Most groups are not strict vegetarians but eat meat about five times per month.

Diets include:

• Vegetables, which is a great source of fibre, minerals and vitamins.
• Legumes include beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas, which are all rich in ...

Calorie restriction

Eating fewer calories may be contributing to the longer lives in some of the Blue Zones.

• Studies found that Okinawans were in a calorie deficit before the 1960s, which may contribute to their longevity.
• Okinawans tend to follow the 80%...

• Being religious or spiritual: Blue Zones are typically religious communities. Several studies have shown that being religious is associated with a lower risk of death.
• Having a life purpose: People in Blue Zones tend to have a life purpose, known as ...

1. Icaria (Greece): These people eat a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, red wine and homegrown vegetables.
2. Ogliastra, Sardinia (Italy): Some of the oldest men in the world live here. They commonly work on farms and drink lots of red wine.

People in Blue Zones get sufficient sleep and also often take daytime naps.

Studies found that not getting enough sleep or too much sleep can increase the risk of death, including heart disease or stroke.

Blue Zone people tend to sleep as much as their body tells them to. Daytime napp...

People in the Blue Zones don't exercise purposefully by going to the gym. Instead, they are active through gardening, walking, cooking and other daily chores.

A study of men in the Sardinian Blue Zone found that their longer life was associated with raising farm animals, living on steeper s...