The Power 9: How the World’s Centenarians Live
By: Melanie Martin
Now maybe more than ever, it’s important to remember to take time to care for yourself. HDOT is partnering with the Blue Zones Project to help our employees live healthier, longer and happier lives. The Blue Zones Project is built on nine fundamental principles called the Power 9 which is based on research on the world’s longest-lived people.
Beans, including fava, black, soy and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets. Meat— mostly pork—is eaten on average only five times per month. Serving sizes are 3-4 oz., about the size of deck or cards.
6. WINE @ FIVE My favorite! Moderate Yoshiko Araki, the grandmother drinkers outlive non-drinkers. of DEP-S Lynn Araki-Regan, lived 1. MOVE NATURALLY The trick is to drink 1-2 until nearly 101 years old. A widow glasses per day (preferably The world’s longest-lived people don’t necessarily go to for nearly 60 years, she drove until Sardinian Cannonau wine), a gym, or run marathons. They her late 90s, and credited her long with friends and/or with food. life to eating fish instead of red do gardening, housework and And no, you can’t save up all meats, not overeating, massaging other daily activities to keep weekend and have 14 drinks her feet to improve blood flow, and on Saturday. moving. her faith in God. 2. PURPOSE 7. BELONG The Okinawans call it “Ikigai” and the Nicoyans All but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed call it “plan de vida;” for both it translates to by Blue Zones researchers belonged to some “why I wake up in the morning.” Knowing your faith-based community. Denomination doesn’t sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of seem to matter. Research shows that attending extra life expectancy. Take a Purpose Workshop faith-based services four times per month will the next time it’s offered by the Blue Zones add 4-14 years of life expectancy. Project. 8. FAMILY FIRST 3. DOWN SHIFT Successful centenarians in the Blue Zones put Find a routine to manage your stress. their families first. This means keeping aging Okinawans take a few moments each day to parents and grandparents nearby or in the remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, home (It lowers disease and mortality rates of Ikarians take a nap and Sardinians do happy children in the home too.). hour. 9. RIGHT TRIBE 4. 80% RULE The world’s longest-lived people chose–or were Eat until you are 80% full, and not until you get born into–social circles that supported healthy a “kanak attack,” People in the Blue Zones eat behaviors, Okinawans created ”moais”–groups their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early of five friends that committed to each other for evening and then they don’t eat any more the life. rest of the day. To read more about the Blue Zones visit info. 5. PLANT SLANT bluezonesproject.com/bzphawaii. PAGE 19
