In 2004 during his exploration journal, Scientist and National Geographic explorer, Dan Buettner, came up with an odd discovery: He noticed several regions where people live longer in average than the rest of the world. He called these areas ‘’Blue zones’’. Blue Zones stand out for their life prosperity linked to longevity. After this discovery, several researches took place, to identify the truthiness of this found, also the reason why especially people who live in these areas have a prolonged and qualitative life. The ‘’Blue Zones ‘’ consist of five areas: Okinawa (Japan), Ikaria (Greece), Loma Linda (USA), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica).
Depicting longevity process might seem quite challenging; however it makes more sense to throwback to human aging evolution. Technology has played the biggest impact on human life upgrade, also expansion. For example, the last two centuries, life limits have been doubled. In 1900 the average life expectancy consisted 32 years old when in 1800, no region had an average more than 40 years. By 2021, the average life-limit was 71 years old, and there was a significant age expansion in all aging groups (infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly).To have these results, antibiotics and the betterness of life facilities played a huge role.
But what is the secret for longevity? What can we discover more from these regions, to recreate our lifestyle? In 2010, ‘’Faculty of longevity and prevention of aging diseases’’ processed a research in a Greek island, Ikaria, where sociodemographic and lifestyle statistics were examined. In the research participated very old people (80 years old plus). The results? Most of Ikaria’s residents had a range more than 80 years old, while the percentage of 90 years old participants was the highest in Europe! The majority of them referred to low anxiety levels, slow-living habits, and daily physical activities in all ages. There were also references about smoking regulation, frequent socializing, extremely low rates of depression, high percentage of healthy marriages, alcohol consumption moderation. What is more, it will be very interesting to mention, the claims about mid-day napping on a regular basis for ‘’Blue Zone’’, people.
‘’Siesta Cultures’’, use mid-day napping as a habit. In these cultures mid-day (mostly mid-afternoon), nap is acceptable, even necessary, due to climate also agricultural reasons. A report that investigates the role behind this habitual practice focuses on environmental, cultural and biological factors that contribute to the beneficial role of napping.
According to the findings, cultures that use napping daily are linked with labor and climate difficulties. Siestas occur both summer and winter for equatorial and non-equatorial societies, depending on how weather interferes with their activities. It should be mentioned that 40% of siestas cultures behavior is linked to higher temperature rate. According to Wee and Dinges, (1989), siestas are more likely to be observed in agricultural areas however it consist an evolutionary human urge for rest. Mid-day naps contribute also to neurogenesis and cognitive neuroplasticity. Research indicates that sort term sleep, (5-15 minutes), enhances mood, sort term memory and alertness. Napping during the afternoon counteracts the circadian circle, which regulation can also restore stressed neurons.
But what about other variables that contribute to prolonged life in the ‘’Blue Zone ‘’ areas? Current studies mention the impact Mediterranean Diet provides. This concept refers to Greek cuisine and all the range of Mediterranean cuisines, reaching Atlantic countries diet of northwestern Spain and Portugal. The menu consist mostly plant-based recipes, unprocessed cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits. The star of the diet of course consists the variety of cheese these areas produce, fish which is antioxidant ,red meat which is rich in protein and healthy fats, and of course olive oil. The regular consumption of these nutrients plays a role to life quality, since it enhances the prevention of early death incidents, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, there are no doubts about the connection between eating habits and life prosperity.
Pythagorean diet is the pre-existing diet model to Mediterranean diet. The Greek Philosopher and scientist Pythagoras, (569-490 BC), followed a diet based on natural nutrients. Pythagoras died at the age of 79 years old which is significant if you remember what was previously mentioned about age-limits evolution throughout centuries. Pythagoras came from Samos but spent many years near his island, in Ikaria of course. He could be named after as the first vegetarian, since his nutrition was plant- based, including also eggs and dairy products, avoiding meat and fish. He was a supporter of serene lifestyle, paying attention to emotional balance of his and his colleagues.
Mental health issues were also examined during the ‘’Blue Zones’’ research. It was found that in Ikaria, people rarely referred to anxiety or depression, pinpointing the slow-life lifestyle. To make you understand what it means, there’s a short storytelling about Ikaria’s culture:
An interesting story that is known to Greeks as ’’ Ikaria’s phenomenon ‘’, is the story about an Ikaria’s bakery store. There are storytellers, former visitors of Ikaria, claiming about a bakery, where the bakery-man after he was out of duty, used to live the store open all day without surveillance. Stealing was not even an idea for residents, so if any customer wanted to buy bread during the daytime, he had to take the initiative to grab the product by himself and leave the money on the table. The same thing happened in every store. In case the visitor could not afford the money, he would take the product, and come by another time to pay off the dept. This is an example of how Ikaria’s people live and act In general, until today.
Simplicity could be the key substance for Ikaria’s longevity and happiness. People there, despite their low income, feel free, chill and satisfied. They have embrace simplicity in ways that most of us could not even imagine. Maybe we should reconsider our life targets a little more if we want to achieve mental consolidation and physical resistance. Or maybe we just need vacation in one of the ‘’Blue Zones’’.
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, Christina Chrysohoou, Gerasimos Siasos,Konstantinos Zisimos, John Skoumas, Christos Pitsavos, and Christodoulos Stefanadis. Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Statistics of Oldest Old People(>80 Years) Living in Ikaria Island: The Ikaria Study. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/679187
T. Lynne Barone. ‘’Is the siesta an adaption to disease?’’.DOI: 10.1007/s12110-000-1012-4
S. Tyrovolas, V. Bountziouka, N. Papairakleous et al., “Adher-ence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower preva-lence of obesity among elderly people living in Mediterraneanislands: the MEDIS study,” International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, vol. 60, no. 6, pp. 137–150, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637480903130546
Comentarios