Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones Summary & Review
What Is Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones?
Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones is a Netflix Documentary series by Dan Buettner released in August 2023. Dan Buettner is a National Geographics Explorer and a Best Selling Author. He has filmed this documentary after the popularity of his bestselling book The Blue Zone: 9 Lessons of Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.
In this health documentary filled with lots of positive reviews on IMDB, Dan travels around the world to 5 unique communities where people live extraordinarily long lives. According to Dan’s research, people in these communities live to 100 at the highest rates in the world. And they all follow similar diets and lifestyles.
These 5 communities include:
Okinawa, Japan
Sardinia, Italy
Ikaria, Greece
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Loma Linda, California
These communities have been represented by dark blue dots in the Live To 100 Blue Zones Chart below.
Live To 100 Blue Zones Chart taken from https://danbuettner.com/netflix/
In the last episode of his Netflix Documentary, Dan has even added Singapore as the newest addition to his list of Blue Zones.
What were the key takeaways from each of the 5 (+1) blue zones?
How can we summarise these takeaways together?
Is Live To 100 worth a watch?
Let’s find out!
The Premise Behind Live To 100: Facts & Figures
Live To 100 opens with Dan asking intriguing questions around our health. Dan elaborates that most of what people think lead to a long and healthy life are misguided or wrong.
Surprisingly, people do want to lead a long and healthy life. And the fact that Americans spend billions of dollars on diet plans, supplements and gym memberships is evidence of that.
Worldwide, two thirds of 8 billion people on the planet will die from an avoidable disease. And in America, for the first time in a century, life expectancy is dropping. To fix this, Dan believes in “learning how to live longer” over “evading disease and death”. This forms the basis of Live To 100: Secrets of The Blue Zones.
I love Dan Buettner’s approach of this documentary in focusing on prevention rather than cure. Dan wants to solve this great mystery - an adventure with purpose indeed.
Health Insights from Okinawa, Japan
Okinawa, Japan, produced the longest lived people in the history of the world according to a World Health Organisation study. Not just that, many people in Okinawa lead healthier lives. This is proven by less prevalence of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and dementia there.
So what did people in Okinawa eat that was different from the rest of Japan?
Dan discovered that 67% of the caloric intake of Okinawans came from Beni Imo, purple sweet potatoes. This was in contrast to meat, egg and fish that was just 1 to 2% of the caloric intake of Okinawans.
In Okinawa, Dan identifies a total of 6 aspects of living, that are part of the longevity equation there. These 6 aspects include:
Eating medicinal foods such as:
Purple sweet potatoes (instead of white rice!)
Mulberry leaves (for sore throats)
Squid ink soup (for detox)
Asa seaweed (to release heat from the body)
Mugwort (anti-inflammatory food)
Goya (for lowering blood sugar)
Okinawan Tofu that has a greater concentration of protein and good fat than Tofus produced elsewhere.
Consuming Low caloric density foods
Low caloric density foods mostly refer to natural fruits and water rich vegetables
In contrast, high caloric density foods include dairy products, red meat and processed foods filled with additives, food colourings and preservatives.
Following the principle of Hara Hachi Bu
Stop eating when your stomach is 80% full.
Having lots of natural movement that enhance balance.
Most elderly in Okinawa are involved in gardening, and manual household chores.
Many people sit on the floor in Japan.
Being part of a Moai
Social support groups that promote feelings of friendship, care and security.
Having an Ikigai
A sense of purpose for living.
My personal insight from Okinawa, Japan that Dan never attributed to longevity there is how a 101 year old lady there, Umeto Yamashiro, spoke about having lots of fun and laughter as her secret to longevity. “Don’t ever get angry. Forgive quickly. Make everyone happy.” the Japanese lady added.
Is emotional health management and relationship management a part of the longevity equation that was missed here?
Health Insights from Sardinia, Italy
Around 1999, Dr Gianni Pes reported that Sardinia, Italy had 10 times more 100 year olds than a similar population in the USA. Dan Buettner travels to Sardinia to investigate this claim. Based on his study, here are the 4 elements of life that Dan attributes to longevity in Sardinia, Italy:
Steepness of the village, which promotes exercise
Sardinia is a hilly and mountainous island and has many homes which are 2, 3 or 4 stories with only staircases.
The steeper your village is, the more you are “forced” into exercising without you even realising it.
Good carbohydrates
Preparation of simple carbohydrates like sourdough bread is very different from the average white bread.
Bread is leaven with a bacteria called lactobacillus - which lowers the glycemic index of an entire meal.
People in Sardinia consume a lot of complex carbohydrates like whole grains, greens and beans.
Effective stress management
Many men in Sardinia were shepherds leading to less stress and longer lives of males here.
Constant and chronic stress can cause disease.
Shepherds don’t have a lot of chronic stress. Because they can resolve the problems that they are given.
Care for elders
Sardinians keep ageing family members nearby.
