Dan Buettner: The Blue Zones Book Summary

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The basic premise of this book is that there is no one ingredient to longevity. Aging is inevitable, as there is no ‘brake’ for slowing it down. The name of the game is to keep from pushing the accelerator pedal so hard that we speed up the aging process. The average American, however, by living a fast and furious lifestyle, pushes that accelerator too hard and too much.

This book is about discovering the world’s best practices in health and longevity and putting them to work in our lives. Most of us have more control in how long we live than we think. In fact, experts say that if we adopt the right lifestyle, we could add at least 10 good years and suffer a fraction of the diseases that kill us prematurely.

Accordingly Dan Buettner traveled the world with a team of scientists and researchers and identified the four places (Blue Zones) that had the highest concentrations of centarians (people living past the age of 100), to meet them and learn from them, and in doing so identified 9 lessons that were consistently found within the lifestyles of the oldest people on earth.

Here is a recap of his findings;

Sardinia Lessons

Eat a Plant Based Diet Accented with Meat– Breads, garden fruits and vegetables. Only grass fed animal meat
Put Family First– All family members are cared for. Children raised in multi-generational environment suffer lower rates of depression, suicide and stress
Drink Goats Milk– May help protect against inflammatory diseases like Alzheimer’s and heart diseases
Celebrate Elders– Grandparents can provide financial support, childcare, love and wisdom. Also provide a balanced perspective of life’s brevity
Walk 5 Miles a Day or More– Non impact cardiovascular
Drink 2 Glasses of Red Wine Daily– Lowers stress and health benefits from artery scrubbing Flavanoids
Laugh with Friends– Be sarcastic and social

Okinawa Lessons

Embrace an Ikigai– A reason to get up every day, a clear roll and responsibility
Rely on a Plant Based Diet– Goya has antioxidants and compounds that lower blood sugar
Get Gardening– Source of activity and fresh vegetables
Eat More Soy– Flavanoids in Tofu protect the heart and guard against breast cancer
Maintain a Moai– A safety net of friends to share with and be close to
Enjoy the Sunshine– Vitamin D maintains strong bones and skin
Stay Active Daily– Walk a lot. Eating and socializing on floor mats require getting up and down off the floor several dozen times daily builds lower body strength and balance
Plant a Medicinal Garden– Mogwort, ginger, turmeric in daily diet
Have an Attitude– Be feisty and keep younger people in your company

Loma Linda, California (7^th Day Adventist) Lessons

Find a Sanctuary in Time– 24 hour Sabbath makes time for family, camaraderie and nature. Eliminate all distractions, electronics, and so on. Pause all work and responsibilities
Maintain a Healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)– Correlates to blood pressure, blood cholesterol and cardiovascular disease
Regular, Moderate Exercise– Regular low intensity exercise like walking reduces chances of heart disease and certain cancers
Spend Time with Like Minded Friends– Share values and support habits
Snack on Nuts– Adventists who consume nuts five times per week have about half the risk of heart disease and live about two years longer than those who don’t
Give Something Back– Volunteer and focus on others
Eat Meat in Moderation– Try using meat as a side dish instead of a main meal
Eat an Early, Light Dinner– Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper
Put More Plants in Your Diet– Adventist who ate legumes such as peas and beans three times per week had a 30 to 40 percent reduction in colon cancer. Adventist women who consumed tomatoes at least 3 or 4 times per week reduced their chance of getting ovarian cancer by 70 percent over those who ate tomatoes less often
Drink Lots of Water– Drinking 5 or 6 daily glasses of water reduces the chances of having a fatal heart attack by 60 to 70 percent compared to those who drank considerably less

Costa Rica Lessons

Have a Plan de Vida – Have a strong sense of purpose
Drink Hard Water– Calcium reduces heart disease and stronger bones
Keep a Focus on Family– Provides a sense of purpose and belonging
Eat a Light Dinner– The earlier the better
Maintain Social Networks– Frequently visit neighbors. Listen, laugh, and appreciate what you have
Keep Hard at Work– Enjoy physical work in your daily chores
Get Some Sensible Sun– Vitamin D fights against osteoporosis and heart disease
Embrace a Common History – Traditions and traditional diets of maize and beans

