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After reading a book about blue zones, Lucie Fink tries her hand at 5 days of tips and tricks to living longer.
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00:00I'm Lucy Fink and this week is 5 Days of Living Longer.
00:03Alright, so there aren't many updates here with me except for the obvious fact,
00:07which is that my hair is blonder.
00:09I really want it to be blonde for my upcoming wedding, so let me know what you think.
00:12I'm growing it out because I want it to be really long.
00:15But I know that all of you are here today because you want to learn how to live the longest
00:18life possible,
00:19so let's stop messing around and just get into the episode.
00:22Just about a year ago, I came across a book titled The Blue Zones,
00:26Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest.
00:29So this week's episode is going to be a full deep dive on the Blue Zones.
00:33Let's do it.
00:37Normally, I spend the intro section on these episodes introducing the topic and giving you background,
00:41and then when Monday comes, I'm already diving into the challenge.
00:44This week, I feel like there's a lot of upfront information that you need to know before we get into
00:49the challenge,
00:50so I'm going to start on Monday by just explaining the topic.
00:53Some scientists not too long ago were studying longevity,
00:56and they were trying to figure out where the healthiest people lived.
00:59And they found these clusters of areas in the world that had the highest population of centenarians,
01:04or people who lived to 100 years of age.
01:07And they circled these various regions on the map using a blue pen.
01:10Pretty soon, because of that blue pen, they started referring to these regions as the Blue Zones,
01:14and thus the phrase was coined.
01:16And there are five regions in the world today that are the most well-known Blue Zones.
01:20Number one, Icardia, Greece.
01:21It's an island just eight miles off the coast of Turkey that has one of the lowest rates of middle
01:26age mortality and dementia.
01:28Number two, the Oleastra region of Sardinia.
01:31These are the mountainous highlands of an Italian island,
01:33and this region has the highest concentration of centenarian men in the world.
01:38Next, Okinawa, Japan.
01:39A large island towards the bottom of all the Japanese islands that's home to the world's longest-lived women.
01:45The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, which has the lowest rate of middle age mortality and the second highest concentration
01:51of male centenarians.
01:53And finally, Loma Linda, California.
01:55A California community and the only blue zone in the United States.
01:58Many of Loma Linda's residents live ten more healthy years than the average American.
02:02So one thing that's important to note about these blue zones is it's not just about people who are living
02:07the longest lives,
02:08but it's also about people who are living the healthiest lives.
02:11By this point, you're probably wondering, okay, so what is the secret?
02:13Well, as it turns out, these people are not following any special diets,
02:17they don't have any secret workout regimens that we don't know about,
02:20and no, their genes are no different from my genes or your genes.
02:24And I'm talking genes, not genes.
02:26So scientists have basically pulled together years and years of research
02:30and come up with a list of lessons that we can learn from all the different people that live in
02:34these regions.
02:35So now that we got all the basics out of the way,
02:37this episode is gonna teach you how to turn your home, your life, and your lifestyle into that of a
02:42blue zone.
02:42Let's go.
02:45When I first started studying the blue zones, the first question that I personally had is,
02:50what do these people eat?
02:52Tuesday is going to be all about the rituals surrounding food,
02:55and then on Wednesday I'll get into the nitty-gritty of what food they're eating.
02:59One thing that's pretty standard across all of the blue zones is that growing, preparing, serving,
03:04and eating your food are all sacred practices.
03:07And there are so many different things about the way we eat,
03:10or at least the way I sometimes eat in modern day New York City,
03:14that they just wouldn't do in the blue zones.
03:16Things like eating on the go, picking up food from a fast food restaurant,
03:19eating while working, and so much more.
03:22So if you want to apply some of these philosophies to your life,
03:24and start eating as if you lived in a blue zone,
03:27here are the tips you can follow.
03:28Number one, breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day.
03:32Lunch is usually a mid-sized meal, and then for dinner it's the smallest meal.
03:36Nicoyans in Costa Rica sometimes eat two big breakfasts and then a light dinner,
03:40and the Okinawans often skip dinner altogether.
03:43In all of the blue zones, food is a very special thing, and cooking is celebratory.