Families and friends have close ties.
I love how the structure and steepness of Sardinia forces residents of Sardinia to get daily exercise. So they are made to exercise without gym memberships or group exercise classes. Also, I totally agree that stress management plays an increasingly important role for a long and healthy life today.
Health Insights from Loma Linda, California
The Adventist health study found a large proportion of Adventists living in Loma Linda, California that were living way longer than the rest of California. Men were living 7.3 years longer and women were living 4.4 years longer on average.
These were seventh day adventists - conservative methodists that distinguish themselves from other Christians and share a common interest around health.
Ellen white was one of the founders and leaders of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She believed that one needed good health and a clear mind to have a better connection with God. As such, Ellen advocated for adopting a vegetarian diet with lots of fruits, legumes, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
Adopting a predominantly plant based diet
Around 35% of adventists were either vegan or vegetarian. And adventists who were plant based were living the longest.
For most adventists, 60% of their diet consisted of fruits and vegetables. And 5% of their diet consisted of meat, poultry and fish (As compared to 15% among Americans).
Besides a plant based diet, let’s take a look at the other 3 key elements that contributed to the healthier and longer lives of people in Loma Linda:
Active volunteering
To lead a productive life by serving humanity.
Helps you focus on somebody else other than yourself.
People who volunteer have better memories, better social connections and report higher level of happiness.
Being part of a faith based community and showing up
People who attend spiritual services at least once weekly get additional years of life expectancy.
Being part of the right tribe
This way, you do not need to muster as much discipline. You can even build a community around an activity (like sports).
Motivation is over rated. Environment is under rated.
“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” - Jim Rohn
I particularly found Dan’s conversation with Loida Medina (Aged 84) from Loma Linda interesting. Though she was an adventist, she was big on meat. When she realised her cholesterol levels were going up, she switched to vegetarianism. After her switch, she noticed a drop in her cholesterol levels and better endurance too.
Another key takeaway for me from Loma Linda is to allocate time to connect with God. Just like Christians take every Sunday off to get closer to God. Spiritual practices will bring more peace and contentment in your life.
Health Insights from Ikaria, Greece
Greece, one of the homes of a mediterranean diet, has another longevity hotspot. The island is called Ikaria and interestingly it has no natural ports. In this island, people are living much longer and with less disease than people in America.
What were the secrets to long life that Dan discovered here?
Drinking Herbal Teas (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant & contain natural diuretics)
Rosemary Tea
Sage Tea
Common Mallow Tea
Using raw Ikarian honey as a sweetener (instead of sugar)
Honey that is not pasteurised or boiled retains nutrients.
Raw honey “from the bee to your tea”
Investing in close relationships
Drinking Ikarian Wine
Ikarian winemaking method
100% natural without any chemicals added to it
Dancing & laughing
Greeks often join Panegyris - a fun gathering on fixed dates for the purpose of honouring God.
These gatherings include feasting, dancing and laughing away.
My personal insight from Ikaria, Greece that Live To 100 did not attribute to longevity there is how a lady spoke about Ikarians drank a brew made of roasted chickpeas and barley instead of coffee. This was in addition to herbal teas that centenarians there frequently drank.
While I agree with most health tips from studying Ikaria, obtaining Ikarian raw honey may not be possible for many. In this case, it may be better to look at other alternatives like unrefined sweeteners (e.g. dates, figs, raisins) or minimally refined sweeteners (jaggery, coconut sugar) .
Also, it is controversial whether wine is beneficial for your health because of the side effects of alcohol. The world health organisation recommends that no level of alcohol intake is safe and even low levels of alcohol can increase health risks.
Health Insights from Nicoya, Costa Rica
In Nicoya, Costa Rica, the percentage of centenarians is 3.5 times the global average according to Dan Buettner’s research. And many of them live without medications or disability.
This is surprising because generally, higher income has been associated with higher life expectancy. But in Costa Rica’s case, this association doesn’t hold true. Dan highlights that Costa Rica’s income is 1/6th that of the United States.
Despite poorer wealth, what helps people in Nicoya live so long and healthy?
Having a Plan de Vida
Plan de Vida is a Spanish phrase that translates to “soul’s purpose”.
Having a Plan de Vida reduces ones risk of disease and isolation and increases longevity
Similar to Ikigai in Okinawa
Doing things by hand
In Nicoya, people do not have mechanical conveniences.
They clean their houses by hand, grow their own food by hand and even grind corn and prepare food by hand. This again forces them to “exercise” without having to specially allocate time for exercise.
Slowing down
Nicoyans slow down to make time for things that matter.
Spending quality time with family and friends is important.
Incorporating “The Three Sisters” in their diet.
Also known as the mesoamerican trifecta
Nicoyans regularly eat a healthy diet comprising of beans, squash and traditionally processed corn.
The three sisters diet provides all 9 amino acids in a complete protein without the cholesterol and saturated fats found in meat and dairy products.
