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Published:November2005

TheSecretsofLongLife
ResidentsofOkinawa,Sardinia,andLomaLinda,California,livelonger,healthierlivesthanjustaboutanyoneelseonEarth.

ByDanBuettner

WhatifIsaidyoucouldadduptotenyearstoyourlife?

Alonghealthylifeisnoaccident.Itbeginswithgoodgenes,butitalsodependsongoodhabits.Ifyouadopttherightlifestyle,expertssay,chancesareyou
mayliveuptoadecadelonger.Sowhatstheformulaforsuccess?Inrecentyearsresearchershavefannedoutacrosstheglobetofindthesecretstolonglife.
FundedinpartbytheU.S.NationalInstituteonAging,scientistshavefocusedonseveralregionswherepeoplelivesignificantlylonger.InSardinia,Italy,
oneteamofdemographersfoundahotspotoflongevityinmountainvillageswheremenreachage100atanamazingrate.OntheislandsofOkinawa,Japan,
anotherteamexaminedagroupthatisamongthelongestlivedonEarth.AndinLomaLinda,California,researchersstudiedagroupofSeventhday
AdventistswhorankamongAmericaslongevityallstars.Residentsofthesethreeplacesproduceahighrateofcentenarians,sufferafractionofthediseases
thatcommonlykillpeopleinotherpartsofthedevelopedworld,andenjoymorehealthyyearsoflife.Insum,theyofferthreesetsofbestpracticesto
emulate.Therestisuptoyou.

Sardinians

OutintheworkshedbehindhishouseinthevillageofSilanus,75yearoldToninoTolaemergeselbowdeepfromthesteamingcarcassofafreshly
slaughteredcalf,setsdownhisknife,andgreetsmewithawarm,bloodyhandshake.Thenhetakeshisthickglisteningfingersandticklesthechinofhisfive
montholdgrandson,Filippo,whoregardsthescenefromhismothersarms.Goochi,goochigoo,Toninowhispers.Forthisstrapping,sixfoottall
shepherd,thesetwothingshardworkandfamilyformthebedrockofhislife.TheymayalsohelpexplainwhyToninoandhisneighborsareahotspotof
longevity.

Acommunityof2,400people,SilanusislocatedontheslopingfringesoftheGennargentuMountainsincentralSardinia,whereparchedpastureseruptinto
granitepeaks.InaclusterofvillagesintheheartofaregioncalledtheBlueZonebydemographers,91ofthe17,865peoplebornbetween1880and1900
havelivedtotheirhundredthbirthdayaratemorethantwiceashighastheaverageforItaly.

Whytheextraordinarylongevityhere?Lifestyleispartoftheanswer.By11a.m.onthisparticularday,Toninohasalreadymilkedfourcows,splithalfacord
ofwood,slaughteredacalf,andwalkedfourmiles(6.4kilometers)ofpasturewithhissheep.Now,takingthedaysfirstbreak,hegathershisgrownchildren,
grandson,andvisitorsaroundthekitchentable.Giovanna,hiswife,arobustwomanwithquick,intelligenteyes,untiesahandkerchiefcontainingapaper
thinflatbreadcalledcartadamusica,fillsourtumblerswithredwine,andslicesaroundofhomemadepecorinocheesewiththethumpingseverityofa
womanincharge.

Likemanywivesherewhosehusbandsarebusytendingsheep,Giovannashoulderstheburdensofmanagingthehouseandfamilyfinances.Among
Mediterraneancultures,Sardinianwomenhaveareputationfortakingonthestressoftheseresponsibilities.Forthemen,lessstressmayreducetheriskof
cardiovasculardisease,whichmayexplainwhytheratiooffemaletomalecentenariansisnearlyonetooneinsomepartsofSardinia,comparedwithafour
tooneratiofavoringwomenintheUnitedStates.

Idothework,admitsTonino,hookingGiovannaaroundthewaist,myragazzadoestheworrying.

