SHOPPING – Contains related content. The products in this article have been selected by our writers. If you make a purchase through the links on this page, Daily Mail Australia will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information.
A leading Australian beauty founder has broken down the five rules those who live the longest follow – and her own life and diet secrets at 51.
Carla Oates, the founder of The Beauty Chefshared her key insights, inspired by Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zonesa film in which journalist Dan Buettner visits the five places in the world with the most centenarians (those aged 100 or older).
The zones include Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. Those who live in each of these areas share a number of behaviors that are thought to contribute to their above-average lifespans.
These include a plant-based diet, regular physical activity, mindful alcohol consumption, ideal sleep habits and active social lives/communities.
‘Although moving to a remote island sounds quite dreamy, the key to good health and longevity lies in lifestyle habits. Here are the top five common traits you can easily try out no matter where you live,” said Carla.
A leading Australian beauty founder (pictured) has penned the five rules those who live the longest follow for optimal health – and the beauty and diet secrets she’s following at 51
Embrace a plant-based diet
Whole grains and beans dominate meals in the Blue Zones, combined with seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Across all five zones, plant-based foods make up an average of 95 percent of their diet. Pork, chicken and lamb are also consumed in small quantities in some areas.
As a result, these diets are packed with fiber and prebiotics that promote greater gut health and microbiome diversity.
Exercise often, daily
Buettner’s team noted that people within the Blue Zones were urged to exercise about every 20 minutes. These movements were not necessarily exercises, but natural, everyday movements of such things as gardening, kneading bread, operating tools, dancing and walking.
Outside the Blue Zones, physical activity has been shown to improve mortality. A study of more than 60,000 people found that those who exercised 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week had a 20 percent lower mortality rate than those who did not.
Wine is often the drink of choice and is consumed with friends over food, rather than being consumed in excess in the Blue Zones
Drink consciously
With the exception of Adventists in California, people in the Blue Zones drink moderately: a maximum of one drink per day for women and two for men.
Wine is often the drink of choice and is consumed with friends with food rather than consuming too much.
Sardinians are best known for their robust regional red wine called Cannonau, which contains two to three times as many flavonoids (a source of antioxidants) as other wines.
Staying socially connected was another commonality shared between all Blue Zones. In Ikaria, Sardinia and Nicoya, people often stop to chat with neighbors as they pass by and often connect with friends during the daily happy hours
Prioritize sleep
About one in three Australian adults are not getting the minimum recommended amount of seven hours of sleep per night.
Meanwhile, people in the Blue Zones rise with the sun and sleep with the night, regularly reaching seven to nine hours. In Ikaria and Sardinia, daytime napping is also common and there is some evidence that a short nap can promote brain health.
Make time for community
Staying socially connected was another commonality shared between all Blue Zones. In Ikaria, Sardinia and Nicoya, people often stop to chat with neighbors as they pass by and often connect with friends during the daily happy hours.
About half of Okinawans also belong to a “moai”: a group of individuals who meet weekly or more often to share hobbies and interests and support each other.
Since research has linked loneliness and social isolation to a variety of health and mental conditions, there are plenty of positives to staying connected.