Life expectancy at birth in Ireland is currently 78.4 years for men and 82.8 years for women. This has increased from 75 and 80 years for men and women respectively since 2002. Not only are people living longer in general (lifespan) but growing numbers of people are staying healthier for longer as well (health span). As I often say, adding not just years to their life but more life to their years.
In short, I believe you have two separate ages. Firstly, your age based on your date of birth - known as chronological age - and no one can change that!
Secondly, there is your biological age which is the “miles on your clock’” largely determined by your lifestyle habits.
In recent years the epigenome has been discovered. This is the master switch that sits on top of your DNA. It can be switched on or off like a light switch or up and down like a thermostat. We are now learning that only about 20% of your DNA is fixed. How your genes express themselves is mainly determined by your epigenome which in turn is influenced by your lifestyle choices and behaviours.
I see epigenetics in action everyday in my surgery as a doctor, when I meet people who not only look much younger than their actual age but are fitter, sharper and live life with more vitality.
The bottom line is that your genes alone do not determine your destiny.
Lifestyle factors, healthy habits and the environments you spend your time in really do matter. The next meal you eat, the next mile you walk, the quality of your sleep tonight and the degree to which you are able to recharge from stress are all modifying your body in an endless flow of change, regulating which genes get turned on or off, up or down, in turn influencing every aspect of your health and wellbeing. Everyday lifestyle choices have repercussions right down to the genetic level.
Which brings me to “blue zones”.
What are blue zones?
Blue zones are areas of the world so named after the blue circles that researchers drew on the map to first identify them. These areas are home to some of the healthiest and longest-living people on the planet.
In fact, people living in these areas have a 300% higher chance of living a full active engaged life to 90 or beyond. Furthermore, they have much lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Location of blue zones
These blue zones include the Greek island of Icaria, Sardinia, Okinawa (an island off Japan), Loma Linda in California and Costa Rica.
In Icaria, residents have almost no dementia, 50% less heart disease and live on average eight years longer compared to the USA. The mountainous areas of Sardinia are home to more male centenarians (those over 100 years old) than anywhere else in the world.
Okinawa, Japan
The little island of Okinawa off the coast of Japan has approximately 740 centenarians out of a population of 1.4m, with the majority of them being women.
Family-first values and a strong sense of community feature prominently in Okinawa.
The residents there have a fascinating cultural habit of the Moai (pronounced mo-eye). Initially started as a means of a village supporting one another financially, the Maoi has expanded to become a social support group that begins in childhood and continues for life. Functioning like a second family, they meet regularly to share, support and strengthen one another, a safety net for living well.
They also adopt a Confucian philosophy that applies to eating habits. Known as “Hara hachi bu” it means eating until you’re no longer hungry (about 80% full) as opposed to being completely full up.
Choose company carefully
Loneliness can decrease your life expectancy by up to eight years. Furthermore, older people without close social contacts have higher rates of many chronic diseases from diabetes and depression to heart disease and stroke. Emotional positivity and happiness is contagious. Each happy friend in your close network boosts your happiness by up to 15%.
Research from Harvard University has found that the quality of your social relationships can have a major impact on your health, happiness and overall wellbeing. You tend to become most like the habits of your five closest friends. If they have healthy lifestyle habits, you are far more likely to be less stressed, more content and live longer. Women in Okinawa live on average eight years longer that women in the western world. Reaching out to others and finding your tribe can be so good for your wellbeing and longevity.
A blue-zone diet
Blue zone areas in general, focus on the Mediterranean-style diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, beans, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. This diet is linked to lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and death under the age of 65 years.
While they may be scattered across the globe, you don’t need to to emigrate to benefit from blue-zone living. You can begin today to implement some of these health boosting habits that support health, vitality and longevity.
The basic blue
zone principles
Features that the blue zones have in common:
Move more often.Less is more - eat until no longer hungry (Hara Hasha Bu = 80% full).Plant slant - plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.Red wine in moderation. Find your tribe of shared values. Faith based - connect with higher power. Family first and community. Live with purpose.Recharge from stress.Are you are interested in learning more about blue zone living? If so, join me for a wonderful week of vitality in Cyprus this coming November 2019.
For a holiday experience that is highly revitalising, energising, healing and, yes, even spiritual.
Research shows that it is not just the physical side of our beings that need regeneration and rest on holiday; rather both our minds and spirit also need both rest and revitalising.
Many go to the same places year after year, whilst others search for new, exotic and strange lands every time. Why not consider the idea of a holiday that offered a deeper, healing and even spiritual experience.
With so much stress and distraction in today’s world, “Live with Vitality” will offer strategies to live a life of more vitality. Live with Vitality uses latest evidence from medical science, along with insights from psychology and philosophy to support what I call the “golden rule of self care”.
Self care includes the interconnected elements of mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing, underpinned by a strong sense of purpose. Live with Vitality embraces “learning by doing” to enable you to make practical positive changes that stick while making new friends and having fun.
To find out more or to book, call Deirdre Grant 01-833 4584 or email deirdre@killestertravel.com.
Package price is €1,260 pps including return flights, 9-16 November, five two-hour talks by Dr Mark Rowe, seven nights, half board in the fabulous five-star Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos, Cyprus.
