. <\/p>\n And when it comes to dairy, they favour small amounts of cheese or yoghurt over milk. <\/p>\n Most Blue Zoners will drink regularly – but moderately. <\/p>\n The trick is to have no more than one or two glasses a day, with friends and food. <\/p>\n Don't save up your units for the weekend and binge. <\/p>\n Most centenarians belong to a community of some sort, thought it doesn't have to be faith based. <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24336461-1696848170642.jpg\")
<\/picture>MILKING IT<\/span><\/p>\nBlue Zone heart doctor shares diet swap he made studying longest-living people<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24350171-1696939539899.jpg\")
<\/picture>LONGEVITY DIET<\/span><\/p>\nThe longest-living people on earth swear by 11 simple diet rules every day<\/h3>\n
1. Move naturally <\/h2>\n
Most read in Diet & Fitness<\/h2>\n
<\/picture>LONGEVITY DIET<\/span><\/p>\nThe longest-living people on earth swear by 11 simple diet rules every day<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/MR-HEALTHY-UNHEALTHY-CURRIES-COMP.jpg\")
<\/picture>TAKE AWAY <\/span><\/p>\nThe healthiest and unhealthiest curries revealed – and mild fans won’t be happy<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/jb-jenani-comp.jpg\")
<\/picture>FIGHTING FIT <\/span><\/p>\nHow to get a body like Jennifer Aniston, according to the Friends star herself<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-24197650-1695981265618.jpg\")
<\/picture>TOILET TALK<\/span><\/p>\nFrom stress to too much fat – 5 things making your poop yellow & when to worry<\/h3>\n
2. Have a purpose in life <\/h2>\n
3. Reduce stress <\/h2>\n
4. Stop before you're full <\/h2>\n
5. Eat mostly plants<\/h2>\n
6. Drink moderate amounts of wine <\/h2>\n
7. Belong to a community <\/h2>\n
Read More on The Sun<\/h2>\n
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