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Home / Travel
Travel

These 5 Destinations Are Where People Live the Longest

By Stacey Leasca on October 10, 2019

And these destinations, called Blue Zones, are absolutely stunning.

© Manuel Breva Colmeiro/Getty Images

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Since the very beginning of human history, people have looked for ways to live forever. In feeble attempts to cheat death humans have sought out the mythical fountain of youth, consumed potions made of gold, and more recently began taking blood transfusions from younger people to hopefully stave off the grim reaper a little longer. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but none of these things will work. We will all meet our makers one day. However, if you are hoping to add just a few extra years to this life, there are destinations around the globe that may be able to help.

There are a few extraordinary towns around the world known as “Blue Zones.” Blue Zones are places around the globe where residents tend to live longer than the average lifespan. (For the record, the average Global life expectancy hovers somewhere around 71.4 years.)

But, these places aren’t just home to people that live longer. They are home to people who live longer and healthier lives too.
Author Dan Buettner, along with the National Geographic Society, studied the places around the world with the highest concentrations of individuals over 100 years old. He also studied the communities filled with people who aged without heart disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. He published those findings in his book, The Blue Zones Solution. According to Buettner, five distinct places around the globe can be considered Blue Zones. Here's where they are located and why the people living there just might outlast us all.

Take note that just because you don't live in one of these five idyllic places doesn't mean you can't live until you're 100, too. Just take away these lessons: Sleep more, drink tea, spend time with loved ones, move a little bit every day, and eat your veggies.

It's no fountain of youth, but it's close.

 
3quarks/Getty Images

Icaria, Greece

According to Buettner’s findings, the people populating this tiny island located about eight miles off the coast of Turkey are far less likely to die in middle age and to suffer from dementia. Buettner explained to TIME, this longevity may be thanks to the community's love affair with taking mid-day naps along with its dedication to the Mediterranean diet. Buettner said the people of Icaria eat “lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, potatoes, and olive oil.” What you won’t find a lot of on their plate are meat or sweets. This lifestyle leads to 1 in 3 Ikarians healthfully living into their 90s.

Robert Ford/Getty Images

Loma Linda, California

The real secret to Loma Linda's longevity is its high population of Seventh-day Adventists. As Buettner noted in his findings, Seventh-day Adventists abstain from both alcohol and caffeine and lean toward a vegetarian or plant-based diet. Because of this, National Geographic pointed out, some of its residents can live ten more healthy years than the average American. Beyond their food habits, the people in Loma Linda also embrace community more than other destinations. “People [in Blue Zones] aren't waking up in the morning rudderless,” Buettner told NBC about Loma Linda and other blue zones. “They're driven by life meaning and purpose. They’re investing in family, keeping their minds engaged and there’s no existential stress of being worthless in life like so many Americans.”

Ellen van Bodegom/Getty Images

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia is home to some 1.6 million people. According to Buettner, all of them have a good chance of living to 100. That goes double for the men and triple for those living in the Ogliastra region. Thanks to a mostly plant-based diet paired with daily physical activity Sardinia is home to the highest concentration of male centenarians in the world, Buettner explained to TIME. But, the people living in Sardinia also have a bit of an unfair advantage. Buettner found, the genetic marker M26 marker, which is linked to extreme longevity, is found in abundance in this small community.

hapidayss/Getty Images

Okinawa, Japan

Like the other places on this list, Okinawa is filled with people who enjoy daily activity and healthy living. But, the people of Okinawa have one more secret up their sleeves: Tea. "They're drinking herbal tea all day long," Buettner told NBC. "In Okinawa it's often green tea." He additionally noted that other destinations have their own super elixirs like in Ikaria where they drink tea made with oregano, rosemary or mint." Other frequently consumed foods that allegedly help the people of Okinawa live longer include sweet potatoes, soybeans, mugwort, turmeric, and goya, according to National Geographic.

Pawel Toczynski/Getty Images

Nicoya, Costa Rica

The Nicoya Peninsula is not only one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it also happens to be one of the healthiest. Buettner found, residents living along the lush green coast have the world's lowest rate of middle-age mortality and the second-highest concentration of male centenarians behind Sardinia. Like the other places on this list, those living in the Nicoya Peninsula also eat their fair share of healthy foods like tropical fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and have a strong sense of community.

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