This is how to have a long awesome life 7 secrets from research

This is how to have a long awesome life 7 secrets from researchThis is how to have a long awesome life 7 secrets from researchThere are plenty of ways to make your life a little better. But making your life longer is trickier. Does any of that anti-aging stuff work? Lets ask an expertThomas T. Perls, M.D., M.P.H, is the director of the New England Centenarian Study, and an associate professor of medicine and geriatrics at Boston Universitys med school. Whatsay you, Tom?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraA good start to adding mora good years to your life would be to get rid of the anti-aging quackery. These guys are just trying to sell you stuff. What does work is living the lifestyle of those who we know are living longer, like those people, I suppose, living in the Blue Zones.Ouch. No magic pill to prevent aging. But what did he say at the end there? What the heck is a Blue Zone ? Gimme a sec while I put my research hat onA while back a bunch of demographers published apaperin the journalExperimental Gerontologyabout a place in the Barbagia raum of Sardinia where people lived exceptionally long, healthy lives. (They circled it on the map with a blue pen and the name Blue Zone stuck.) Well,someplace has to have the people who live the longest, right? Just randomActually, no. Because they started to find other Blue Zones. Areas where people were up to three times more likely to live to 100 than the average American. And they didnt just live long - they lived well. Healthier. Happier. Fewer diseases. More energy. Hmm.Care to take a quick trip around the world with me? (Well have separate hotel rooms, I promise.)Okinawa, Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world. Their rate of cardiovascular disease is 20% that of the US. Breast and prostate cancer? 25% as often. And dementia is one-third as likely.Men from Nicoya, a peninsula off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, have twice the chance of making it to age 90 as men from the US, France, or Japan. It took them a while to even realize this welches a Blue Zone because life expectancy is so low in neighboring countries that mortality studies didnt even bother toaskif anyone lived past 80.In Loma Linda - just 60 miles outside dann lass uns Angeles - people live more than 7 years longer than the average Californian. When researchers interviewed a womanthere she told them a story about when her father got gored by a bull. Cool story but whats cooler is that the event happened107 years ago. Lydia just turned 112.What the heck is going on in behauptung places? We know magic pills dont work. Must be due to good genes, right?WrongScientific studies suggest that only about 25 percent of how long we live is dictated by genes, according to famous studies of Danish twins. The other 75 percent is determined by our lifestyles and the everyday choices we make. It follows that if we optimize our l ifestyles, we can maximize our life expectancies within our biological limits.So demographers, doctors, and scientists collaborated with the National Institute on Aging toget to the bottom of this, analyzing what unterstellung groups ate, how much exercise they got, how they socialized, etc.These are very different places with very different people - but they found patterns. Much of the data is correlational. We cant just say do this and youll live to 100. Theres no magic formula. But certain activities, behaviors and rituals came up again and again that seem to point to lessons that might help us all livelonger, healthier, happier lives.Ready, Methuselah?Lets get to it Inconvenience yourselfA better header would have been, Exercise. But if I said that, you wouldnt do it. And, to be totally honest here, the Blue Zone people (if I say Blue People you might think I mean Smurfs) never deliberately exercise either.But they move. A lot. Their lives are more active - but elend in an Aw, crap, now I have to put on my Nikes and go to Zumba class kinda way. Activity is built into their day.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the Longest they engage in regular, low-intensity physical activity, often as part of a daily work routine. Male centenarians in Sardinias Blue Zone worked most of their lives as shepherds, a profession that involved miles of hiking every day. Okinawans garden for hours each day, growing food for their tables. Adventists take nature walks.So dont worry about the gym. But engage in activities you enjoy. Or just make your life a little less convenient. Take the stairs. Dont drive when you can walk.(To learn more about how you and your children can lead a successful life, check out my bestselling bookhere.)Now we all know that eating is key to health and longevity. So lets learn a very helpful concept that is easy to use but kinda tricky to say Hara Hachi BuNo, not Hakuna Matata. Hara Hachi Buis a Japanese phra se uttered numerous times a day in the Blue Zone of Okinawa.