How Finding Your Tribe Can Improve Your Health
Written By Catherine Dean
How Community Can Help You Live Longer: Lessons From The Blue Zones
Want to live an active, vibrant life in your 80s, 90s and beyond? It might sound too good to be true, but the centenarians in the world’s Blue Zones are doing exactly that!
The Blue Zones are five areas with the longest-lived and healthiest populations in the world:
1. Okinawa in Japan
2. Loma Linda in California
3. Barbagia Region of Sardinia
4. Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica
5. Ikaria in Greece.
What’s their secret? It’s not about running marathons, following super strict diets or go to the gym for hours every day. They create lifestyles that make it easy to create and stick to healthy habits. Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, identified nine keys habits common to all Blue Zones and described them as the Power 9.
Five Key Diet & Lifestyle Tips For Longevity From The Blue Zones
1. Move naturally. Gardening, housework & walking are all daily activities for most Blue Zone centenarians, keeping them without formal exercise.
2. Have a purpose. Having a powerful reason for waking up in the morning could add 7 years to your life expectancy.
3. Down shift. Blue Zone centenarians prioritise managing stress, whether it’s taking a nap, praying or happy hour.
4. 80% rule. Blue Zone centenarians eat until they are 80% full. Eating in moderation can help reduce overeating and promote a healthy weight.
5. Plant slant. Most centenarians eat a largely plant based diet, focusing on vegetables fruits and legumes.
The most fascinating thing about the Blue Zone’s power 9? 4 of them relate to community and support. They are:
6. Wine at Five. Many centenarians drink alcohol, but crucially they drink in moderation and they drink with friends.
7. Belong. Almost all Blue Zone centenarians are part of a faith-based community. The faith doesn’t matter, the community, support and sense of belonging does.
8. Loved Ones First. Family is at the forefront of centenarian life. Spending time with and caring for children is the responsibility of the while family. Did you know that committing to a life partner is thought to increase life expectancy by up to 7 years?
9. Right Tribe. People in the Blue zones choose to be part of social circles that support healthy behaviours.
Why Community Matters For Your Health Goals
When we look at improving our health or trying to lose weight we often focus on diet and exercise. Of course, they are important, but our community and the people we surround ourselves has a huge part to play Surrounding yourself with a supportive tribe? Can help you stay motivated so you’re more likely to achieve your goals, make healthier choices and reduce stress. This important aspect of health is so often overlooked.
Have you ever asked yourself if the members of your community support your health goals? If you’re already part of a strong, supportive community, you’re lucky. Your tribe can encourage you to make better choices, help you to cope with stress and provide encouragement when times get tough. If you don’t have the right support? It will be more difficult for you to stay on track and achieve your goals. Our communities could be unintentionally holding us back or even purposely sabotaging our goals. Heard the phrase, “You become the average of the 5 people we spend most time with”. Take a minute to think about what this means for you and your life.
Strong social support can help you in other ways too. Research has shown that it can increase the quality of our sleep as we feel happier, more content and less stressed.
How To Create Your “Right Tribe”
Finding a group of people that support your health goals can inspire and motivate you, give you a sense of purpose, increase your social circle and help you to grow personally and professionally. It might take a little work to get there, but creating your right tribe could make a huge difference in your life. If you’re looking to create a tribe or expand your social circle, you might need to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. There are groups for literally every activity you can think of out there. You could always set up your own Facebook group if you’re looking to create an online community. Don’t discount your current community though. Ask around to see if friends, family or work colleagues want to get involved. You might be surprised at how many people are looking for a chance to try something new or would love to improve their health, but feel they need support if they’re going to succeed.
The Power Of Connections For A Healthier, Longer Life
Diet and exercise are important aspects of our health, but it’s important to remember that connection can be crucial in keeping us on track when we’re trying to achieve health goals. Don’t underestimate the power of connection and support. A supportive network can help you stay on track and live a more fulfilling, healthy life.
Did you enjoy this blog post? Let me know in the comments which of the power 9 you found the most interesting. For me, it’s wine at five. I love the fact that the world’s longest-lived people make pleasure a priority.
For more information on the Blue Zones head to www.bluezones.com or https://danbuettner.com