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We all want to live longer. Or, more specifically: better for longer. We want steady energy levels, sound minds and the ability to go out and explore for decades to come. Which is probably why so many of us are fascinated with “Blue Zones”—as in, those parts of the world in which people live significantly longer than average, often into their nineties and even one-hundreds. The five major Blue Zones as agreed by scientists are currently Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, Ikaria in Greece and Nicoya in Costa Rica – all areas that can teach us a lot about how to live well.
But there’s an emerging Blue Zone in our midst, according to new research, one that’s worth paying attention to: Caltabellotta, a remote mountain town in Sicily. “Caltabellotta’s population data first drew our attention due to an exceptionally high ratio of people in their nineties,” Professor Gianni Pes, a pioneer of Blue Zone research, explains. “Such statistics indicate that Caltabellotta’s longevity profile is exceptional. The prevalence of nonagenarians [those in their nineties] in Caltabellotta’s population has roughly quadrupled over the past couple decades; nearly three times the Italian national average.”
While you could go to Caltabellotta yourself—there are a few getaways over there, including Verdura Resort, which now has a pioneering longevity program backed by the aforementioned research—you could also just copy and paste some of the Sicilian lifestyle choices at home. To that end, here are five Blue Zone habits to adopt now, based on those who live in Caltabellotta.
Keep stress levels low
I know, easier said than done, but this is a big one. “One reason Caltabellotta and similar Sicilian villages foster longevity is their low-stress lifestyle,” explains Professor Pes. Essentially, they have a slower pace of life; they’re not throwing themselves on the Tube at rush hour and replying to emails on the move. “Life in this rural town moves at a different pace than any city, following seasonal cycles, agricultural routines, and longstanding social rituals. This slower, agrarian way of life is associated with minimal chronic stress levels.”
Obviously, we can’t all slow down our lives exponentially, especially if we have kids or demanding jobs. But we can incorporate stress-relieving rituals into our daily routines, whether that means taking an afternoon nap on a Sunday, enjoying long, meandering dinner parties or going away for a proper holiday as much as feasibly possible. If something’s going to stress you out and you can avoid it, then do.
Opt for a Mediterranean diet
It’s worth paying attention to, because the Mediterranean diet (ie, plant and healthy-fat heavy) something plenty of Blue Zones have in common with one another, including Sicily. “In this community, the Mediterranean diet isn’t a conscious fad but a way of life passed down through generations,” says Professor Pes. “Meals center on locally grown, minimally-processed foods: plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, with moderate portions of fish or meat. Olive oil is the principal fat source, providing heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.”
The reason behind opting for this diet over others? “This dietary pattern has been strongly linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, and is the only nutritional model so far shown to meaningfully improve health outcomes as people age.”
Strengthen social bonds
Being a lone wolf is all well and good, but research shows that fostering community is a major driving force when it comes to living well for longer. “A defining feature of Caltabellotta’s longevity hotspot is the strength of social bonds,” says Professor Pes. “In modern cities, social isolation and fragmented communities are common, but in this Sicilian village, tight-knit relationships are the norm. There is a profound ‘place attachment;’ residents feel a strong emotional connection to their hometown and neighbors.”
It can be hard to build community when you live in, say, London, where stopping to talk to your neighbors is considered strange behavior, but it pays to push through the awkwardness and chat to those around you. Get involved in local activities (there’s a coffee shop at the end of my street that does regular supper clubs, for example) and engage with your neighbors… it’s what the Sicilians do! “Even in a fast-paced city setting, making time for family, friends and community activities can yield psychological benefits,” says Professor Pes.
Move, move, move
We could have seen this coming, but it turns out that being sedentary is actually not very good for us in the long term. “[One] universal habit [that we can adopt] is regular physical activity,” says Professor Pes. “In Caltabellotta, people stay active through walking hilly streets, gardening and daily chores.” Fortunately, this is an easy one to incorporate at home—just try going on a walk after dinner every day.
Escape the city
I’ve written before about the value of “blue space” and “green space” when it comes to health and happiness (essentially, being by the sea or among nature), and this remains a key component with regards to Blue Zones. “The natural environment itself further helps keep stress in check,” says Professor Pes. “Such conditions reduce the ‘allostatic load’, which is the cumulative wear-and-tear on the body from chronic stressors. We believe that Caltabellotta’s moderate altitude, unpolluted air and biodiversity-rich soil may confer health benefits like better cardiovascular fitness and robust immune function.”
Again, we might not be able to escape the city as much as we’d like if we live in one, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reap the benefits of nature as much as possible—whether that means traveling to the mountains instead of going on a city break, or heading to the seaside at weekends.
“While we may not all live in a sun-soaked Sicilian village, we can integrate many of its longevity-enhancing practices into our own lives,” concludes Professor Pes. “As the evidence from Blue Zones shows, it’s the cumulative effect of these lifestyle choices, sustained over years, that unlocks the potential for a longer, healthier life.”
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