Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones
2023 Netflix documentary, 4 episodes
Based on the 2008 book: “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from People Who’ve Lived the Longest.”
By Dan Buettner, Journalist, National Geographic Explorer, New York Times Best Seller
What is a Blue Zone
Geographic location where people’s life expectancies are much much higher than in other parts of the world
A much higher percent of people live to 100 years of age than other areas. 4x more people than in the USA.
Original 5 Blue Zones
Started with Gianni Pes and Michael Poulain's 2004 paper: Identification of a geographic area characterized by extreme longevity in the Sardinia Island.
Dan Buettner read this and then established 4 more Blue Zones with the help of epidemiologists (bluezones.com)
SARDINA, ITALY
OKINAWA, JAPAN
NICOYA, COSTA RICA
ICARIA, GREECE
LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA, USA
4x more likely to live to 100 than in the US. Life expectancies > 85 years, apposed to 76 years in the US.
Dan Buettner’s Theory on Why People in Blue Zones Live Longer
CONNECT (INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS MORE. KEEP FAMILY AROUND MORE, FRIENDS)
OULOOK (DAILY RITUALS, FAITH, SHOW UP, PURPOSE VOCABULARY)
MOVE NATURALLY, (GARDEN, WORK, WALK everywhere, sit on the floor),
EAT WISELY (WHOLE FOODS, HEAVY PRODUCE, WINE, MODERATION)
According to the US CIA, Singapore has the second highest life expectancy at birth in the world at 86.5 years (second to Monaco, 89.6 year average life expectancy, < 1 sq mile in the French Riviera, < 40k residents, tax haven, wealthiest location in the world, high performers flock to Monaco)
SINGAPORE
Island in SE Asia. 2nd highest population density of any country in the world, globalized, one of four main languages is English. 283 square miles. 5.5 million residents.
80% of people own CARS in the US. 11% of people own CARS in SINGAPORE, PUBLIC TRANSIT USED BY HALF THE POPULATION EVERY DAY. Build in natural scapes in cities, good city planning with lots of walkways, < 10% obesity, Low healthcare costs (in spite of living longer)
KEEP OLDER FAMILY MEMBERS OUT OF CARE HOMES - (NEEDS TO BE EARNED, HARDER IN THE USA per below)
Singapore Physician Philosophy and how to live a long time.
Why do you like being a doctor?
1) TREAT A PATIENT, FEEL JOY (enjoy the process)
What advice would you give someone who wants to live a long time?
2) WORK HARD EVERYDAY, BE HONEST, HUMBLE (get to work)