03:47And if you're not convinced yet that you should be cooking at home,
03:50here are three reasons why it's great for your health.
03:52Firstly, you know what's going into your food.
03:54Number two, you know that you can use the highest quality ingredients.
03:58And thirdly, even though it can be very minimal,
04:00chopping your food and preparing things and moving around the kitchen
04:03helps you get in some physical activity.
04:05Number three, make your meals social.
04:07People living in the blue zones do not often eat meals by themselves.
04:11So they don't grab food on the go, and then eat while they're chatting on the phone to a client.
04:15They don't hold food in one hand and then put the other hand on the steering wheel and drive.
04:20No, no, no.
04:20Meals are eaten with family and friends, sitting down, not doing anything else but eating.
04:25And then they eat very slowly, and they talk, and they enjoy the food, and enjoy the flavors,
04:30and enjoy the ambiance.
04:31And that social aspect of mealtimes is very important.
04:34Number four, follow the 80% rule.
04:37With the abundance of food options around us, and the giant-sized plates that are being served to us in
04:41America,
04:42it's no wonder that many people are just taking in far too much food than their bodies actually need.
04:47So the 80% rule asks you to stop eating when you feel 80% full.
04:52The thought process behind that one is that apparently it takes about 20 minutes for that feeling of fullness in
04:57your stomach
04:57to travel up to your brain.
04:59So if you stop eating when you feel 80% full, hopefully by the time that feeling of fullness catches
05:04up to your brain,
05:05you'll be fully satiated.
05:06Number five, don't take your food too seriously.
05:09Most people in the blue zones do not count calories, they don't take vitamins,
05:13they don't weigh their protein grams, record their macros, or even read labels on food.
05:18Of course, many of these people have the luxury of not having to do this,
05:22because they're not surrounded by processed food in their grocery stores.
05:25But many people in the blue zones live in areas where they don't even go to grocery stores.
05:29They just grow their own food in their gardens.
05:32They're eating locally sourced food that's pesticide-free and organically raised,
05:36and they just don't have too many processed food options.
05:39Instead, they follow time-honored recipes and they just celebrate and enjoy life through food.
05:46Naturally, each of the blue zones eats a little bit differently,
05:49and that's because much of the food choices in these regions are based on the terrain
05:53or on the plants and animals that live nearby.
05:56But after analyzing a ton of dietary studies,
05:59the blue zone researchers were able to distill this information down
06:02to share with us what, on average, these people are actually eating.
06:06So number one, there's a plant slant.
06:08A huge majority of the food that these people eat comes from plants.
06:11Number two, their meat is clean.
06:13So even though there is this heavy emphasis on plants,
06:16these people do eat meat or animal products if it's available in their environment.
06:19So any meat that's eaten in the blue zones comes from free-roaming animals.
06:23They're raised with no hormones, no antibiotics.
06:26They're chewing on grass that has no pesticides on it.
06:29Fully clean meat.
06:30Icaria and Sardinia use sheep's or goat's milk to make fermented yogurts that have no added sugars in them.
06:37And the Okinawans actually eat a lot of pork.
06:39Number three, they eat high-quality eggs.
06:41Any eggs in the blue zones come from cage-free chickens that eat a wide variety of natural foods.
06:47They have no hormones or antibiotics.
06:49And these chickens produce eggs that are higher in omega-3 fatty acids.
06:53Oh, and one more thing, it also takes these chickens two times as long to breed eggs as it does
06:58for the chickens making factory-produced eggs.
07:00Number four, their fish isn't farmed.
07:02In most cases, people in the blue zones choose fish that are abundant and are not threatened by overfishing.
07:07Fish like sardines, anchovies, and cod.
07:10These are middle-of-the-food chain species that aren't exposed to high levels of mercury or other chemicals like
07:15PCBs.
07:16Number five, they eat a ton of cooked beans.
07:18Humans have been eating beans for over 8,000 years,
07:21and they're a great source of protein and complex carbs.
07:24Number six, cut down on sugar.
07:26Try to get all of your sweet intake through fruits and don't add any processed sugar to meals.
