Chronic diseases are common after the age of 60.
Although genetics plays an essential role in lifespan, lifestyle is probably the main factor that increases susceptibility to diseases.
There are a few places in the world where people live longer than normally best-known as Blue Zones. This term is related to those areas where people are not so subtle to chronic diseases and tend to live longer than people in other places.
What are blue zones then?
Blue Zone is not a scientific word. This term is associated to the home of people who live longer than the rest of the population in the world. Blue Zone was first used by Dan Buettner, who was a researcher devoted to inquiring into places where people live long lives.
When he was looking for those areas, he and his colleagues drew blue circles around those areas on the map they were utilizing.
In his book called The Blue Zones, he described five of those areas. They were:
- Ikaria: It is an island where people have a Mediterranean diet. This diet is rich in olive oil. The residents of this island grow vegetables in their homes.
- Ogliastra (Italy): it is considered the home to some of the oldest human beings worldwide. These people live in mountains, and live off the land. Their favorite beverage is red wine.
- Okinawa (Japan): In Okinawa, women tend to live exceptionally long lives. Their diet is based on soy and they usually practice tai chi, which is another healthy way of exercising the body.
- Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica): These people generally eat beans and tortillas made of corn. They are very active and the work they perform requires a great deal of physical effort.
- The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda (USA): they are a religious community residing in California USA. Their diet is basically based on veggies and they usually prefer living in tight-knit communities.