Blue Zone Report: 3 Secrets to Longevity Emotionally, Intellectually, and Physically Healthy Living in Okinawa

Dan Buettner is the founder of Blue Zones. Blue Zones is an organization dedicated to helping people live longer, better lives by sharing lessons from the longevity culture. You may have heard of him recently, as he's now starring in a new Netflix series, Live to 100, the secrets of the Blue Zones. In the first episode, he travels to Okinawa, Japan, to learn about Ikigai.

However, Okinawans actually have many traditions that demonstrate proven concepts of a long and happy life. Below we dive into the following concepts: ikigai, moai, hara hach​​​​​i bu, etc.

Who are the Okinawans? What do they know about longevity?

Okinawa is an island south of mainland Japan, where the East China Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. It's a beautiful tropical place that's home to some of the longest-lived humans in the world. On average, men can live to be 84 years old and women can live to be 90 years old. There is also a very high proportion of centenarians (100 years or older). Perhaps most surprising is that even the oldest Okinawans are considered healthy and have the emotional, physical, and intellectual capabilities to live and function independently.

So, what's their secret? Researchers say Okinawa’s secrets include: ikigai, moai and hara hach​​​​i bu.

Let’s learn about these three powerful concepts and how they apply to your retirement.

1. What is a life shell?

Google translated ikigai from Japanese to English, which means “reason for living.” And, that's probably a good description, albeit a simple one.

Longevity does seem to require maintaining a sense of purpose in old age. At least one international study found that people with a sense of purpose in life have a lower risk of death and heart disease. People who have goals tend to have healthier lifestyles. Moreover, they are more motivated and resilient, which protects them from stress and burnout.

So, how do you find your ikigai/reason for living?

The Japanese concept of “ikigai” describes the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you get paid for it.
Other essential qualities of ikigai:

• This will be challenging for you. Your ikigai should be something you work hard to master.
• Ikigai is your choice, not something forced upon you.
• it involves your commitment

Here are some resources for learning more about ikigai:

• Book: Ikigai, Japan’s Secret to a Long and Happy Life Authors: Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
• Video: Ted Talk, How to Ikigai, Tim Tamashiro
• Video: Ted Talk, Don’t Wait to Find Your Ikigai, Gangadharan Menon

2. What are Moai statues?

In Japanese, moai refers to a group of lifelong friends. It also means a social support group that provides social, financial, health or spiritual support.

Buettner is popularizing the concept of moai in the United States.

An article on the Blue Zones website describes Okinawa’s moai like this:

The term originated hundreds of years ago as a means of financial support systems for villages. Originally, moai were erected to pool the resources of the entire village for projects or public works. If an individual needs funds to purchase land or deal with an emergency, the only option is to raise funds locally. Today, the idea has expanded to include more social support networks, a cultural tradition with built-in companionship.

In small communities across Okinawa, friends “get together for a common purpose” (sometimes every day, sometimes a few days a week) to chat, experience life, share advice, and even financial assistance when needed. They called these groups “Moai”.

Traditionally, groups of about five children are paired together and then they make a lifelong commitment to each other. As their second family, they regularly work, play and share resources with the moai. Some moai have been around for over 90 years!

You may not be able to have the most strictly translated moai, but you should strive to have a close group of friends who meet up regularly.

3. What are the original eight parts?

Compared to ikigai and moai, hara hach​​​​​i bu is super simple and relatively easy to apply in your life.

Hara hach​​​i bu is a dietary rule that states you should eat until you are 80% full. By limiting your intake to a level that's close to, but not quite, saturated, you'll consume fewer calories, but no less than you actually need.

You see, your brain lags behind your stomach by about 10 to 20 minutes. So, when you stop eating when you feel 80% full, you are actually full. The average Okinawan man consumes only 1,800 calories per day when practicing the original eight steps, while the average American consumes closer to 2,500 calories per day.

Bonus: Other longevity lessons from Okinawans

Researchers believe that ikigai, moai and hara hachibu are the three main reasons why Okinawans live long and healthy.

Other contributors include:

A diverse, plant-based diet: Okinawans eat more vegetables (mainly green and yellow vegetables) than most people, as well as whole grains, tofu, fish and other legumes. They eat very little sugar and very little meat, dairy, or eggs.

Craig Wilcox, author of “The Okinawa Project,” explained in an interview with CNN that Okinawans “typically eat seven different fruits and vegetables and 18 different foods per day, regularly consuming over 200 different foods and spices in their overall diet. In the United States, we are lucky to have several different foods and a dozen different foods and spices in our daily diet.” “

Vegan foods are inherently rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, fiber, nutrients, and are naturally low-calorie and anti-inflammatory.

Activity: Staying active doesn't mean running 10 miles a day or sweating it out in the gym. The Okinawan philosophy of exercise is to make physical activity a part of daily life.

Almost all Okinawans are active walkers and gardeners. Gardening is a daily physical activity that encourages a wide range of activities. Okinawans also prefer walking, biking, and even participating in martial arts. In addition, the furniture in their home is very limited, and they eat on tatami mats on the floor. Getting up off the ground builds flexibility and strength.

Sunlight: Due to their tropical location and active outdoor lifestyle, Okinawans benefit from year-round exposure to vitamin D.

Outside magazine recently asked, “Is sunscreen the new margarine?” It turns out that people with lower levels of vitamin D, the hormone the skin produces with the help of sunlight, have significantly higher rates of nearly every disease and disorder you can think of. And vitamin D supplements simply don't have the same positive health effects as sun exposure.

While sun exposure carries a risk of skin cancer, it may be less harmful than vitamin D deficiency.

Here are some ideas on how to make your retirement a part of a sunny climate.

Make longevity an important aspect of your retirement plan

You don't know how long you'll live, but the answer to this question may be an important aspect of planning for a safe future.

In a Boldin retirement plan, you can try different life expectancies to see if your savings last. However, it's also a good idea to explore ways to generate enough lifetime income – income that lasts as long as you live – no matter how long that turns out to be. Lifetime income sources include Social Security and some retirement benefits. You can also turn your savings into guaranteed lifetime income by purchasing a life annuity.

This tool is great for planning because it covers a comprehensive set of retirement-related information and lets you customize everything.