By Laura House, Daily Mail Australia
04:11 February 19, 2024, updated 05:10 February 19, 2024
- The founder of Beauty Chef shares the secrets of the Blue Zone
- Most people living there are over 100 years old.
- Carla Oates (51) also talked about her daily life and eating habits.
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Australia’s top beauty founder reveals the five rules followed by those who live the longest, and the secrets to her own life and diet at 51.
Carla Oates, founder of The Beauty Chef, shared key takeaways inspired by: Living to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zonesa film in which journalist Dan Buettner visits five locations around the world with the highest number of centenarians (people over 100 years old).
This zone includes Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. People living in each region share many behaviors that are thought to contribute to exceeding average lifespans.
These include a plant-rich diet, regular physical activity, careful alcohol consumption, ideal sleep habits, and an active social life and community.
“Moving to a remote island may seem like a pipe dream, but the key to a long and healthy life lies in your lifestyle. Here are the top 5 common characteristics that you can easily try no matter where you live,” said Carla. .
Adopt a plant-based diet
In the Blue Zone, whole grains and beans are the main diet, combined with seasonal fruits and vegetables.
On average, plant-based foods make up 95% of the diet in all five zones. Pork, chicken, and lamb are also consumed in small amounts in some regions.
As a result, these meals are packed with fiber and prebiotics that promote gut health and microbiome diversity.
move frequently every day
Buettner’s team observed that people in blue zones were encouraged to move about every 20 minutes. These movements are not necessarily exercise, but natural everyday activities such as gardening, kneading bread, manipulating tools, dancing, and walking.
Outside the blue zone, physical activity has been shown to improve mortality. In a study of more than 60,000 people, those who did 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week were 20 percent less likely to die than those who did no exercise at all.
drink consciously
With the exception of California Adventists, people in the Blue Zones drink in moderation – no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks for men.
Wine is often the drink of choice, consumed with friends and meals rather than consumed in excess.
Sardinians are particularly known for their robust, locally produced red wine called Cannonau. This red wine contains two to three times more levels of flavonoids (a source of antioxidants) than other wines.
prioritize sleep
Around one in three Australian adults don’t get the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep.
On the other hand, people in blue zones wake up with the sun and go to sleep with the night, regularly reaching 7 to 9 hours. Daytime naps are also common on the islands of Ikaria and Sardinia, and there is evidence to suggest that short naps may promote brain health.
make time for the community
Staying socially connected was another common denominator across all Blue Zones. In Ikaria, Sardinia, and Nicoya, people often stop to chat with neighbors as they pass by, and often connect with friends during daily happy hours.
Approximately half of Okinawans also belong to Moai. A moai is a group of individuals who meet on a weekly basis or more to share hobbies and interests and support each other.
Considering research has linked loneliness and social isolation to a variety of health and mental conditions, there are many positives to staying connected.