These are surely health practices we should all pay extra attention to. Because surprisingly, Nicoyans were found to have a biological age that was about 10 years younger than their actual age!
They also seem to have a strong belief in God as I observed from Dan’s conversation with 86 year old Juan Carrillo. During their conversation, Juan mentions phrases like “thanks to the Lord” and “I ask Lord to give me strength” .This emphasises the importance of having faith in addition to having a purpose for living.
Summary of Key Takeaways
As Live To 100 approached its last episode, Dan Buettner recognises that many blue zones he visited are rapidly shrinking or could be completely gone within a generation. Fortunately, Dan has captured invaluable insights from each of these current blue zones in his documentary. These insights can be reverse engineered to create new longevity hotspots in the future.
Dan also highlights the influence of your environment on your health by sharing the inspirational story of Stamatis Moraitis.
Finally, Dan breaks down the secrets of living to 100 which he discovered across the 5 blue zones - into 4 common denominators.
Outlook
Finding a purpose for living
Having faith in God
Taking time off to relax and unwind
Eat Wisely
Eating predominantly plant based foods
Eating in moderation
Drinking herbal tea (& wine?)
Connect
Spending quality time with family
Caring for elders
Finding a like minded community
Strong relationships with your spouse (Partnership)
Move Naturally
Doing things by hand
Gardening, cooking, cleaning, washing by hand
Walking and exercising
Dan Buettner goes one step further and decides to apply these ideas in a community in America. He calls this The Blue Zones project, picks Albert Lea, Minnesota, a small town with 18000 people and successfully adds 3.1 years in average life expectancy to the people there within 1 year.
Since Dan’s pilot project ended, there have been a list of things Albert Lea has done to improve people’s health there.
Is Singapore really a future blue zone?
Could Dan’s pilot project that worked for a small community work for an entire nation?
Dan travels to Singapore: “an island that offers a vision for a future blue zone” to find out. While Dan claims Singapore is producing one of the happiest populations in the world, as a resident of Singapore myself, I don’t feel that is factually accurate. I validated my hypothesis with this world population review study ranking the happiest countries in the world. Singapore ranks number 30 in this happiness report even behind the USA.
While Singapore could be among the top 10 nations in terms of life expectancy, it is driven by Singapore’s wealth, robust health care system, stringent drug policies and gun laws and government policies to encourage healthier living.
But have government policies to encourage healthier living been truly effective in producing the healthiest people around the world?
I doubt so.
Because life expectancy is not an indicator of quality of life.
Because though people in Singapore live long lives, they are still
Suffering from the same diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer that challenges the western world.
Seeking treatment frequently at clinics and hospitals due to sickness and increasing prevalence of disease.
Not living the best quality of life like what we saw in blue zones like Nicoya, Costa Rica.
“Singapore’s growing elderly will put increasing pressure on the health system, particularly for age-related illnesses and long-term care” according to this study by NUS researchers.
And as this article rightfully points out, if Singapore wants to be a future blue zone (create significant improvements in people’s health), it needs to shift its approach from a “sick care system” to focus more on preventive care.
Beneficial Policies In Singapore Around Health and Wellness
That said, Singapore does have many beneficial policies that help improve people’s health and wellness to some extent. It is evident from the Live To 100 documentary that Dan is quite impressed by these policies.
Dan Buettner highlights subsidies on healthier food options (like brown rice) and healthier choice symbols that the Singapore government awards to “healthier” foods and groceries. While many of these foods may be “healthier” than their counterparts in the same category, a lot of these foods are still not truly healthy. They do not contribute to a genuinely healthy diet.
That said, I do agree with Dan’s point that Singapore has one of the best public transport systems in the world that make traveling in buses and trains so convenient. There are also many government sponsored exercise programs and convenient exercise facilities for people to work on their health as a community. The proximity housing grant in Singapore also makes it convenient for the young to stay nearby or with their elderly parents and provide better care for them.
As to increase the longevity of Americans, Chan Heng Chee from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore gives 3 useful and sequential tips:
Have a vision and a desire to push your residents towards better health.
Have people that are invested in improving the health of residents.
Make an economic argument to create a private-public partnership, to produce a human benefit. In other words, tell Americans “I can help you reduce your healthcare costs”..
Well said indeed.
Is Live To 100 Secrets Of The Blue Zones worth a watch?
Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones is for you if
You want to watch an engaging & well narrated documentary around the topic of health and wellness.
You want more clarity on how to lead a healthier and happier life.
You want to feel inspired by people taking steps knowingly or unknowingly to increase their longevity.
Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones is NOT for you if
You are looking for secrets beyond the fundamentals of health (diet, physical activity, healthy relationships).
You are looking for a quick and easy fix to your poor health.
Maybe the secret is that there is no secret. Just adopt healthy habits and sustain them for a lifetime.
