When a series of "Blue Zone" centenarians were interviewed and asked, “Why do you think you were able to live for so long and in such a healthy way?" Many answers were uncovered by Buettner and his team.

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1. THEY MOVE NATURALLY. Living active lifestyles that consistently urge them to move without thinking about it. They grow gardens and don't have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work, instead of going to the gym or pumping iron, they are walking up hills to their gardens or countryside. They don't have cars or use transportation, so they walk everywhere to visit their friends, families, homes, and gardens or place of work. This is organic natural exercise. What can we do to make ourselves more active everyday? 

 

2. THEY HAVE A PURPOSE. Everyone in these areas has an answer when they were asked why they wake up in the morning and what is their purpose. What is our why, and what keeps us focused on reaching our purpose?

 

3. THEY PACE THEMSELVES. Centenarians engage in routines that diffuse stress. Relying on meditation, daily naps, or a glass of wine helps them to dodge any possible discomforts in healthy ways. How can we slow down to manage our stress in our daily lives and what will make us relax enough achieve pacing ourselves more effectively?

 

4. THEY USE THE 80% RULE. Meals are never eaten to overflow ones appetite. In fact, centenarians stop eating when they are 80% full.  This practice is a great way to reduce calorie in take and be mindful about how much food we actually need to sustain ourselves, instead of how much we may think we want. How can we practice this in our daily diets?

 

5. THEY EAT PLANT BASED DIETS. Plentiful greens, nutritious nuts, and healthy servings of legumes are highly praised in these regions. Some areas will eat meat or fish but on a mild to rare basis. How might one moderate their diet to incorporate more plant based foods into every meal?

 

6. THEY DRINK WINE. Socializing while having a glass of wine and eating nutritious food can raise your life expectancy, while giving a natural boost to your circulatory and vascular system, releasing happy hormones and putting yourself healthy social settings with your loved ones. I don't think this will be hard to incorporate :).

 

7. THEY PUT FAMILY FIRST. Nursing homes are quite uncommon to see, but family members of all ages caring for their loved ones is not. It's possible that this kind of care and attention can raise ones life expectancy by about 6 years. This provides a stable home, and a strong foundation for optimal living.

 

8. THEY ARE FAITH BASED. Being devout in their faith is common amongst many centenarians who belong to a religious community. The sense of connection with spirituality whatever it may be offered a source of solace and community to these inhabitants.

9. THEY ARE IN AN INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY. Centenarians are constantly moving on their own as they are rarely seen to use public transportation to get around. Common behaviors amongst others in small communities are proven to be contagious, including healthy life practices and happiness. Research shows that being surrounded by a group of people engaging in certain practices, makes you 90% more likely to engage in those same practices as well. If you surround yourself with people making positive healthy life choices, then this can also have an impact in your personal life.