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestAll of the old folks say it before they eat. It means Eat until you are 80 percent full.The researchers never honigwein acentenarian who welches on a diet. They never met one that welches obese. And again, genetics were not the primary factor here. They didnt overeat. This helps keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control, reducing the chance of heart disease.(To learn the 4 harsh truths that will make you a better person, clickhere.)Eating less is good - but what should you eat?Plant slantNobody in the history of the world has ever said, Eating more green veggies is a bad idea.Most Blue Zone diets were vegetarian or close to it. Meat welches eaten rarely.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestBeans, whole grains, and garden vegetables are the cornerstones of all these longevity diets. Sardinian shepherds take semolina flatbread into the pastures with them. Nicoyans eat corn tortillas at every meal. And whole grain is part of the Adventist diet. Whole grains deliver fiber, antioxidants, potential anti-cancer agents (insoluble fiber), cholesterol reducers, and clot blockers, positiv essential minerals. Beans (legumes) also provide a cornerstone to Blue Zone meals. Diets rich in legumes are associated with fewer heart attacks and less colon cancer. Legumes are a good dietary source of healthy flavonoids and fiber (which can reduce the risk of heart attack) and are also an excellent nonanimal source of protein.I didnt say *I* think you need to be a vegetarian Im just telling you whatthisresearch said. Paleo preachers, stand down.Now there was one thing that deserves special note because its the closest thing we have to a magic pill and, frankly, it surprised the heck out of me. Even the FDA said, Um, yeah, were really having trouble arguing with that data. Fine. Well kinda say something nice about it.And the magic food is, well nuts. Not crazy. Nuts like actual nuts.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestRecent findings from a large study of (the Loma Linda Blue Zone) show that those who ate nuts at least five times a week had a rate of heart disease that was half that of those who rarely ate nuts. A health claim about nuts is among the first qualified claims permitted by the Food and Drug Administration. In 2003, the FDA allowed a qualified health claim that read Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.The researchers sliced the data up every way they could think and still, it showed nuts profoundly impact health and longevity.You look at this very impressive chart, Im gonna go buy some almondsAnd Blue Zoners like their booze. A glass or two of good red wi ne per day got the thumbs up from the researchers.(To learn how to deal with passive-aggressive people, clickhere.)Alright, were nuts about nuts. But if you want to be a full-on Blue Zoner, dont just shove some in your mouth as you hastily respond to emails and rush out the door DownshiftNicoyans take a break every afternoon to rest and socialize with friends. The Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda take Saturday as a sabbath. The little old ladies of Okinawa gather every day at 330 PM to gossip in traditional social groups known as moai.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestItalian endocrinologist Dr. Claudio Franceschi has developed a widely accepted theory on the relationship between chronic inflammation and aging. Over time, he believes, the negative effects of inflammation build up to create conditions in the body that may promote age-related diseases such as alzheimerkrankheits disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cardiovascu lar disease. Slowing lifes pace may help keep the chronic inflammation in check, and theoretically, the related disease at bay.Designate a time to take it easy. To turn off the smartphone notifications. Tomeditate. Or to laugh with friends until the sun goes down.(To learn the 4-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, clickhere.)So far weve covered things you can do on your own. But being on your own too much is more Red Zone than Blue Zone. (Or maybe its a Gray Area?)AnywayBelongDr. Ilias Leriadis, the vice mayor of the Blue Zone of Ikaria, said the islandis not a me place. Its an us place.And that was another constant among all of these spots where people forget to die Family. Religion. Community.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestProfessor Lisa Berkman of Harvard University has investigated social connectedness and longevity. In one study, she looked at the impact of marital status, ties with friends and relatives, club membership, and level of volunteerism on how well older people aged. Over a nine-year period, she found that those with the most social connectedness lived longer.Whats a good way to get more connected? Rituals. Weekly family dinners. Celebrating holidays. Consistently scheduled get togethers.The most incredible story about Blue Zone community would have to be that of Stamatis Moraitis.He was born in the Blue Zone of Ikaria but moved to the US as an adult. At 65 he was diagnosed with lung cancer and given six months to live.He refused chemo, in fact, he refused any treatment at all. He had lived a good life. He decided to return to his homeland to die.Though weak, he fell in with the rituals of the island. He went to church. He drank wine with old friends. All the while he was counting down the days until he would be buried next to his parents under the oak trees by the blue Aegean Sea And then, somehow, thirty-five years went by. He didnt die. He was 100-years-old. Dont buy yo ur ticket to Greece just yet - spontaneous cancer remission is far from a common occurrence. In fact, the Blue Zone researchers where so shocked by it they asked him what happened to his cancer. He didnt know. He had gone back to America at one point to get checked out but he got no answers His doctors had all passed away.