People in Blue Zones 'don't try to live longer,' expert says: Here's why they do anyway

Supplements, superfoods, and health hacks are advertised constantly to those looking to live a long, healthy life, but focusing on just those quick solutions is not very effective, according to leading longevity researcher Dan Buettner.

On a recent episode of "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris," Buettner, who popularized the world's Blue Zones, spoke about how attempting to achieve good health through extreme measures can be counterproductive.

In "five corners of the world," blue zones are living on average eight years longer than Americans, Buettner said. Yet, "none of them are tracking their steps, or taking superfoods, or running down to Costa Rica for stem cells."

There's something that people in Blue Zones do that most Americans don't, and probably should, he noted.

"They don't try to live longer. They don't proactively pursue health or longevity, which I think is the most important insight that is so under-acknowledged," Buettner said during the podcast episode.

"Trying to pursue health, whether it's through diets or exercise programs," Buettner said, "they're great business models but they're horrible at delivering any meaningful outcomes."

Instead, residents of blue zones prioritize improving their personal relationships and developing a sense of community, he said.

"In blue zones, people live a long time not because they pursue health. It's because it ensues," Buettner said. "They live in an environment wherein their micro unconscious decisions are slightly better all day long, as a result of their surroundings." And this includes who they surround themselves with.

Maintaining positive connections with people who engage in healthy activities like walking daily or having plant-based meals with loved ones is something Buettner highly recommends for longevity.

"If they want to live longer, lose weight, get more exercise, eat better," Buettner said, "they'll get a far better return on their effort, time and money by shaping their environment than they ever will by buying a gadget or thinking they're going to change their behavior for long enough to make any difference."

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