Who isn’t interested in living healthier, longer? This dream is always at the heart of my research for our Cook’n newsletter articles. I’ve talked about it before (see the Feb 10 newsletter), fairly recently. It’s the discovery researchers made of Blue Zones. This time I’d like to address the 9 things we learn from people living in these zones. (As Cook’n readers, you’ll want to pay extra attention to numbers 8 and 9.)

The Blue Zone researchers worked together to search for evidence-based commonalities among all the places in the world with the highest life expectancies. Their Blue Zones included Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California. And as they spent time in each location, scientists found nine things folks living there all had in common.

I’m passing this information on because these things are all doable, cost nothing, and will help us live longer, healthier, and happier lives:

1. 
   Move naturally. People in Blue Zones just move throughout their day. They walk, grow gardens, climb stairs, function without a lot of conveniences, and are active without thinking about it. Note here that these researchers found NO evidence of “daily exercise” focus. No going to the gym, no diligent cycling or running, no weight-training, and so on.

2. Have a purpose. According to research, knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to 7 years of extra life expectancy. Knowing why you’re getting up each morning adds life to your life! Okinawans call it their “iki-di.”

3. 
   Finds ways to slow down and deal with stress. Everyone deals with stress, but people in Blue Zones have routine ways of dealing with it, including napping and getting together with friends. Blue Zone researchers were especially impressed with how folks in every locale they studied had wide circles of friends and family and would get together with them almost daily.

4. Drink in moderation or not at all. People in all Blue Zones, except Seventh-day Adventists in California, drink 1 to 2 glasses of red wine per day, often with a meal and with friends. But they never drink to excess. (And the Seventh-day Adventists generally don’t drink alcohol at all.)

5. 
   Have faith. Almost all centenarians interviewed belonged to some faith-based community.

6. Put loved ones first. People in Blue Zones put their families first. They keep aging parent and grandparents nearby and invest in their children with time and love.

7. 
   Be social. Join or create social circles that support healthy behaviors. Some people are lucky enough to have been born into the “right tribe.” But if that’s not the case for you, then deliberately seek one out. I love the camaraderie of our local quilting club. My neighbor, Loretta, enjoys her monthly book group. And I have lots of friends who get together for lunch or dinner every month, taking turns hosting the gathering in their homes.

8. Eat less. The Okinawans have a saying to remind them to stop eating when they are 80% full. This can make a difference between losing weight or gaining it. Their motto? “Hara hachi bu.”

9. Eat plant-strong. The vast majority of the food eaten in Blue Zones is derived from plants. They eat “whole foods” rather than processed foods, and beans were found to be a cornerstone of many of their diets.

These last 2 points have real application to us Cook’n lovers. Why not start this month, by serving our food using smaller plates, bowls, and glasses so we do eat less? And eating “plant-strong” isn’t a new idea to us. By now your Cook’n collection should be full of whole foods recipes. So how about committing 2017, then, to modeling Blue Zone living and take deliberate steps to adding more life to our lives? Now there’s an iki-di for you!