The Clinic of Dr. Arrigo

A Blue Zone is a region of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years. As determined by scientists and demographers. The name Blue zone was first used in a scientific article on centenarians in Sardinia in 2004. Blue Zones is also the name of a related project from Dan Buettner’s Quest Network, Inc.

Five Blue Zones have been discovered:

• Sardinia, Italy: Where men reach the age of 100 years at an amazing rate.
• The islands of Okinawa, Japan: A group that is among the longest lived on Earth.
• Loma Linda, California: America’s longevity all-stars.
• Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
• Icaria, Greece: The island of Ikaria has the highest percentage of 90 year-olds in the planet – nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Ikarians have about 50 percent less heart disease and almost no dementia”.

Residents of the first three places produce a higher rate of centenarians, suffer less disease, and enjoy more healthy years of life.

The people inhabiting Blue Zones share common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity. Among the lifestyle characteristics shared among the Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda Blue Zones are the following:

* Family is put ahead of other concerns.

* Centenarians do not typically smoke.

* Mostly Plant-Based Diet

* Constant Moderate Physical Activity

* Social Engagement at all ages

* Legumes are commonly consumed.

More on the Icarians…

About 20 percent of Icarians’ longevity can be attributed to their genes.  The rest is a result of their healthy lifestyle.  People in Icaria live in mountain villages that necessitate activity every day. They garden much of their own food is common culture. Their diet is very high in olive oil and in fruits and vegetables.  Interestingly, considering they live on an island, Icarians don’t consume much fish.  Historically, pirates pushed the inhabitants farther up the mountain, where they grew accustomed to having less access to seafood. Especially notable is their consumption of herbal teas all day long, averaging several cups a day, most of which are diuretics. Diuretics lower blood pressure, so it’s only logical that Icarians would have lower rates of heart disease.

The four tenets of the Mediterranean Diet

1. Stock your pantry and cook at home more and use whole, unprocessed ingredients and control portion sizes, salt and calories. Stocking your pantry and freezer with Mediterranean-inspired staples like canned tomatoes, olives, whole-wheat pasta and frozen vegetables can facilitate the preparation and cooking process.

2. Get most of your protein from beans and fish. Get your protein from beans, nuts and other plants by displacing meat to lower your saturated-fat intake while adding healthful nutrients, like fiber and antioxidants. Start with a few small changes: Aim to make a plant-based dinner, like meatless chili once or twice a week. Or make the focus of the meal whole grains and vegetables and think of meat as a flavoring; for example, use a little diced pancetta in a tomato sauce for pasta.

3. Make olive oil your staple fat. Give heart-healthy olive oil as well as other plant-based oils like canola and walnut oil star billing over saturated-fat-laden, LDL-cholesterol-raising butter, lard or shortening–even in baking. Saute your vegetable dishes in olive oil to highlight their flavor. Look for a yellow or green olive oil with a rich smell and taste. Pale, odorless oils are fine for baking and frying and are still high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats but lack the health benefits of olive oil.

4. Enjoy a glass of wine with meals. Enjoy wine, especially red, in moderation during meals, never drinking alone outside of the meal and never in excess. It should be remembered that we drink wine “to enjoy life, not to forget life!” Drinking wine increases HDL (good) cholesterol, may help regulate blood sugar and can even help you digest your food and absorb its nutrients. Wines, also deliver a dose of heart-healthy resveratrol.

We know that the Japanese have some of the healthiest cuisine in the world, but the little islands of Ry?ky? (of which Okinawa is the largest) have taken healthy eating to another level. Okinawans regularly live to 110 years old by munching meals that are even healthier than the traditional Japanese diet.

Okinawans enjoy a nutrient-rich, low calorie diet that focuses on fresh, local vegetables, fruits, soy, legumes, whole grains and a small amount of fish. Okinawans rarely eat meat or foods that are high in fat or sugar. The traditional caloric density of Okinawans’ food is very low-they tend to eat only 1 calorie per gram.

Native Okinawans have a saying: “Hara hachi bu,” which means “Eat only until you are 80% full.” It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to send the signal to your brain that you are full. If you eat until you feel 100% satisfied, then you have actually overeaten! Eat slowly, chew well, and enjoy the ceremony of the meal.