(To learn the nine rituals that will make you an amazing parent, clickhere.)Belonging is key, and it makes for a happier life. So whats the most powerful Blue Zone secret of them all? The one that ensures the others work?Dont zone aloneBelonging in terms of family and religion is great but what makes the Blue Zones so powerful is that everyone supports this same lifestyle. Its easy to eat a certain way when everyone does.This doesnt mean you need to go convert everyone around you but, um, it wouldnt be a terrible idea if you had a few buddies for your Blue Zone journey, would it?FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the Longest Seventh-day Adventists make a point of associating with one another (a practice reinforced by their religious practices and observation of the Sabbath on Saturdays). Sardinians have been isolated geographically in the Nuoro highlands for 2,000 years. As a result, members of these longevity cultures work and socialize with one another, and this reinforces the prescribed behaviors of their cultures. Its much easier to adopt good habits when everyone around you is already practicing them.If you want to live longer, share this post with a friend. Walk together. Eat right together. Downshift together. And dont forget the nuts.(To learn how to deal with out-of-control kids - from hostage negotiators - clickhere.)Okay, weve learned a lot. Yes, this post was long but youre going to live a lot longer now so I feel no guilt whatsoever.Lets round it all up and learn reason number seven - which may be the most profound of them all Sum upThis is how to live a long, awesome lifeInconvenience Y ourself Build more movement into your day. Take the stairs, not the escalator. Dont use the phone, go see a friend. If you want French Press coffee, walk to France.Hara Hachi Bu Eat until youre 80% full. (The people of Okinawa seem pretty cool and I dont think theyll mind if you culturally appropriate this concept for the purposes of death prevention.)Plant Slant More veggies. Nuts are the Infinity Stones of longevity eating, Thanos.Downshift Im not writing a description for this. I deserve a siesta. Taking it easy will extend my life so I can write more blog posts later.Belong In the Blue Zone of Ikaria, there is no word for privacy. Now I do enjoy my privacy - but being so supported and loved that you dont even bother to create a word for being alone is pretty cool too.Dont Zone AloneStart a Blue Man Group - sans face paint. Surrounding yourself with others who follow some of the Blue Zone ideas will make living longer easier and more fun.So whats number 7?Purpose in life.Ask yo urself, Why do I wake up in the morning? If its a good reason, youll probably have a lot more mornings ahead of you.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestOkinawans call it ikigai, and Nicoyans call it plan de vida, but in both cultures the phrase essentially translates to why I wake up in the morning. The strong sense of purpose possessed by older Okinawans may act as a buffer against stress and help reduce their chances of suffering from Alzheimers disease, arthritis, and stroke. Dr. Robert Butler and collaborators led an NIH-funded study that looked at the correlation between having a sense of purpose and longevity. His 11-year study followed highly functioning people between the ages of 65 and 92 and found that individuals who expressed a clear goal in life - something to get up for in the morning, something that made a difference- lived longer and were sharper than those who did not Your purpose in life doesnt have to be something epic like single-handedly solving global warming. It can be as simple as meaningful work, a hobby youre passionate about or just wanting to make sure those grandchildren reach their full potential.And that last one isnt just something I randomly came up with. Its a true story the researchers came across during their travelsNona wasnt doing well. She had just celebrated her 100th birthday when she fell ill. She could not get out of bed. Her daughter, Pietrina, thought this might be the end.Pietrina summoned the entire family - 4 daughters and 13 grandkids. Some of them had to come in from mainland Italy. Nonas condition worsened. She lay in bed unconscious.Pietrinas nephew, who had been flunking out of college, sat at his grandmothers bedside whispering to her how much he was going to miss her And Nonas eyes popped open. In her native Sardinian she snappedIm not goinganywhereuntil youre done with the universityNona recovered. Andher grandson graduated.Sometimes all we need to keep living is a purpose.And take it from Nona there is no better purpose than making sure the ones