07:31Also, try avoiding the processed foods that have an excess of sugar,
07:34things like sauces, dressings, or ketchup.
07:36Number seven, eat a lot of nuts.
07:39People in the blue zones eat almonds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, and so much more.
07:44And if they're ever in need of a snack, it's pretty much always nuts.
07:47And number eight, their main bread is either sourdough or 100% whole wheat bread.
07:53They don't touch any refined flours.
07:55Instead, their bread is filled with nutrients and minerals, and they mostly make it from scratch.
07:59So here's a quick rundown of the ten most popular blue zone foods.
08:03Beans, greens, sweet potatoes, nuts, olive oil, oats, barley, fruits, green or herbal tea, and turmeric.
08:11As for their beverages, the findings are firstly, drink a ton of water to stay hydrated.
08:17Secondly, drink coffee.
08:18Turns out good quality coffee is sipped in pretty much all of the blue zones.
08:22Next is tea, and people in all of the blue zones drink tea.
08:26Different herbs are known to have different anti-inflammatory properties.
08:29And lastly, number four, drinking red wine in moderation.
08:32Some people in the blue zones have between one and three glasses of red wine per day.
08:36And it's always with a meal and with family and friends.
08:39It's unclear if it's because of the plant-based antioxidants in red wine,
08:43or the fact that drinking wine helps to reduce your stress levels, which is good for you too.
08:47So you don't have to start drinking red wine if you don't like it or if you don't currently drink.
08:52But if you do like it and you are of age, you can continue enjoying a glass of red wine
08:56in moderation.
08:59This is the moment in the video where I'd like to mention that I'm not just teaching you about this
09:03subject as the days go by,
09:05but throughout this five-day challenge, I was actually challenging myself to live like I lived in a blue zone.
09:10So on Monday through Wednesday of this week, I made sure that every single meal I ate was a blue
09:15zone recipe.
09:16You'll have to get the blue zones book for the full recipes, or I'm positive you can find a ton
09:20of them online.
09:21But here's a quick glimpse into what I ate.
09:23On Monday, I had steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast.
09:26I put tons of blueberries on top, sprinkled cinnamon all over it, and then drizzled honey on top.
09:32For another breakfast this week, I branched out and I made homemade miso soup.
09:37This is something that I had for breakfast a bunch when I visited Japan, and I loved having it for
09:41breakfast,
09:42so I made it myself using miso paste, tofu, and scallions.
09:45One day for lunch, I made a coconut curry tofu dish and a homemade minestrone for dinner on Monday, which
09:51fed me for two nights.
09:53I also made sure that most of my meals were enjoyed with other people.
09:56Michael and I invited our friends over for dinner last night, and we cooked dinner for them, and then we
10:00had a really fun game night together.
10:02Time for a nice evening game of Catan.
10:08And I even made a homemade loaf of bread.
10:10So now that we've explored the food, it's time to look at some of the other lifestyle commonalities in these
10:15blue zones.
10:16Starting with movement.
10:17Movement is key in these regions, but one thing that I find really interesting is these people don't lift weights,
10:23they don't do high-intensity interval training, they don't run marathons, and they don't have gym memberships.
10:29They actually likely don't even have gyms in many of these areas.
10:33They're healthy because they're just getting in natural movement throughout the course of the day
10:37by being physically active and by not leading sedentary lives.
10:41They garden, they do their own house and yard work, they walk almost everywhere, they carry heavy things around.
10:47They're generally just on their feet, moving around, doing physical work.
10:50And I did hear somewhere that the steeper the hill the people lived on, on average the longer lives they
10:56lived.
10:57Not sure if that's just because it adds some more resistance to your daily movement,
11:00or if it's because you're less likely to drive in a mountainous region, so these people are more likely to
11:05just walk everywhere.
11:06Or maybe it's both.
11:08But whatever the reason, on Thursday I lived my life as if I lived in one of these places.
11:12So I did not let myself sit at a desk all day, instead I had a full day of physical
11:17activities.
11:18Starting with a walk to the plant district, because I needed to refresh some of the plants in my apartment.
11:23Then once I got home I repotted those plants, as if I was tending to a garden.
