Almost everyone wants to know what do to “boost longevity”, and delay the signs of aging.
The good news is, there is A LOT we can do with our food and lifestyle to help delay our aging (and feel younger and healthier for longer). Even though we often associate genetics with aging, it is now well-known that only 20-30% of longevity is related to genetics, which means that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle play a much larger role in how long we live (and more importantly, how we FEEL and LOOK while aging).
Not only do we want to age slower, we want to FEEL GOOD and avoid the “aches and pains” that often come with aging. HOW can we do this in a natural, holistic way?
For starters, lets learn a little from the BLUE ZONES – the geographical areas in the world where people live longer and lead healthier lives with lower rates of chronic disease compared to other parts of the world.
In these five Blue Zones (Icaria (Greece), Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica) and Loma Linda, California (USA)), author and researcher Dan Buettner found lots of similarities between the diets and lifestyles that helped these people live longer, healthier lives.
Below are 6 (well researched) practices that can help support longevity:
1) Reduce Stress, Relax More & Sleep More
Excess stress ages us probably more than anything else! Chronic stress is related to every major disease out there and it makes us age faster. In fact, some articles point out that more than 75% of doctor visits are stress-related. Therefore, learning how to manage our stress and find time to decompress is a highly valuable skill we NEED to implement.
In the Blue Zones, the principle related to reducing stress is to "Down shift”, which essentially is about incorporating personal “self-care” routines to shake off daily stressors. These include taking breaks, getting outdoors, laughing with coworkers and friends, and energizing with physical activity. Anything that works for you that can help reduce your work/stress load, and to shift your body from “fight or flight mode” (AKA survival response mode) to a relaxation state.
Also, getting enough sleep (7-9 hours on average) is crucial to our overall health and helps promote a happier, healthier, longer life.
2) Move More Often & Do Moderate Exercise Regularly (to build and maintain muscle)
There is widespread evidence that moving your body regularly is beneficial for overall health in multiple ways. Studies show that doing at least 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise (30-45 min on most days) reduced the risk of premature death by 70%!
What physical activity is best for healthy longevity? The one you enjoy most, that you can easily incorporate into your daily schedule, and that (ideally) you can keep doing until your hundredth birthday! For best results, you want to aim to work every muscle in your body, so full body workouts like barre are amazing, plus, it’s helpful to rotate your exercise/sports. Remember, muscles grow and maintain (or gain) strength only in response to being challenged, and research shows that retaining our muscle mass is key as we age (I highly recommend you watch this video by Dr. Mark Hyman). So start prioritizing physical exercise that work your muscles ASAP!
I also highly recommend walking outside in nature in combination with other sports/exercises (walking is most common form of exercise in the Blue Zones and it works wonder for both your physical wellbeing and your mental).
3) Eat More Plants & Less Processed Food (especially less processed meats)
A study published in the PLOS of Medicine showed that people who transitioned to a diet with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and fish, and reduced their intake of processed meats, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages, increased their lifespan by 8-13 years. That is A LOT!
In the Blue Zones, most people ate a diet rich in plant-based foods, including tons of vegetables, whole grains, as well as different varieties of legumes/beans (such as fava beans, black beans, soy beans and lentils). In most blue zones, the typical diet was very similar to a Mediterranean diet (read more HERE).
4) Eat Less Often & Moderate Fasting
When we are constantly eating, the body is constantly working hard at digestion and this robs us of energy to be detoxing and recovering. Leaving enough time for proper digestion between meals is important for many reasons, ranging from a healthier gut to more balanced hormones, both of which positively impact our aging.
In general, eating less often has been associated with lower levels of inflammation in the body and disease and an increased lifespan. In his book "longevity diet", Prof. Valter Longo explains that at least a 12-hr fast per day is crucial.
Why does fasting promote longevity? The main idea is that as your cells become “stressed” from lack of glucose for extended periods, which activates cell repair and detox (or cleaning mechanisms) that help get rid of aging and senescent cells (which can later cause cancer and other chronic diseases).
NOTE: If you want to implement extended fasts above 13-14 hrs a day, consult with your physician, particularly if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.
5) Build Community, Foster Loving Relationships & Find Purpose in Your Life
This was another clear correlation between the people in the 5 blue zones. Out of the 9 evidence-based common denominators in these Blue Zones characterized by the best longevity, 3 of them were related to human connection. These were:
Belonging– to a faith-based community (irrespective of denomination) and attending gatherings every month can increase your life expectancy by 4 – 14 years
Loved ones coming first– keeping family close, especially parents and grandparents, committing to a life partner, and investing time and love to your children - all helps to lower mortality and improve disease rate
Right Tribe– choosing or being born into social circles that support more positive attitudes and healthy minds (if you haven’t noticed, happiness is contagious!)
In general, research has proven that for healthy aging, people need to be with other people—volunteering, entertaining or even playing games. Increased human interaction can even help boost our memory. Also, doing exercise with friends and family is one of the best things for longevity!
6) Detox Regularly (Safely, Gently) & Minimize Daily Exposure to Harmful Toxins
Detoxification assists in removing toxins that speed up aging. Toxins in your body cause oxidation (aka oxidative stress), which speeds up aging. Reducing these effects allows your cells to function optimally and slows down the aging process.
While there are many ways to “detox”, not all forms are safe nor effective. My suggestion would be to start with a gentle food-based detox for 7-14 days, and try doing that 1-2/year.
Also, implementing “detox-promoting” practices into your life more regularly, like eating more dark leafy greens, superfoods that help bind to and eliminate toxins such as chlorella, sweating in an infrared sauna, doing hot/cold water treatments including ice cold baths, dry brushing, and others.
In general, it’s important to reduce our daily exposure to toxins in order to live a longer, healthier disease-free life. This means REDUCING OUR EXPOSURE TO:
smoke (avoid smoking and second-hand smoke)
chemicals from plastics (avoid plastics in your home as much as possible, especially heating food in plastics) especially food packaging
chemicals (mainly Teflon) in nonstick pots/pans
chemicals (mainly food additives, colorants, preservatives, pesticides/herbicides, growth hormones and antibiotics) in non-organic foods (buy organic as much as possible)
chemicals in our skin/hair products and makeup (such as synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates and more)
chemicals and heavy metals in cleaning products, in our carpets/furniture (flame retardants), in waterproof outdoor clothing, lead in paint
potentially excess mercury from certain fish, in amalgam dental fillings, from fluorescent light bulbs (research is still being done on these)
pollution
excess radiation
excess stress
And so much more! Its not about perfection, but just minimizing regular exposure to these toxic chemicals will help us live longer.