TheseSardiniansalsobenefitfromtheirgenetichistory.About11,000yearsago,huntergatherersfromtheIberianPeninsulamadetheirwayeastwardto
Sardinia.AfterseveralmillenniatheBronzeAgeNuragicculturearoseontheislandsfertilecoastalplains.WhenmilitarypowerssuchasthePhoenicians

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andRomansdiscoveredSardiniascharms,thenativeswereforcedtoretreatdeeperanddeeperintothehighlands.Theretheydevelopedawarinessof
foreignersandareputationforbanditry,kidnapping,andsettlingvendettaswiththelesoria,thetraditionalSardinianshepherdsknife.

IntheirisolationnativeSardiniansbecamegeneticincubators,amplifyingcertaintraitsovergenerations.Eventodayroughly80percentofthemaredirectly
relatedtothefirstSardinians,saysPaoloFrancalaccioftheUniversityofSassari.Somewhereinthisgeneticmix,hesays,maylieacombinationthatfavors
longevity.

Toninosfamilysdietisanotherfactor.Itsloadedwithhomegrownfruitsandvegetablessuchaszucchini,eggplant,tomatoes,andfavabeansthatmay
reducetheriskofheartdiseaseandcoloncancer.Alsoonthetable:dairyproductssuchasmilkfromgrassfedsheepandpecorinocheese,which,likefish,
contributeproteinandomega3fattyacids.ToninostillmakeswinefromhissmallvineyardofCannonaugrapes,whichinthismountainouspartofSardinia
containtwotothreetimesasmuchofacomponentfoundinotherwinesthatmaypreventcardiovasculardisease.

Butwithglobalizationandmodernization,evenremoteSardiniaischanging.Carsandtruckshaveeliminatedtheneedtowalklongdistances.Youngpeople
aremoreoutwardlookingandlesstraditional.Obesity,virtuallynonexistentbefore1940,nowafflictsabout10percentofSardinians.Childrenwant
potatochipsandpizzas.ThatswhattheyseeonTV,saysTonino.Breadandpecorinoareoldfashioned.

Onethingthathasntchanged:theSardiniansdedicationtofamily,whichassuresbothsupportintimesofcrisisandlifeextendingcarefortheelderly.I
wouldneverputmyfatherinaretirementhome,saysToninosdaughterIrene.Itwoulddishonorthefamily.

ForTonino,theworkdaystillincludesalateafternoontrektopasturehis200sheep.Lookingjauntyinhiscap,coat,andleathergaiters,hestridesthrougha
narrowopeninginastonewall,countinghissheepastheyfollowhim.Whenthreesheeptrytosqueezethrough,theyknockoverasectionofthewall.With
disquietingease,Toninohoiststheheavyrocksbackintoplace.Thenheleansbackonarockoutcroppingandassumestheageoldroleofsentinel,aroutine
hehasperformedformanydecades.

Doyouevergetbored?Iask.Beforethewordsleavemymouth,IrealizeIveutteredaheresy.Toninoswingsaround,pointingatme,driedbloodstill
rimminghisfingernail,andbooms:Ivelovedlivinghereeverydayofmylife.

Okinawans

ThefirstthingyounoticeaboutUshiOkushimaisherlaugh.Itbeginsinherbelly,rumblesuptohershoulders,andtheneruptswithaheehawthatfillsthe
roomwithpurejoy.IfirstmetUshifiveyearsagoatherhomeinOkinawa,andnowitsthatsamelaughthatdrawsmebacktohersmallwoodenhouseinthe
seasidevillageofOgimi.Thisrainyafternoonshesitssnuglywrappedinabluekimono.Aheroicshockofhairiscombedbackfromherbronzedforehead
revealingalert,greeneyes.Hersmoothhandslieserenelyfoldedinherlap.Atherfeetsitherfriends,SetsukoandMatsuTaira,crossleggedonatatami
mat,sippingtea.SinceIlastvisitedUshi,shestakenanewjob,triedtorunawayfromhome,andstartedwearingperfume.Predictablebehaviorforayoung
woman,perhaps,butUshiis103.WhenIaskabouttheperfume,shejokesthatshehasanewboyfriend,thenclapsahandoverhermouthbeforeunleashing
oneofherblessedlaughs.