Life expectancy at birth in Ireland is currently 78.4 years for men and 82.8 years for women. This has increased from 75 and 80 years for men and women respectively since 2002. Not only are people living longer in general (lifespan) but growing numbers of people are staying healthier for longer as well (health span). As I often say, adding not just years to their life but more life to their years.
In short, I believe you have two separate ages. Firstly, your age based on your date of birth - known as chronological age - and no one can change that!
Secondly, there is your biological age which is the “miles on your clock’” largely determined by your lifestyle habits.
In recent years the epigenome has been discovered. This is the master switch that sits on top of your DNA. It can be switched on or off like a light switch or up and down like a thermostat. We are now learning that only about 20% of your DNA is fixed. How your genes express themselves is mainly determined by your epigenome which in turn is influenced by your lifestyle choices and behaviours.
I see epigenetics in action everyday in my surgery as a doctor, when I meet people who not only look much younger than their actual age but are fitter, sharper and live life with more vitality.
The bottom line is that your genes alone do not determine your destiny.
Lifestyle factors, healthy habits and the environments you spend your time in really do matter. The next meal you eat, the next mile you walk, the quality of your sleep tonight and the degree to which you are able to recharge from stress are all modifying your body in an endless flow of change, regulating which genes get turned on or off, up or down, in turn influencing every aspect of your health and wellbeing. Everyday lifestyle choices have repercussions right down to the genetic level.
Which brings me to “blue zones”.
What are blue zones?
Blue zones are areas of the world so named after the blue circles that researchers drew on the map to first identify them. These areas are home to some of the healthiest and longest-living people on the planet.
In fact, people living in these areas have a 300% higher chance of living a full active engaged life to 90 or beyond. Furthermore, they have much lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Location of blue zones
These blue zones include the Greek island of Icaria, Sardinia, Okinawa (an island off Japan), Loma Linda in California and Costa Rica.
In Icaria, residents have almost no dementia, 50% less heart disease and live on average eight years longer compared to the USA. The mountainous areas of Sardinia are home to more male centenarians (those over 100 years old) than anywhere else in the world.
Okinawa, Japan
The little island of Okinawa off the coast of Japan has approximately 740 centenarians out of a population of 1.4m, with the majority of them being women.
Family-first values and a strong sense of community feature prominently in Okinawa.
The residents there have a fascinating cultural habit of the Moai (pronounced mo-eye). Initially started as a means of a village supporting one another financially, the Maoi has expanded to become a social support group that begins in childhood and continues for life. Functioning like a second family, they meet regularly to share, support and strengthen one another, a safety net for living well.
They also adopt a Confucian philosophy that applies to eating habits. Known as “Hara hachi bu” it means eating until you’re no longer hungry (about 80% full) as opposed to being completely full up.
Choose company carefully
Loneliness can decrease your life expectancy by up to eight years. Furthermore, older people without close social contacts have higher rates of many chronic diseases from diabetes and depression to heart disease and stroke. Emotional positivity and happiness is contagious. Each happy friend in your close network boosts your happiness by up to 15%.
Research from Harvard University has found that the quality of your social relationships can have a major impact on your health, happiness and overall wellbeing. You tend to become most like the habits of your five closest friends. If they have healthy lifestyle habits, you are far more likely to be less stressed, more content and live longer. Women in Okinawa live on average eight years longer that women in the western world. Reaching out to others and finding your tribe can be so good for your wellbeing and longevity.
A blue-zone diet
Blue zone areas in general, focus on the Mediterranean-style diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, beans, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. This diet is linked to lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and death under the age of 65 years.
While they may be scattered across the globe, you don’t need to to emigrate to benefit from blue-zone living. You can begin today to implement some of these health boosting habits that support health, vitality and longevity.
The basic blue
zone principles
Features that the blue zones have in common:
Move more often.Less is more - eat until no longer hungry (Hara Hasha Bu = 80% full).Plant slant - plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.Red wine in moderation. Find your tribe of shared values. Faith based - connect with higher power. Family first and community. Live with purpose.Recharge from stress.Are you are interested in learning more about blue zone living? If so, join me for a wonderful week of vitality in Cyprus this coming November 2019.
For a holiday experience that is highly revitalising, energising, healing and, yes, even spiritual.
Research shows that it is not just the physical side of our beings that need regeneration and rest on holiday; rather both our minds and spirit also need both rest and revitalising.
Many go to the same places year after year, whilst others search for new, exotic and strange lands every time. Why not consider the idea of a holiday that offered a deeper, healing and even spiritual experience.
With so much stress and distraction in today’s world, “Live with Vitality” will offer strategies to live a life of more vitality. Live with Vitality uses latest evidence from medical science, along with insights from psychology and philosophy to support what I call the “golden rule of self care”.
Self care includes the interconnected elements of mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing, underpinned by a strong sense of purpose. Live with Vitality embraces “learning by doing” to enable you to make practical positive changes that stick while making new friends and having fun.
To find out more or to book, call Deirdre Grant 01-833 4584 or email deirdre@killestertravel.com.
Package price is €1,260 pps including return flights, 9-16 November, five two-hour talks by Dr Mark Rowe, seven nights, half board in the fabulous five-star Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos, Cyprus.
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