Longevity Tips from the Healthiest and Happiest
Would you want to live past 100? I can tell you I certainly would NOT if it meant being shipped off to a home with dementia to spend my final days being spoon-fed by some strangers while shitting in nappies.
However, sign me up if it means getting to dance and drink red wine with people I love daily, a lifestyle subscribed to by those living in the Blue Zones worldwide.
Blue Zones are rare longevity hotspots where people are thriving into their 100s, living healthier and happier than anywhere else on Earth. So what's their secret(s)?
1. They drink every day. Yay!
Not to get smashed and forget all their worries, they drink to celebrate life. And they don't just drink anything; they drink one or two glasses of red wine loaded with antioxidants.
2. They have a strong sense of community and faith
They thrive in the company of one another, drinking, dancing, and eating in the streets — both the young and old — celebrating life in all its glory.
They also have a strong sense of faith, resulting in more community engagement.
3. They all have a purpose
Not this grandiose purpose we've been trained to pine for in the west and told our life will be nothing without it. They have a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and they know it.
Quite simply, they all have roles within their community—even the elderly who are treated with the utmost respect. Whereas in the west, unfortunately, it seems the second shit starts to sag, you're kind of brushed to one side to begin your descent to old age.
4. They eat mostly plant-based
While their diets aren't strictly vegetarian, they eat very little meat. Lots of veggies, nuts, and legumes. No processed foods ever. And they don't overeat because they stop eating before they are full.
I suspect they don't feel the need to go on Instagram and tell everybody their diet either, instead, opting to focus on enjoying themselves and the people around them.
5. They don't exercise
By that, I mean they don't go to the gym. They don't do shit they don't like. Lots of walking and activities they love, but it isn't viewed as exercise. Their lives are set up in a way they are always active, even when they reach 100 and beyond.
What's your biggest takeaway?
Personally, from what I can tell, a strong sense of family and community with minimal stress is how to win the game of life. Something that's very much a work in progress.
It seems in the west that we are becoming more isolated and lonely due to technology. Our stress levels are through the fucking roof. And we're not happy because we've been thrust into a vicious cycle of continuously needing to achieve and do more to not feel like a worthless piece of shit.
Forget cigarettes and all their government health warnings—stress is the biggest health crisis we face. It's such bullshit. Life is way too short.
The good news is that if you're not happy with your current lifestyle, you can always make changes for a far better one. And you can start tonight by pouring yourself a glass of red wine and toasting those around you. Wahooo!