Key learnings from Netflix's Blue Zones series

Blue Zones: places where people live to an older age.

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What can we learn from The Blue Zones?

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed the Netflix 'Live To 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones' discussion. It reminded me of a series we did 4-5 years ago.

It's worth a refresh as the principles of the Blue Zones are fascinating. And don't forget to join the discussion in my anti-ageing online group. Email me for more information

So, pour yourself a green tea with a bit of dark chocolate on the side then sit down and read. Please share with any older folks you love.

An Introduction to Blue Zones

Blue Zones are places where people live until an older age.

There are a few key similarities between these zones;

Community and belief often religious.
A reason for living a purpose. Like the Japanese Ikigai.
They all move a lot with morning rituals and lots of gardening.
More or less all the regions grow their own vegetables and spend time gardening.
They all destress – making time to ‘make love on Sundays’ ;)

Eating wise it’s all about the vegetables. They all eat tons of vegetables, herbs, beans, spices and the like. It’s a phytochemical rich diet.

There’s an absence of processed foods.
There’s an absence of refined foods
They eat meats, fish and protein in moderation – some but not too much.
They eat grains, flat breads, some eat cheeses made from sheep and goat’s milk, not cow’s milk.

They often drink teas, green or herbal-based teas to further support antioxidant levels in the body.

There are slight differences in the types of food from each region of course. However, there always tends to be a couple of high nutrient-density foods such as purple potatoes, papaya etc. Which has the pigmentation protection humans seem to need so much.

Some of the societies drink but always in moderation, normally 1-2 glasses of wine each day – not more.

Here’s a key part too...they all eat until only 80% full. So, they don’t stuff their faces. Normally they eat in a social setting furthering conversation, interaction and slowing eating speed.

In Okinawa, they’d average 1700-1800 daily calories compared with the 2300-2500 we average in the Western World. So they are more active and they eat less.

You can eat like this with the Amino Man 2:1:1 Magic Macros ™

They also tend to eat lighter in the evening with a larger lunchtime meal. I’m not sure I agree with this as long as you create a lower energy environment for a greater period of 24 hours, I think you’ll benefit from the AMPK support you’d get from this.

So, if you eat less in the day eat a bigger meal at night, if you eat more in the day eat a smaller meal at night.

Here's some further reading:

Anti aging part 1 – read this before parts 2 & 3.

https://mailchi.mp/aminoman.com/ageing-older-trainers-and-athletes-what-you-can-do-to-help-them

Anti-aging parts 2 & 3 – getting older? Here’s what you can do about it.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0050/3326/3215/files/AA23.pdf?v=1701780650

Glutathione – the anti-aging key? Make more of it and feel better. Recover faster too.

https://mailchi.mp/aminoman.com/glutathione-the-key-anti-aging-molecule-7-ways-to-increase-it-and-get-better-sleep-in-the-process

Glycation – sugar damage and what you can do about it. The secrets in the marinade.

https://mailchi.mp/aminoman.com/23-ways-to-limit-sugar-damage-to-the-cells

3 things I wanted to add to the Blue Zones crazy longevity secrets.

Siesta. Even the humble siesta reduces risk of stroke. Improves memory and even mood state. We may even be programmed to do this.

But you didn’t need me to tell you, if it makes you feel better – then just do it.

The other thing the blue zones and healthier people also tend to do is to keep variety in their diet. Some of this would be imposed through seasonal selection and availability of foods, and some just cause eating a larger variety of foods tend to taste better and offer more opportunities to increase phytochemicals. There’s a direct effect of an increased variety of foods on the altered microbiome.

The microbiome keeps us healthy – try to eat 18 different foods minimum each day. There’s even a way to eat all of these in one meal listed below;

Eating the Rainbow is a cliché but perhaps one we need to adhere to on a more regular basis.

One of my favourite ways to keep up a diverse range of nutrients is through the use of spices and herbs. Thinking about making a base sauce for bolognese you can swap out the meat for a vegetarian option. Start with the base garlic, onions, celery, leek, carrots, adding in tomatoes, all cooking slowly in light olive oil (which has a very high burn point). Then the tomatoes, herbs, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, a little rosemary, decent stock next, with additional spices, 2-3 types of chili, paprika, cumin, black pepper and sea salt.

That’s over 18 different ingredients not including your protein choice.

You can choose to serve it with a gluten-free pasta or courgette spaghetti.

Ancient cultures also consumed lots of Fermented foods…. The same foods show up in longer-lived populations today as well, kefir, kimchi, pickles – there are heaps to choose from and for good reasons, these are on trend at the moment all over the place. I make kefir with buffalo milk, it’s easy to purchase the cultures off amazon and start these up. Sourdough breads are another option to get more of these diverse cultures into the microbiome.

In conclusion:

1. Sleep a bit more when you can, even if it’s only on the weekends.

2. Increase variety – if this is difficult through foods you can use supplements that contain powerful blends of herbs to help you along with this.

Tea is another great way to do this, black tea, green tea and other ginseng and herbal type teas.

3. Start some pickling and fermenting practice…. It doesn’t take long and may well improve your digestion and possibly longevity.

My Veggie Intake

The question I get asked the most as a nutritionist is what I eat to stay healthy. I thought I'd share my week in vegetables

Vegetables just rock. But rather than eat the same ones each day I like a weekly cycle where I emphasise certain veggies each day.

Here’s what I do at the moment and help clients get into;

Each week:

500g broccoli – steamed, stir fried and sometimes pan fried the next day for breakfast.
1kg of spinach – cooked down with lemon and a little butter + seasoning.
500g Roasted cauliflower and cauliflower rice.
Fresh carrot salad. Recipe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1FgYENj6FM
Ratatouille.
Mediterranean roasted vegetable medley.
Garlic mustard salads + complex salads*
All the reds*
All the greens*
Soups / various*
Homemade red cabbage coleslaw……make a massive bowl with carrots + red onion and a big cider vinegar + garlic dressing + higher potassium salt.
Big bowl minted peas.

Mixed protein meals which also contains tons of vegetables, herbs and spices are as follows;