I was reading the other day about what are known as Blue Zones, and it got me thinking about how we live.
If you're not familiar with what Blue Zones are, they are specific geographical areas where the inhabitants boast an unusually high degree of longevity.
And not only that, they also achieve such longevity retaining some remarkable fitness and keen mentally faculties! The areas examined were Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan), Loma Linda (California), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica), and Ikaria (Greece).
There were a number of lifestyle provisos which, when you think about them, just make so much sense; it's very simplistic and obvious, almost.
So here are 5 centenarian secrets, which I found common to all of them: 1.
Family is important.
Very much so, as to be the pillar around which life revolved.
Considering that family is all you always have, it makes sense that there would be harmony in this department.
2.
They usually don't smoke.
This really shouldn't be a surprise, or need any further commenting.
3.
Centenarians tend to eschew red meat in favour of vegetables and other food deriving from plants.
This one isn't exactly surprising, either, because of the high quantity of cholesterol, fat, and God knows what other stuff when they process it, that is present in red meat.
The flip side of this is that we also need proteins; however, they can be sourced without meat.
Besides, vegetarians seem a generally healthy lot.
4.
They are consistently active on the physical front.
It's no wonder that people who exercise tend to be in better health, which in turn translates into a more long-lived life.
Not only that, the quality of that life in superior, as you retain fitness levels which enable you to be more active.
Not saying centenarians run marathons (not even the Greek ones), but they do incorporate moderate physical activity as a part of life.
5.
Socially speaking, they are very much integrated into circles and communities.
I've always maintained that we are social animals, and that our place is in the herd.
Living a life of solitude consistently ranks among one of the top fears people have, so it only validates the fact that we need other people.
Perhaps it's just the exchange of energy that comes from interacting, I don't know.
What I do know is that friends make me smile, and being part of a community of something gives me a sense of purpose.
The result? Happiness! And happy people live longer.
Fact.
The above 5 points all seemed to characterise a common denominator which was true independently of where in the world these centenerians live.
After thinking about this, it all readily made sense.
What also struck me is the typically rural environments in which they live.
Cleaner air, less pollution, less electro-magnetic radiation, the overwhelming presence of nature...
It's a no-brainer, in all honesty, and it's enough to make you want to rush out and live in the country.
But then there are other considerations that began creeping into my head, such as the remarkably high number of centerians in France.
Aside from eating frogs and snails, they also consume monumental quantities of cheese.
Yummy as cheeses may taste, they're certainly not the best thing for the body, given how high they are in fats.
Yet, there's a surprisingly negligeable presence of cardio-vascular disease.
It just doesn't make sense, until you start to think about the wine.
Red wine is full of anti-oxidants, and as with all alcohol, it does possess a somewhat thinning effect on the blood.
Can it possibly that one really offsets the other to such a degree? It would certainly seem so.
Or what of the Greek centenarians, who allegedly begin the day with shots of...
extra virgin olive oil? Now, I gotta tell you, Greek olive oil is really something exceptional.
Fragrant, full of flavour, but...
also ridiculously high in cholesterol, calories, and fats.
Again, it becomes a matter of the big picture.
The benefits of the monounsaturated fats in olive oil apparently outweigh the "harm" of ingesting the calories and cholesterol.
Thing is, there is just so much information, and so much misinformation, it becomes tricky sifting the good from the bad.
It would almost seem that some of the material out there is completely unfounded, just to sell you on something.
So when in doubt, I do employ one fail-safe method to living better.
It has to do with a story I heard while living in Ireland, about a local centenarian.
On the day of his 100th birthday, fanfare and celebration was carried out in the town.
As all Irish celebrating goes, it ended up in the local pub.
The newly crowned centenarian, sipping on his de rigueur pint of Guinness, was then asked the secret to his longevity.
His reply was, "Lad, it's because at the end of the day, I went to bed every night and slept, when I could've stayed up worryin' about me problems.
" Whether it's true or not, the above certainly provides priceless information, distilled into a simple perspective anyone can employ.
You may not become a centenarian because of it, but you'll certainly live life with more smiles! As for me, I'm going to head off to the kitchen to create a new cocktail consisting of Bordeaux wine, a shot glass of extra virgin olive oil, and crushed walnuts.
If the shock of all that being chugged down my throat won't kill me on the spot, then I probably stand a pretty good chance to live to be a centenarian...
Live long and prosper! -Josh Harris