we love are doing well.Join over 320,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThis is how to have a long awesome life 7 secrets from researchThere are plenty of ways to make your life a little better. But making your life longer is trickier. Does any of that anti-aging stuff work? Lets ask an expertThomas T. Perls, M.D., M.P.H, is the director of the New England Centenarian Study, and an associate professor of medicine and geriatrics at Boston Universitys med school. Whatsay you, Tom?A good start to adding more good years to your life would be to get rid of the anti-aging quackery. These guys are just trying to sell you stuff. What does work is living the lifestyle of those who we know are living longer, like those people, I suppose, living in the Blue Zones.Ouch. No magic pill to prevent aging. But what did he say at the end there? What the heck is a Blue Zone? Gimme a sec while I put my research hat onA while back a bunch of demographers published apaperin the journalExperimental Gerontologyabout a place in the Barbagia region of Sardinia where people lived exceptionally long, healthy lives. (They circled it on the map with a blue pen and the name Blue Zone stuck.) Well,someplace has to have the people who live the longest, right? Just randomActually, no. Because they started to find other Blue Zones. Areas where people were up to three times more likely to live to 100 than the average American. And they didnt just live long - they lived well. Healthier. Happ ier. Fewer diseases. More energy. Hmm.Care to take a quick trip around the world with me? (Well have separate hotel rooms, I promise.)Okinawa, Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world. Their rate of cardiovascular disease is 20% that of the US. Breast and prostate cancer? 25% as often. And dementia is one-third as likely.Men from Nicoya, a peninsula off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, have twice the chance of making it to age 90 as men from the US, France, or Japan. It took them a while to even realize this was a Blue Zone because life expectancy is so low in neighboring countries that mortality studies didnt even bother toaskif anyone lived past 80.In Loma Linda - just 60 miles outside Los Angeles - people live more than 7 years longer than the average Californian. When researchers interviewed a womanthere she told them a story about when her father got gored by a bull. Cool story but whats cooler is that the event happened107 years ago. Lydia just turned 112.What the heck is going on in these places? We know magic pills dont work. Must be due to good genes, right?WrongScientific studies suggest that only about 25 percent of how long we live is dictated by genes, according to famous studies of Danish twins. The other 75 percent is determined by our lifestyles and the everyday choices we make. It follows that if we optimize our lifestyles, we can maximize our life expectancies within our biological limits.So demographers, doctors, and scientists collaborated with the National Institute on Aging toget to the bottom of this, analyzing what these groups ate, how much exercise they got, how they socialized, etc.These are very different places with very different people - but they found patterns. Much of the data is correlational. We cant just say do this and youll live to 100. Theres no magic formula. But certain activities, behaviors and rituals came up again and again that seem to point to lessons that might help us all livelonger, healthier, happi er lives.Ready, Methuselah?Lets get to it Inconvenience yourselfA better header would have been, Exercise. But if I said that, you wouldnt do it. And, to be totally honest here, the Blue Zone people (if I say Blue People you might think I mean Smurfs) never deliberately exercise either.But they move. A lot. Their lives are more active - but not in an Aw, crap, now I have to put on my Nikes and go to Zumba class kinda way. Activity is built into their day.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the Longest they engage in regular, low-intensity physical activity, often as part of a daily work routine. Male centenarians in Sardinias Blue Zone worked most of their lives as shepherds, a profession that involved miles of hiking every day. Okinawans garden for hours each day, growing food for their tables. Adventists take nature walks.So dont worry about the gym. But engage in activities you enjoy. Or just make your life a little less convenient. Take th e stairs. Dont drive when you can walk.(To learn more about how you and your children can lead a successful life, check out my bestselling bookhere.)Now we all know that eating is key to health and longevity. So lets learn a very helpful concept that is easy to use but kinda tricky to say Hara Hachi BuNo, not Hakuna Matata. Hara Hachi Buis a Japanese phrase uttered numerous times a day in the Blue Zone of Okinawa.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestAll of the old folks say it before they eat. It means Eat until you are 80 percent full.The researchers never met acentenarian who was on a diet. They never met one that was obese. And again, genetics were not the primary factor here. They didnt overeat. This helps keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control, reducing the chance of heart disease.