Longevity Ensues, Not Pursued

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The work on longevity may seem like common sense but is actually profound. The Blue Zones provide reference points from Okinawa, Japan to the Nikoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, showing longer life expectancies and lower rates of mortality. The connection between social network, loneliness, sense of purpose, and longevity is crucial. Loneliness can reduce life expectancy by eight years, while articulating a sense of purpose can add seven years. Longevity is something that ensues from lifestyle and habits, not something that can be pursued directly.

Most of us would count ourselves lucky to live to age 80. And yet, there are places on Earth where people regularly live to 100, suffer virtually no chronic disease, and live life with a sense of purpose.

These "Blue Zones" are the focus of Dan Buettner's work. He's a National Geographic explorer, an author, and a documentarian. He spent years traveling and studying the Blue Zones to understand why these 5 places on Earth produce some of the happiest, and longest-lived, people in the world.

Dan and I discuss why happiness is the key to longevity, creating Blue Zones in our own lives, and how a longer life can begin with simply rearranging your kitchen.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Dan Buettner and his work, check out:

his Netflix documentary Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones

or bluezones.com

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