Withanaveragelifeexpectancyof78yearsformenand86yearsforwomen,Okinawansareamongtheworldslongestlivedpeople.Moreimportant,elders
livinginthislushsubtropicalarchipelagotendtoenjoyyearsfreefromdisabilities.Okinawanshaveafifththeheartdisease,afourththebreastandprostate
cancer,andathirdlessdementiathanAmericans,saysCraigWillcoxoftheOkinawaCentenarianStudy.

Whatsthekeytotheirsuccess?Ikigaicertainlyhelps,Willcoxoffers.Thewordtranslatesroughlytothatwhichmakesoneslifeworthliving.Older
Okinawans,hesays,possessastrongsenseofpurposethatmayactasabufferagainststressanddiseasessuchashypertension.Manyalsobelongtoa
Okinawanstylemoai,amutualsupportnetworkthatprovidesfinancial,emotional,andsocialhelpthroughoutlife.

Aleandietmayalsobeafactor.AheapingplateofOkinawanvegetables,tofu,misosoup,andalittlefishormeatwillhavefewercaloriesthanasmall
hamburger,saysMakotoSuzukioftheOkinawaCentenarianStudy.Anditwillhavemanymorehealthynutrients.Whatsmore,manyOkinawanswho
grewupbeforeWorldWarIIneverdevelopedthetendencytooverindulge.TheystilllivebytheConfucianinspiredadageharahachibueatuntilyour
stomachis80percentfull.

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Andtheygrowmuchoftheirownfood.TakingonelookatthegardenskeptbyOkinawancentenarians,GregPlotnikoff,atraditionalmedicineresearcherat
theUniversityofMinnesota,calledthemcabinetsofpreventivemedicine.Herbs,spices,fruits,andvegetables,suchasChineseradishes,garlic,scallions,
cabbage,turmeric,andtomatoes,hesaid,containcompoundsthatmayblockcancersbeforetheystart.

Ironically,formanyolderOkinawansthisdietwasbornofhardship.UshiOkushimagrewupbarefootandpoor.HerfamilyscratchedalivingoutofOgimis
rockyterrain,growingsweetpotatoes,whichformedthecoreofeverymeal.TocelebratetheNewYear,hervillagebutcheredapig,andeveryonegota
morselofpork.

DuringWorldWarII,whenU.S.warshipsshelledOkinawa,UshiandSetsuko,whosehusbandshadbeenconscriptedintotheJapaneseArmy,fledtothe
mountainswiththeirchildren.Weexperiencedterriblehunger,Setsukorecalls.

Ushinowwakeseverymorningatsixandeatsasmallbreakfastofmilk,bananas,andtomatoes.Untilveryrecentlyshegrewmostofherfood(shegaveup
gardeningwhenshetookajob).Buthertraditionhonoreddailyritualshaventchanged:morningprayerstoherancestors,teawithfriends,lunchwith
family,anafternoonnap,asunsetsocialhourwithfriends,andbeforebedacupofsakeinfusedwiththeherbmugwort.Ithelpsmesleep,shesays.

BackinUshishousewerefinishingourtea.Outside,duskisfallingrainpattersontheroof.Ushisdaughter,Kikue,whois78andfindslittleamusementin
theattentionhermotherdraws,shootsmeaglarethatItaketomeanyouveoverstayedyourwelcome.(WhenUshiranawayfromhome,shewasactually
fleeinganargumentwithKikue.Shepackedabagandboardedabuswithouttellingherdaughter.Arelativecaughtupwithherinatown40miles(64.4
kilometers)away.)

Ushi,Setsuko,andMatsutakethecueandfallsilentinunison.Thesewomenhavesharedeachothersfortunesandenduredeachotherssorrowsfornearly
acenturyandnowseemtocommunicatewordlessly.

WhatisUshisikigai,IaskthatpowerfulsenseofpurposethatolderOkinawansaresaidtopossess?

Itsherlongevityitself,answersherdaughter.Shebringspridetoourfamilyandthisvillage,andnowfeelsshemustkeeplivingeventhoughsheisoften
tired.

IlooktoUshiforherownanswer.

Myikigaiisrighthere,shesayswithaslowsweepofherhandthattakesinSetsukoandMatsu.Iftheydie,IwillwonderwhyIamstillliving.

