10+1 Longevity Secrets from Around the World
Currently, much of the population of the Western world is in a pretty bad way when it comes to their health and well-being. Obesity levels in the modern world have reach pandemic status.
Currently, there are more individuals classed as obese living in the developed world than ever before. Needless to say, this is having a detrimental effect on our health and well-being.
Our waistlines are expanding, we’re relying more and more on prescription drugs and medication to control weight and lifestyle-related health issues, and most worrying of all, is the fact that life expectancies are dropping.
Why is it, then, that people in other parts of the world are now living longer than ever?
If you want to live a healthy and happy life for as long as possible, check out these 11 longevity secrets from around the world.
10+1 Longevity Secrets from Around The World
1. Greece – Embrace Healthy Fats
For decades, people would avoid fats like the plague, as fat was considered to be the root of all evil. Fat was blamed for cancers, heart disease, strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and any other ailment you could think of.
It turns out, though, that not all fats are created equal. Some fats are not only okay for us, but they are considered essential for optimal health and wellness.
In Greece for example, the Greeks do not fear fat, they embrace it. In fact, many Mediterranean countries have exceptionally long life expectancies, which is due in part to their relationship with healthy fats.
Olive oil, oily fish, avocados, and other good fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids play crucial roles in countless natural physiological processes within the human body, which is why healthy fats are so important.
As long as you monitor your fats and caloric intakes and ensure that you aren’t taking in too many, you can increase your longevity and improve your health tenfold.
2. Scandinavian Countries – Get More Active
In parts of the world where life expectancies are particularly high, I.E in many parts of Scandinavia, you’ll find that the average person leads a much more physically active lifestyle than that being lead by a person in the Western world.
People are more physically active at work as they’ll perform manual labor rather than simply sitting at a desk in front of a computer for hours on end.
They’ll also get more physically active in their free time and will exercise more. Whether it’s playing a sport, going to the gym, or just going for a quiet walk, they’ll become decidedly more physically active, which helps improve cardiovascular health, it boosts mental health, it strengthens the heart, and it helps to maintain a healthy weight and assist with fat loss.
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3. Poland – Eat More at Home
For some of us, dining out is no longer a treat. Because there are so many options for dining out, and because many of them are extremely affordable, more and more of us are dining out instead of eating at home.
This can be a mistake. When you dine out, more often than not, the foods you’re offered will be high in trans fats, high in calories, salt, preservatives, and other junk, and low in nutrients.
Made from poor quality ingredients, it’s no wonder why dining out at certain fast-food restaurants is so cheap.
Another secret when it comes to longevity, however, is to “take a page out of the Polish book” and eat at home more.
Life expectancies in Poland are substantially higher than those in other parts of the world because they prioritize their health.
The reason why dining out is often only done as a celebration in Poland is so that they can eat healthier produce.
Most typical Polish home-cooked meals will utilize ingredients such as fish, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, starchy complex carbs, and omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods such as herring and mackerel.
Basically, they use wholesome, healthy, and natural ingredients and they also have slightly smaller portions too.
👉 Read Also: Foods to Eat To Live Longer, Healthier and Happier.
4. India – Use Herbs & Spices More Often
For a chef, arguably the two most important ingredients in catering are salt and pepper. Whereas salt and pepper can add heaps of flavor to your dishes, too much sodium in the form of salt can cause an increase in blood pressure.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can cause all kinds of health issues, including strokes and heart attacks.
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In India, rates of hypertension are far lower than in parts of the West, and that is largely due to the fact that their dishes contain less salt. Instead of salt, Indians will use herbs and spices as seasonings instead.
Not only does this reduce the amount of sodium you consume, but by consuming healthy herbs and spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger, for example, you also increase the number of nutrients you consume.
These spices and many others are high in antioxidants and they’re renowned for their anti-inflammatory properties. Experiment with different herbs and spices when cooking your meals and try to cut back on the amount of salt that you consume.
☝️ It is highly recommended to add turmeric to your lifestyle, either in the form of powder or in the form of capsules.
5. Japan – Don’t Eat Until You Feel Full
Let’s face it, in many parts of the West, we eat like gluttons.
More and more cafes, bars, grills, and restaurants offer eating challenges where the aim is to consume ridiculous amounts of food in as short a period of time as possible.
They also offer enormous portions, and with names such as ‘gut busters’ or ‘belly busters’ etc, it’s easy to see that we no longer eat purely for satiety.
In Japan, the average life expectancy is just shy of 84 years. In the USA however, the average life expectancy is 78 years.
The Japanese have a tradition known as Hara Hachi Bunme, or Hara Hachi Bu, which requires them to eat until they’re around 80% full.
This means that they don’t eat until they feel physically sick. This tradition is intended to help them regulate and control their weight and help them to achieve optimal health and wellness.
Food restrictions have been found to help reduce LDL cholesterol, balance hormones, balance blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and to help reduce blood pressure. Needless to say, all of this is hugely beneficial if you wish to live healthily and as long as possible.
6. Sardinia (Italy) – Eat more Goat & Sheep Dairy
When it comes to your diet, people often overlook the importance of eating dairy on a regular basis. Yes, too much dairy can be high in calories and fat, and if you take in too many your waistline will increase.
However, if you monitor your dairy intakes and don’t eat too much, you could increase your life expectancy.