(To learn the 4 harsh truths that will make you a better person, clickhere.)Eating less is good - but what should you eat?Plant slantNobody in the history of the world has ever said, Eating more green veggies is a bad idea.Most Blue Zone diets were vegetarian or close to it. Meat was eaten rarely.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestBeans, whole grains, and garden vegetables are the cornerstones of all these longevity diets. Sardinian shepherds take semolina flatbread into the pastures with them. Nicoyans eat corn tortillas at every meal. And whole grain is part of the Adventist diet. Whole grains deliver fiber, antioxidants, potential anti-cancer agents (insoluble fiber), cholesterol reducers, and clot blockers, plus essential minerals. Beans (legumes) also provide a cornerstone to Blue Zone meals. Diets rich in legumes are associated with fewer heart attacks and less colon cancer. Legumes are a good dietary source of healthy flavonoids and fiber (which can reduce the risk of heart attack) and are also an excellent nonanimal source of protein.I didnt say *I* think you n eed to be a vegetarian Im just telling you whatthisresearch said. Paleo preachers, stand down.Now there was one thing that deserves special note because its the closest thing we have to a magic pill and, frankly, it surprised the heck out of me. Even the FDA said, Um, yeah, were really having trouble arguing with that data. Fine. Well kinda say something nice about it.And the magic food is, well nuts. Not crazy. Nuts like actual nuts.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestRecent findings from a large study of (the Loma Linda Blue Zone) show that those who ate nuts at least five times a week had a rate of heart disease that was half that of those who rarely ate nuts. A health claim about nuts is among the first qualified claims permitted by the Food and Drug Administration. In 2003, the FDA allowed a qualified health claim that read Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a d iet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.The researchers sliced the data up every way they could think and still, it showed nuts profoundly impact health and longevity.You look at this very impressive chart, Im gonna go buy some almondsAnd Blue Zoners like their booze. A glass or two of good red wine per day got the thumbs up from the researchers.(To learn how to deal with passive-aggressive people, clickhere.)Alright, were nuts about nuts. But if you want to be a full-on Blue Zoner, dont just shove some in your mouth as you hastily respond to emails and rush out the door DownshiftNicoyans take a break every afternoon to rest and socialize with friends. The Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda take Saturday as a sabbath. The little old ladies of Okinawa gather every day at 330 PM to gossip in traditional social groups known as moai.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestItalian endocrinologist Dr. Cl audio Franceschi has developed a widely accepted theory on the relationship between chronic inflammation and aging. Over time, he believes, the negative effects of inflammation build up to create conditions in the body that may promote age-related diseases such as Alzheimers disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Slowing lifes pace may help keep the chronic inflammation in check, and theoretically, the related disease at bay.Designate a time to take it easy. To turn off the smartphone notifications. Tomeditate. Or to laugh with friends until the sun goes down.(To learn the 4-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, clickhere.)So far weve covered things you can do on your own. But being on your own too much is more Red Zone than Blue Zone. (Or maybe its a Gray Area?)AnywayBelongDr. Ilias Leriadis, the vice mayor of the Blue Zone of Ikaria, said the islandis not a me place. Its an us place.And that was another constant among all of these spots whe re people forget to die Family. Religion. Community.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestProfessor Lisa Berkman of Harvard University has investigated social connectedness and longevity. In one study, she looked at the impact of marital status, ties with friends and relatives, club membership, and level of volunteerism on how well older people aged. Over a nine-year period, she found that those with the most social connectedness lived longer.Whats a good way to get more connected? Rituals. Weekly family dinners. Celebrating holidays. Consistently scheduled get togethers.The most incredible story about Blue Zone community would have to be that of Stamatis Moraitis.He was born in the Blue Zone of Ikaria but moved to the US as an adult. At 65 he was diagnosed with lung cancer and given six months to live.He refused chemo, in fact, he refused any treatment at all. He had lived a good life. He decided to return to his homeland to die.Thoug h weak, he fell in with the rituals of the island. He went to church. He drank wine with old friends. All the while he was counting down the days until he would be buried next to his parents under the oak trees by the blue Aegean Sea And then, somehow, thirty-five years went by. He didnt die. He was 100-years-old. Dont buy your ticket to Greece just yet - spontaneous cancer remission is far from a common occurrence. In fact, the Blue Zone researchers where so shocked by it they asked him what happened to his cancer. He didnt know. He had gone back to America at one point to get checked out but he got no answers His doctors had all passed away.