11:27Then I watered all of my plants.
11:29I had a meeting in downtown Manhattan, followed by a shoot uptown.
11:33And I just planned a lot of extra time to let myself get there by foot.
11:37So I walked everywhere, no public transportation.
11:39When I got home I had to do a little bit of housework.
11:42I had to rehang some photos that were not straight, and I wanted to wash my windows.
11:46Normally I would have waited for Michael to do some of this housework with me,
11:50but instead I just took out our toolkit and got to work.
11:53Alright, so aside from getting in some natural movement, some other lifestyle habits that these people have are,
11:58they have routines and systems in place to help bring their stress levels down,
12:02thus reducing the inflammation in their bodies.
12:04Now just because they live in these regions, doesn't mean these people have no stress.
12:08I mean these are still regular people we're talking about, so they still do have normal everyday stresses.
12:13In Ikaria they take naps pretty much every afternoon.
12:16The Adventists in Loma Linda pray.
12:19The Sardinians have a happy hour every day.
12:21So taking a quick nap, doing something spiritual, and having a happy hour are three things that I incorporated into
12:27my life on Thursday.
12:28And the last thing that's a common thread through all the Blue Zones is that these people have a strong
12:33sense of purpose.
12:34In Okinawa it's called Ikigai, I have an entire book about it.
12:38In Costa Rica it's called Plan de Vida.
12:40It's overall just why you get out of bed in the morning.
12:43And a lot of these Blue Zone books cite studies saying that you can add seven healthy years onto your
12:48life just by knowing your purpose.
12:51Happy Friday!
12:53Okay, so we've covered a lot here.
12:55We've got food, beverages, physical activity, stress relief, purpose, and a lot more.
13:01But one of the cornerstones of the Blue Zone lifestyle has yet to be mentioned, and that is community.
13:07Having people that you trust, that can trust you, and overall just having this support network in life is imperative.
13:13In Okinawa they create MOAIs, or small groups of four to five friends that commit to each other for life.
13:18There are a lot of people in my life that I love and trust, but I've got to say my
13:22ten bridesmaids plus my twin sister who's my maid of honor,
13:25that is my MOAI, and these are going to be the women that are my support system for the rest
13:29of my life.
13:30And when I say your community, I don't only mean social circles.
13:33Ninety-eight percent of the centenarians interviewed for these books belonged to a faith-based community.
13:38And it didn't even matter what faith or religion they were, but it just showed that attending faith-based services
13:44four times a month
13:45can add four to fourteen years to your life expectancy.
13:48And lastly, family comes first.
13:50These centenarians often commit to a life partner, and they also often keep aging parents or grandparents nearby, or even
13:57in their home.
13:58So Friday for me was about community and family.
14:00I enjoyed a nice walk with Michael before he had to go off to class for the day,
14:04and I made big weekend plans to get all of my best friends together for a homemade meal at my
14:09apartment.
14:10If you don't have a faith or a religion, I believe that building a community at a yoga studio or
14:15a meditation center
14:16can have the same effect as attending faith-based services.
14:19I think it's all about just being around some of the same people over and over again, getting to know
14:24them really well,
14:25and practicing the same thing together.
14:27So my twin sister, Allie, and I did a Friday evening yoga class together at our favorite yoga studio,
14:32where we pretty much know all of the instructors, and we've also gotten to know a lot of the other
14:36students that go regularly.
14:38About to do yoga together. Our classic class.
14:47If you're interested in longevity research, there is so much more research inside these books,
14:52and there's also so many inspiring stories of people who live in these regions,
14:56so I would highly recommend that you get the Blue Zones book either online, or I'm sure they have it
15:01at many of your local bookstores.
15:03I'm personally intrigued by the fact that even if you don't live in these regions,
15:06because let's face it, we can't all live in these regions, you can essentially engineer a Blue Zone for yourself
15:12just by making some big changes to your community.
15:14And some places around the world are already doing this by making biking more accessible,
15:19creating community gardens, making interest-based clubs, and so much more.
15:23And if all else fails, we can just move to Greece and live happily ever after.
15:27Bye!