“Blue zones” – the places where people live the longest: an American who has studied them for 20 years has advice for everyone

Here are the top 5 habits and tips Mr. Buettner practices every day to stay happy, healthy, and long-lasting.

“People live a long time not because they have a daily routine, but because they created an environment for themselves or were born into an environment that encourages them to move more,” says Buettner.

That realization inspired Mr. Buettner to move to the south side of Miami Beach, “where everything is within walking distance.” He lives near the ocean where he often swims and can easily get around the area by bike.

“I can live an active life without even planning it,” says Buettner.

Mr. Buettner’s diet plays a huge role in his healthy lifestyle: the man does not eat meat at all, and his diet consists of “about 98 percent of plant origin” products. Mr. Buettner eats two meals a day, with 10 to 12 hours between meals.

“I usually only eat twice a day. One meal – late in the morning, around 11 o’clock, another in the evening, around 7 o’clock,” he says.

One of Mr. Buettner’s regular foods for breakfast and dinner is beans. He found that those who ate a cup of beans a day lived about four years longer than people who didn’t. Buettner also likes spinach, baked potatoes, tofu and chickpeas.

There is one thing he hasn’t given up on and doesn’t plan on doing. The 63-year-old has dinner somewhere in the city almost every night: “Miami’s nightlife kind of forces me to do it. And this is not exactly a feature of the “blue zones”.

“Far more research shows that strong social connections help us live longer than any medical treatment,” says Buettner.

Fortunately, he lives in a community where he “runs into people all the time.” Speaking to CNBC Make It, he revealed that he goes to a coffee shop every day, where he often runs into three people, two of whom have already become his friends. He spends most of the day alone when he writes, but he points out, “Every evening I make plans to be with people, and that’s when I make important social connections.”

D. Buettner often invites his friends over: “I deliberately spent more money to buy a place where I could invite them.”

One of D. Buettner’s indisputable beliefs is the belief that after 5 p.m. you can’t work dirty: “Only God himself could make me work after 5 p.m.” According to the information I have gathered, even if I can earn more money by working, it will not bring more happiness.”

Being able to complete all work before the deadline helps Buettner manage stress. And besides, “it’s after 5 p.m. is for physical activity and social life.”

“I’d like to say I meditate every day, but I don’t,” says Buettner. Instead, he ensures any other physical activity on a daily basis. He enjoys paddle boarding, cycling, pickleball (mix of table tennis, outdoor tennis and badminton), group yoga, working out with friends.

“I don’t do anything I don’t like. I don’t like cardio and I don’t like overtraining,” he explains.

And after a long day, Mr. Buettner always gets eight hours of sleep. “If you get a good night’s sleep, you’re much less stressed,” he says.

Translated from: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/21/ive-spent-20-years-studying-longevity-daily-habits-for-a-long-life.html