Weekend Reading: 7 Habits to Live a Healthier Life, Inspired by the World's Longest-Lived Communities
This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.
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According to Healthline.com, “Blue Zones” are “geographic areas with lower rates of chronic diseases and a longer life expectancy.” In these regions, an astounding number of people live to be 100 years or older, which is why American writer and producer, Dan Buettner, released a new Netflix documentary exploring the valuable insights found in Blue Zone communities. Here are several of his biggest takeaways:
📌 Incorporate movement: Engage in daily physical activity, whether that’s through gardening, spending time outdoors and making it a point to incorporate movement into your daily routine.
📌 Eat like a peasant: Blue Zone residents consume simple, plant-based diets rich in whole grains, vegetables, greens, beans, and tubers (sweet potatoes).
📌 Build strong social connections: Loneliness can be detrimental to health. Join communities, attend gatherings and prioritize relationships with family and friends.
📌 Take short naps: A short afternoon nap can help recharge your energy and improve alertness.
📌 Affordable housing and family support: In some Blue Zones, policies promote affordable housing and keeping aging parents nearby. Consider living in more affordable areas and maintaining strong family connections.
If you want to live a longer life, it’s pretty basic and quite obvious; just do it.