(To learn the nine rituals that will make you an amazing parent, clickhere.)Belonging is key, and it makes for a happier life. So whats the most powerful Blue Zone secret of them all? The one that ensures the others work?Dont zone aloneBelonging in terms of family and religion is great but what makes the Blue Zones so powerful is that everyone supports this same lifestyle. Its easy to eat a certain way when everyone does.This doesnt mean you need to go convert everyone around you but, um, it wouldnt be a terrible idea if you had a few buddies for your Blue Zone journey, would it?FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestSeventh-day Adventists make a point of associating with one another (a practice reinforced by their religious practices and observation of the Sabbath on Saturdays). Sardinians have been isolated geographically in the Nuoro highlands for 2,000 years. As a result, members of these longevity cultures work and socialize with one another, and this reinforces the prescribed behaviors of their cultures. Its much easier to adopt good habits when everyone around you is already practicing them.If you want to live longer, share this post with a friend. Walk together. Eat right together. Downshift together. And dont forget the nuts.(To learn how to deal with out-of-control kids - from hostage negotiators - clickhere.)Okay, weve learned a lot. Yes, this post was long but youre going to live a lot longer now so I feel no guilt whatsoever.Lets round it all up and learn reason number seven - which may be the most profound of them all Sum upThis is how to live a long, awesome lifeInconvenience Yourself Build more movement into your day. Take the stairs, not the escalator. Dont use the phone, go see a friend. If you want French Press coffee, walk to France.Hara Hachi Bu Eat until youre 80% full. (The people of Okinawa seem pretty cool and I dont think theyll mind if you culturally appropriate this concept for the purposes of death prevention.)Plant Slant More veggies. Nuts are the Infinity Stones of longevity eating, Thanos.Downshift Im not writing a description for this. I deserve a siesta. Taking it easy will extend my life so I can write more blog posts later.Belong In the Blue Zone of Ikaria, there is no word for privacy. Now I do enjoy my privacy - but being so supported and loved that you dont even bother to create a word for being alone is pretty cool too.Dont Zone AloneStart a Blue Man Group - sans face paint. Surrounding yourself with others who follow some of the Blue Zone ideas will make living longer easier and more fun.So whats number 7?Purpose in life.Ask yourself, Why do I wake up in the morning? If its a good reason, youll probably have a lot more mornings ahead of you.FromThe Blue Zones 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the LongestOkinawans call it ikigai, and Nicoyans call it plan de vida, but in both cultures the phrase essentially translates to why I wake up in the morning. The strong sense of purpose possessed by older Okinawans may act as a buffer against stress and help reduce their chances of suffering from Alzheimers disease, arthritis, and stroke. Dr. Robert Butler and collaborators led an NIH-funded study that looked at the correlation between having a sense of purpose and longevi ty. His 11-year study followed highly functioning people between the ages of 65 and 92 and found that individuals who expressed a clear goal in life - something to get up for in the morning, something that made a difference- lived longer and were sharper than those who did not Your purpose in life doesnt have to be something epic like single-handedly solving global warming. It can be as simple as meaningful work, a hobby youre passionate about or just wanting to make sure those grandchildren reach their full potential.And that last one isnt just something I randomly came up with. Its a true story the researchers came across during their travelsNona wasnt doing well. She had just celebrated her 100th birthday when she fell ill. She could not get out of bed. Her daughter, Pietrina, thought this might be the end.Pietrina summoned the entire family - 4 daughters and 13 grandkids. Some of them had to come in from mainland Italy. Nonas condition worsened. She lay in bed unconscious.Piet rinas nephew, who had been flunking out of college, sat at his grandmothers bedside whispering to her how much he was going to miss her And Nonas eyes popped open. In her native Sardinian she snappedIm not goinganywhereuntil youre done with the universityNona recovered. Andher grandson graduated.Sometimes all we need to keep living is a purpose.And take it from Nona there is no better purpose than making sure the ones we love are doing well.Join over 320,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.