By |
Have you heard of Blue Zones? These are areas of the world where the residents tend to live an exceptionally long time. It isn’t unusual for someone in a Blue Zone to celebrate 100 years or more! Scientists are fascinated by the people who live in these areas, as they have lower levels of chronic disease and tend to stay much healthier for longer.
There are currently five Blue Zones. They are in Japan, Italy, Costa Rica, Greece, and the United States. In the U.S., a community in Loma Linda, California has been studied by researchers. This tight-knit community is filled with strict vegetarians with a strong sense of family and purpose. It turns out that these are some of the beneficial traits that can help you live a longer, happier life. In fact, those who live there tend to be quite happy, and that happiness and contentment are so strong that researchers believe that might be one of the keys to longevity.
Let’s take a dive into Blue Zone “secrets” that may keep the golden years shining with promise.
Feeling Safe in the Community
Safety and security will go a long way toward building happiness. Feeling emotional safety allows for stronger and deeper relationships with loved ones. Feeling physically safe relieves stress and gives you an opportunity to fully relax. Having a safe place to manage your mental health can work wonders for your overall happiness.
So get involved! Get to know your neighbors. Spend time at the local senior center. If there are organized trips for seniors, jump on the opportunity. Learn everything you can about where you live and the people around you. And if there is something about your community that’s less than ideal, brainstorm ways you might be able to make it better.
Remember that feeling secure includes your physical safety as well. Alleviate worries about falls and other medical emergencies by using a personal alarm button. Wearing a medical alert device assures you that help is only a button push away. Talk about some solid peace of mind!
Making Time for Family and Friends
Being social can have a significant impact on your health. In fact, loneliness and social isolation have been well-documented as a serious problem for seniors. The CDC points out that social isolation can lead to a greater risk of certain health conditions, including stroke, heart attack, and dementia. The dangers of loneliness rival those of smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, often leading to premature death.1
It’s incredibly important to reach out to others. And not just for a little chit-chat! Taking trips and exploring new places with others can expand your horizons, relieve stress, and create a wonderful cycle of building new friendships on your journeys.
Setting Goals and Reaching for Them
Having a goal can keep you moving forward, even when you go through a dark or low period in your life. Your goals should be tailored to your needs, expectations, and lifestyle – and they should be attainable, but not easy to reach.
Write down your goals, stating your purpose and expectations, then break them down into manageable bits. Working towards your goal a little more every day can help you get there without completely upending your life to do so.
Reach out to your social network to help you, when possible. Let friends and family know you have a particular goal and ask them to help you achieve it. Not only does it give you the good feeling of bettering your life, it also provides you with an opportunity to spend more time with friends and family.
Managing Finances and Living Within Them
Money troubles are a surefire way to get stressed out. Studies have found that money is the top issue married couples argue about, and 35% of people blame finances for the stress they feel in their relationships. Worries about money could be as broad as wondering how you’ll fund a good retirement or as acute and immediate as figuring out how to pay for groceries.
It’s never too late to get your financial life in order. Look at what money issues bring the most stress and work on those. For instance, if you have credit card debt, setting a plan to get out of it can immediately bring some stress relief.
Always Learning
The saying “you’re never too old to learn something new” isn’t a cliché – it’s absolutely true. And that spells good news for your cognitive health.
According to the National Institute on Aging, learning new skills can affect your ability to think clearly and improve your memory. Learning something new later in life can also make you happier, healthier, and boost your self-esteem.2
Now is the time to pursue a new passion, learn more about a hobby you’ve wanted to pursue, or stretch your horizons by learning a new language or immersing yourself in a different culture. It’s never too late to do the things that bring you joy!
Eating Nourishing Foods
Your plate should include five servings of whole fruits and veggies a day, at least four times a week, and much more if you can. A good rule of thumb is following the Mediterranean Diet, which is quite common in Blue Zones. Looking to a plant-based diet can be helpful as well – those on a vegetarian diet often have lower levels of chronic inflammation in the body, better blood sugar regulation, and an easier time keeping a healthy weight.
Talk to your doctor and a nutritionist about the proper foods for you. Some medications might preclude certain foods in your diet (for instance, grapefruit might be a no-no for some, as it can enhance or block the effects of certain medications). Or you might need a diet that focuses on a particular health issue, such as a specialized diet for those with diabetes.
Avoiding Vices
Certain vices can take years off your life. Smoking is one of those things. The damage smoking does to a person’s health has been documented in thousands of studies over several decades; there is now absolutely no doubt that smoking is bad for every cell of your body. The good news is that when you stop smoking, your body immediately begins repairing itself. It’s never too late to quit!
When it comes to vices, remember that others might affect your long-term health as well. Alcohol should only be consumed in moderation; too much of it leads to many health issues. You can even consider gambling and compulsive shopping to be problems that can lead to a shorter life, considering the financial problems that might result and the stress that comes from that.
Remember, if you have trouble with changing those vices, professional help is just a phone call away. Your doctor has plenty of resources for you.
Exercising Regularly
Physical activity is a cornerstone of good health. According to BioMed Research International, physical activity protects you from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other ailments that can dramatically reduce your quality or life or even how many golden years you have. A good exercise routine can also improve your mental and emotional health.3
Keep in mind that the World Health Organization recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week; this breaks down into five sessions of 30 minutes each, but you can spread that exercise out even more by engaging in physical activity for 10-15 minutes at a time. The options are endless! The goal is to keep moving. It’s a great idea to have a medical alert bracelet or wristband with you at all times.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Staying at a weight that is appropriate for you is one of the keys to being as healthy as possible.
Keep in mind that the right weight for you might differ from what you believe it should be. For example, doctors tend to use the Body Mass Index, or BMI, to determine what weight category someone falls into – such as normal, underweight, overweight, or obese. That number is then used to recommend lifestyle changes to get a person to the BMI that is suggested for them based on their height.
The problem is that BMI doesn’t take into account other aspects of the body, such as how much muscle mass a person has. The only way to be sure of your ideal weight is to speak with your doctor about what is appropriate for you. Once you know the weight you should be aiming for, your doctor can provide good exercise and diet ideas to help you get there.
Getting Appropriate Medical Care
Paying close attention to your good health also includes the “little things,” like going to the dentist, seeing the eye doctor, and getting routine medical checkups and tests. These visits help ensure that small things are caught early on, before they have the chance to become big problems.
For instance, catching the progression of glaucoma early can allow you to treat the disease before it causes vision loss. Discovering you have high blood pressure can allow you to get on medication that keeps it under control, thus protecting yourself from cardiovascular problems.
Having a Strong Support System
Good mental health means better physical health. A strong support system of friends and family around you can contribute to better emotional health. You also need a support system on the medical side, such as your doctors, nutritionist, dentist, eye doctor, and others who work together to help you achieve the best health possible.
No matter how strong your support system is, you can bring everyone peace of mind by using a medical alert system with fall detection. Not only does this innovative device protect you from the dire consequences of falls, it can also be there for any other emergencies.
Your friends and family will breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that if you need help, you can get it – even if you are alone in your home, you’re never actually alone. Alert1 can be every senior’s constant, helpful companion as you pursue happiness and longevity.
