Super-Agers are Everywhere Around the World
Super-Agers are Everywhere.
Super-agers are everywhere. You may know one yourself. That awe-inspiring elderly person you see running around like they are middle-aged may seem like an anomaly, but they aren’t.
Super-aging isn’t limited to one place. As a matter of fact, America has the largest number of super-agers but Japan has the highest concentration of super-agers per capita.
When it comes to super-aging, think blue. The non-scientific term Blue Zones describes areas where there are higher concentrations of centenarians throughout the world. The blue zones are:
1. Ikaria, Greece
2. Okinawa, Japan
3. Ogliastra Region, Sardinia
4. Loma Linda, California
5. Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Ikaria, Greece: If you live in this blue zone, the Mediterranean diet contributes to lower chances of developing chronic illnesses which contributes to a longer and healthier life.
Okinawa, Japan: This blue zone has the largest concentration of women living into their hundreds. Their longevity is attributed to eating soy-based foods and keeping physically fit with tai chi.
Ogliastra Region, Sardinia: This blue zone has the largest number of men living into their hundreds. These men live in the mountains and do plenty of physical labor on farms. Their claim to super-ager fame is consumption of red wine.
Loma Linda, California: This blue zone is unique in that the main attribute for longevity is religious affiliation. The Seventh-day Adventists in the area are strict vegetarians and live in tight-knit communities which helps them stay socially active and healthy.
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: This blue zone has a unique diet of beans and corn tortillas. The community lives by a sense of purpose called “plan de vida” meaning “life plan” and most people work physical jobs well into their elderly years.
There’s No Exact Way to be a Super-Ager
As you can see, each of the blue zones have unique characteristics that result in people living longer and healthier lives. Their results reinforce that there isn’t a cookie-cutter way to be a super-ager, rather all you need is to focus on diet, physical activity, community and mindset. Clearly, drinking red wine, doing tai chi, and being religious aren’t required to live a long life, but if you look deeper at the over-arching themes in the blue zones you can start to see how lifestyle makes the biggest impact no matter where you live.
Super-agers are everywhere and are an excellent example to all of use that it’s possible to be healthy and happy no matter where you live. Adopting similar lifestyle traits to the regions you resonate with can help you make choices that increase your chances of becoming a super-ager too.