How do we know?
Because that’s what they do in Sardinia. Sardinia has a higher than average life expectancy, and they consume reasonable amounts of goat’s milk and sheep’s cheese.
This, combined with whole grains, olives, fish, and legumes, as well as healthy oils, makes for the perfect balance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients needed for optimal health and wellness.
☝️ One of the healthier dairy products to consume is kefir. Kefir is a type of milk culture that it is fermented and full of probiotics. You can prepare kefir at home by buying Kefir Grains.
7. Costa Rica – Eat the main staples of a Costa Rican diet
In Costa Rica, they have three staple foods which are: beans, squash, and corn.
These are known as the ‘Three Sisters of Meso-American Agriculture’. All of these foods are rich in complex carbs, are low in fat, are high in fiber, and contain impressive vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant profiles.
These, combined with other staple ingredients such as Bananas, Papaya, Yams, and vitamin-enriched peach palms, make for an incredibly healthy and nutrient-dense diet rich in natural goodness and free from artificial nastiness.
👉 Read Also: The Exceptionally High Life Expectancy of Costa Rican Nonagenarians
8. Netherland – Ditch The Car
Let’s face it, having our own transport is incredibly convenient, but it’s not ideal for our health.
People with cars tend to rely on them heavily, even to make journeys that could quite easily have been made on foot.
Exercise is vitally important for longevity, as it helps to strengthen the heart, regulate healthy weight, and plenty more besides.
In the Netherlands, they understand the importance of cardiovascular exercise, which is why so many of them have ditched cars in favor of bicycles.
Cycling is one of the most efficient forms of cardiovascular exercise in existence. It promotes heart-health, it burns calories, it gets you fit, it tones your muscles, and it’s a great way of getting some fresh air.
Needless to say, the average life expectancy in the Netherlands is a fair deal higher than the average life expectancy in the U.S. Cycling just one hour in a week, will reduce your risk of premature death by as much as 9%.
🚴 Not ready to “ditch” your car? At least try cycling at home. How to do that you may wonder? Well, with a Bike Trainer Stand.
9. France – Eat Smaller Portions of Food
In an ideal world, a meal of Quinoa, grilled salmon, and steamed vegetables would taste equally as nice as a bacon double cheeseburger with extra fries.
Now, to some people, it does. To most though, let’s be honest, we know what would win in a taste test if calories weren’t an issue.
The French are renowned for their decadent ways as they consume vast amounts of butter, cream, dairy, and fat in general, yet they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease and obesity in the developed world.
But why is this? Well, because it all comes down to moderation. Studies have found that portion sizes in France are much smaller than those in, say, North America.
The French do indeed enjoy their rich, fatty, creamy, buttery, decadent, calorific treats, but they enjoy them in moderation and make a conscious effort to eat healthily for the rest of the time.
If you want to have your cake and eat it too, monitor your caloric intakes and enjoy a small slice of cake, or a small treat, now and then, and savor it.
Instead of an epic cheat day that would put The Rock to shame, why not enjoy a healthy and balanced meal and have a small slice of cake for dessert if you feel like a bit of a treat?
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10. Spain – Enjoy a “Siesta”
Life expectancies in Spain are currently averaging just shy of 83 years. As well as enjoying many Mediterranean foods as we mentioned earlier, I.E olives, fish, sundried tomatoes, whole grains, olive oil, and so on, the Spanish are also renowned for their sleeping habits.
In Spain, between 1 pm and 3 pm, when the sun is normally at its hottest, much of the country retreat indoors to enjoy a two-hour nap known as a siesta.
If you suffer from sleep deprivation, you are at risk of dying prematurely. This is backed up by scientific data and research.
A great way of combatting sleep deprivation is to take a nap. If you are able to do so, try to nap early in the day to catch up on some much-needed sleep.
☝️ Avoid napping too late in the evening, as this can disrupt your sleeping patterns and if you’re wide awake when you climb into bed, you’ll struggle to get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
11. Okinawa (Japan) – Maintain a Purpose in Life
In Okinawa, Japan, people generally live longer than anybody else on the face of the earth.
Okinawa is a part of a group of islands known as the ‘land of the immortals’ where people regularly live independently in their late 90s.
Reaching 100-years of age in Okinawa is nothing out of the ordinary, and this is for many reasons.
To begin with, they consume plenty of root vegetables and green leafy veggies, as well as seaweed, antioxidant-rich green tea, and healthy protein and omega-3 rich fish.
They also claim that giving themselves a purpose in life gives them something to live for. Whether that purpose is still running a business in old age, maintaining a relationship, looking after the garden, spending time with your friends or family, or anything else, if you have a purpose in life, you feel as if you have something to live for.
The Okinawans call this ‘Ikigai’ which roughly translates into ‘why I wake up in the morning’. Set yourself short and long-term goals, and stick with them and you too can potentially enjoy a long, happy, and prosperous life.
More External Resources to Read
- 50 Facts: Global health situation and trends 1955-2025
- LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE US BY STATE [MAP GRAPHIC]
- List of countries by life expectancy
- 7 Best Hyperbaric chambers for home use
So, there you have it. 10+1 Longevity secrets from around the world. Which of the method above is your favorite and which one are you going to add to your lifestyle. Comment below and let us start a discussion.
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