Good nutrition becomes even more important as we head into the traditionally calorie-laden holiday season.Senior Planet is rerunning this archived article on how to live longer by eating healthy.The longeryou live, the healthier youre likely to be duringthe last chunk of your life.Thats one ofDan Buettners messages in hispopular TED talks and books, and its a compelling one.
We might notall want to live to a hundred,butwe do all want to stay independent and active while were still alive.So, whats the secret?According to author, speaker and National Geographic fellow Buettner, we can look to the Blue Zones for our answers.(Blue Zones are areas with the worlds longest-lived cultures, where people regularly live to 100 and beyond.Learn more here.)Buettner is a Blue Zones expertwho, along with a team of anthropologists, epidemiologists and other researchers, has been studying these rare spots in the world where people live long and healthy lives and asking, what about these Blue Zones lifestyles contributes to longevity, and how can we apply the learnings to our own lives?Among the answers: A tight, supportive community of friends, family and neighbors; a sense of purpose; plenty of physical activity; and diet.Buettner has been focusing on diet.He and his team introducedthe Blue Zone dietary guidelines to one U.S.
community Albert Lea, Minnesota.The results were astonishing.I came to realize that the runway to health is through our mouth, hetold Splendid Table hostLynne Rossetto Kasperon her culinary radio show.We took a really deep dive into the diets of longevity around the world.
We worked with the University of Minnesota and distilled down 155 dietary surveys in all five Blue Zones.Buettner and his teamworked with localrestaurants and grocery stores in Albert Lea to increase the longevity factor of local foods by 20 percent.After a year-and-a-half, they saw health care costs down by 40 percent.Theyve now expanded the Blue Zone makeoverto 23 Iowa cities.So, what is the Blue Zone diet? According to Buettner, its not justwhat people eat, but also how they eat.In other words, it wont do you much good to use Blue Zones recipes if youre eating alone in front of the TV every night.The Blue Zone Diet:In a NutshellPeople in the Blue Zones eat a high-carb dietcentered onwholegrains.Its a largely plant-based diet, with small amounts of meat just four or five times a month.Protein is supplied primarily by beansabout one cupa day.
I would argue thats the best longevity supplement in the world, Butner says.People in the Blue Zones eat smaller quantities.The takeway: Stopeating before youre full.They eat the largest meals of the day earlier in the day your late afternoon or evening meal should be the smallest.Blue Zoners do drink alcohol on a regular basis one or two glasses of red wine per day.Those glasses of wine theyre part of a social occasion.Blue Zonerseat communally.
If youre technically lonely in this country, it shaves about eightyears off your life expectancy, Butner points out.Histeam created small groups of people who committed to getting together forplant-based potluck dinners over a period of10 weeks; some took walks together.In Alberta Lea, more than half of those groups are stilltogether five or six years later.Click here to read more about reverse engineering longevity at The Splendid TableThis article offered by Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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