| I’m Jacob Katz, and this is The Renewal: an independent, subscriber-supported health newsletter that summarizes free tools for everyday life. If you’re enjoying this, share it with friends who want to live longer and healthier lives. |
What does it take to live a century-long life?
Only 10% of how long you live is dictated by your genes.
The other 90% is dictated by our lifestyle.
My personal goal? To live to 102. Born in 1998, that would mean experiencing life across 3 different centuries.
So what lifestyle should you adopt to reach 100?
Enter the Blue Zones – unique regions where people enjoy significantly longer, healthier lives.
There are 5 in the world:
- Sardinia, Italy: High concentration of male centenarians.
- Okinawa, Japan: World’s longest-lived women.
- Icaria, Greece: One of the lowest middle-age mortality rates.
- Nicoya, Costa Rica: Low rates of cancer and heart disease.
- Loma Linda, USA: A community focused on health and longevity.
But first, common misconceptions.
Myth #1: If you try really hard, you can live to 100.
False. Only about 1 in 5,000 people in America reach the century mark.
You’re not built for longevity; you’re built for procreative success. That term takes me back to college days.
It’s the age when your children have children.
To hit 100, you need a blend of an exceptional lifestyle and winning the genetic lottery.
Myth #2: There are treatments that can slow, reverse, or stop aging.
Again, false. Your body is complex, and there are too many aging factors.
Deprive your brain of oxygen for a few minutes, and those brain cells are gone forever.
Your arteries can clog.
Your brain can gunk up with plaque and you can get Alzheimer’s.
You have 35 trillion cells. We’re talking USA national debt numbers.
These 35,000,000,000 cells renew every eight years, gathering exponentially more damage each time.
A 65-year-old ages about 125x faster than a 12-year-old.
You know you’re getting older when your knees sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies when you get up.
The Blue Zone Blueprint
Blue Zones are where the highest rates of centenarians live.
Where life expectancy is an extra 12 years.
Where people tend to die in their sleep, often after sex. Going out with a bang!
Their lifestyles offer a roadmap for the rest of us.
1) Purpose
Having a clear purpose can add about 7 years to your life.
The Okinawans call it ikigai – the reason you wake up in the morning.
2) Community
Blue Zones residents surround themselves with like-minded, healthy individuals.
But choose your tribe wisely.
If your 3 best friends are obese, there’s a 50% chance you’ll be overweight too.
3) Time to Downshift
Blue Zone residents take time to downshift.
Slow down for 15 minutes a day.
Meditate, sit in the park and people watch, go on an imaginary vacation.
Stress triggers inflammation in your body.
Inflammation is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, joint disease, allergies, diabetes, etc.
Downshifting regularly can add 4-14 years to your life.
4) Physical Activity by Design
Forget the gym. None of them exercise. At least the way we think of exercise.
Instead, they set up their lives to be constantly active.
100-year-old Okinawan women get up from the floor dozens of times a day.
Sardinians live in vertical homes, climbing stairs multiple times.
Yard work? Done by hand.
These activities burn just as many calories as a treadmill but are woven seamlessly into daily life.
So, yes, vacuuming counts as exercise. You’re welcome.
5) Diet and Moderation
No fad diets here.
Blue Zone communities eat a plant-heavy diet rich in beans and nuts.
Sardinians enjoy 1-2 glasses of Cannonau wine, which has triple the antioxidants of any other wine.
And no you can’t save up all week long and have 14 on the weekends.
Okinawans follow Hada Hachi Bu, a saying that tells them to stop eating when 80% full.
It takes about 30 minutes for your belly to tell your brain it’s full, so stopping early prevents overeating.
My apologies, but there’s no silver bullet.
By adopting Blue Zones practices, you can greatly improve your life quality and length.
Live to 100:
- Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine
- Eat a colorful plant-heavy diet
- Take time to downshift
- Stop eating when you’re 80% full
- Spend quality time with family
- Find your purpose
- Choose healthy friends
- Build a supportive community
See you next Tuesday,
Jacob & The Renewal team
📬 Forward this to friends who you wish to live longer.
💰 I’m so broke that hobos beg to give me money, please help – buy me a coffee.
👉🏼 Subscribe 👈🏼