Lesson #1 – Your Blue Zone

Inconvenience Yourself– Opt for manual devices around the house: kitchen utensils and appliances, no remote control, manual garage door opener, manual can opener, lawn mower, rake and broom. Use the stairs
Keep Moving– Don’t work out to workout. Make a list of physical activities you enjoy. Build activity into your everyday life. Walking everyday relieves stress and aids in digestion after a meal
Make a Date– Get out and socialize. Combine with physical activities as opposed to sedentary ones
Plant a Garden– Good physical activity with range of motion, relieves stress, and provides fresh vegetables
Enroll in Yoga Classes– Make sure and practice at least twice weekly

Lesson #2 – Hara Hachi Bu

Serve & Store– Make your plate, put away excess food, and then eat. Reduces intake by 14%.
Make Food Look Bigger– A quarter pounder burger with more veggies will fill you just like a half pounder with less
Use Smaller Vessels– Sell your plate wear and buy smaller plates and tall, narrow glasses
Make Snacking A Hassle– Avoid purchasing tempting foods. Hide them if you have them
Buy Smaller Packages– People consume 23% more food than needed when larger portions are available
Give Yourself a Daily Reminder– Buy a scale and check it daily
Eat More Slowly– Learn to recognize when you are 80% full and stop
Focus on Food– No distractions like TV or computers that facilitate mindless eating. If you are hungry, stop and eat a meal
Have a Seat– Eat purposefully, not on the go
Eat Early– The biggest meal of the day should be eaten in the first half of the day. Reduces snacking urges and provides needed calories for more active hours

Lesson #3 – Avoid Meats & Processed Foods

Four to Six Vegetable Servings Daily– At least two vegetable servings per meal
Limit Intake of Meat– Limit servings to twice a week and no larger than a deck of cards
Showcase Fruits & Vegetables– Put a plentiful fruit bowl in the middle of your kitchen with a note in the bottom that says ‘fill me’. Instead of hiding vegetables in the refrigerator compartment that says ‘produce’ put them front and center
Lead With Beans– Make them the centerpiece of Lunch and Dinner
Eat Nuts Everyday– Caution: a 1-ounce serving of nuts typically ranges from 165 to 200 calories

Lesson #4 – Grapes of Life

Buy a Case of High Quality Red Wine– Maintain a stockpile
Treat Yourself to Happy Hour– Include nuts as an appetizer and friends to socialize with
Take It Easy– More than 2 glasses a day counteracts benefits

Lesson #5 – Purpose Now

Craft a Personal Mission Statement– Why do you get up in the morning?
Find A Partner– Find someone to whom you can communicate your life purpose, along with a plan for realizing it
Learn Something New– Learning a musical instrument or a new language preserves mental sharpness

Lesson #6 – Downshift

Reduce the Noise– Get rid of as many, or better yet all, TV’s and Radios you can. If you have them, keep them in one room only
Be Early– Being 15 minutes early gives you time to rest and prepare for appointments or events
Meditate– Create a clam and comfortable space in your home, and include meditation into your daily routine for at least 10 minutes

Lesson #7 – Belong

Be More Involved– Take a more active role in organizations you have an interest in
Explore a New Tradition– A new religious faith or belief group
Just Go– Plan one hour per week for eight weeks of religious services

Lesson #8 – Loved Ones First

Get Closer– Consider a smaller home to create an environment of togetherness. Large spread out homes segment family members. If you must have a large home, establish a family room
Establish Rituals– Children thrive on rituals & enjoy repetition. Make one meal a day sacred, establish a tradition for a family vacation, have dinner with grandma every Tuesday night, and purposefully celebrate holidays
Create a Family Shrine– Pick a wall and hang lots of pictures
Put Family First– Invest time and energy into your children, play with them. nurture your marriage and your spouse and honor your parents

Lesson #9 – The Right Tribe

Identify Your Inner Circle– Know the people who reinforce the right habits and who you can rely on in case of need. Look through your contact list and notate them. Family members should be first on the list
Be Likeable– Don’t be a grump. Have frequent visitors and real social networks
Create Time Together– Spend at least 30 minutes a day with members of your inner circle. Share a meal or take a walk together. Building a strong friendship requires some effort, but it is an investment that can pay back handsomely in added years

As you can see, there are some common themes among the blue zones, and at their core, they are all simple and logical steps to living a full and healthy life.