Adventists

ItsFridaymorning,andMargeJettonisbarrelingdowntheSanBernardinoFreewayinhermauveCadillacSeville.Shepeersoutthewindshieldfrom
behinddarksunshades,herheadbarelyclearingthesteeringwheel.Marge,whoturned101inSeptember,islateforoneofseveralvolunteercommitments
shehastoday,andshesdrivingfast.Alreadythismorningsheswalkedamile(1.6kilometers),liftedweights,andeatenheroatmeal.IdontknowwhyGod
gavemetheprivilegeoflivingsolong,shesays,pointingtoherself.Butlookwhathedid.

GodmayormaynothavehadsomethingtodowithMargesvitality,butherreligionhas.MargeisaSeventhdayAdventist.WereinLomaLinda,California,
halfwaybetweenPalmSpringsandLosAngeles.Here,surroundedbyorangegrovesandusuallyblanketedinmustardcoloredsmog,livesamuchstudied
concentrationofSeventhdayAdventists.

TheAdventistChurchbornduringtheeraof19thcenturyhealthreformsthatpopularizedorganizedvegetarianism,thegrahamcracker,andbreakfast
cereals(JohnHarveyKelloggwasanAdventistwhenhestartedmakingwheatflakes)hasalwayspreachedandpracticedamessageofhealth.Itexpressly
forbidssmoking,alcoholconsumption,andeatingbiblicallyuncleanfoods,suchaspork.Italsodiscouragestheconsumptionofothermeat,richfoods,
caffeinateddrinks,andstimulatingcondimentsandspices.Grains,fruits,nuts,andvegetablesconstitutethedietchosenforusbyourCreator,wrote
EllenWhite,anearlyfigurewhohelpedshapetheAdventistChurch.AdventistsalsoobservetheSabbathonSaturday,socializingwithotherchurch

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membersandenjoyingasanctuaryintimethathelpsrelievestress.TodaymostAdventistsfollowtheprescribedlifestyleatestimony,perhaps,tothe
powerofmixinghealthandreligion.

From1976to1988theNationalInstitutesofHealthfundedastudyof34,000CaliforniaAdventiststoseewhethertheirhealthorientedlifestyleaffected
theirlifeexpectancyandriskofheartdiseaseandcancer.ThestudyfoundthattheAdventistshabitofconsumingbeans,soymilk,tomatoes,andotherfruits
loweredtheirriskofdevelopingcertaincancers.Italsosuggestedthateatingwholewheatbread,drinkingfiveglassesofwateraday,and,mostsurprisingly,
consumingfourservingsofnutsaweekreducedtheirriskofheartdisease.Anditfoundthatnoteatingredmeathadbeenhelpfultoavoidbothcancerand
heartdisease.

Intheendthestudyreachedastunningconclusion,saysGaryFraserofLomaLindaUniversity:TheaverageAdventistlivedfourtotenyearslongerthanthe
averageCalifornian.ThatmakestheAdventistsoneofthenationsmostconvincingculturesoflongevity.

ImeetMargeatthePlazaPlacehairsaloninRedlands,wheresheskeptan8a.m.appointmentwithstylistBarbaraMillereveryFridayforthepast20years.
WhenIarrive,MargeisflippingthroughacopyofReadersDigestasBarbarauncurlsasilverlockofhair.Yourelate!sheshouts.BehindMargealineof
stylistslanguidlycoifotherheadsofhair,allinvaryingshadesofgray.Wereabunchofdinosaursaroundhere,Barbarawhisperstome.Youmaybe,
Margeshootsback.Notme.

Halfanhourlater,herhairacottonytuft,Margeleadsmetohercar.Shedoesntwalk,quite,butscootswithasnappy,candoshuffle.Getin,sheorders.
Youcanhelp.WedrivetotheLomaLindaadultservicescenter,adaycarecenterforseniors,mostofwhomareseveraldecadesyoungerthanMarge.She
popsopenhertrunkandheavesoutfourbundlesofmagazinesshescollectedduringtheweek.Theoldfolkshereliketoreadthemandcutoutthepictures
forcrafts,Margeexplains.Oldfolks?

Nextstop:deliveringrecyclablebottlestoawomanonwelfarewhowilllaterredeemthemfordeposits.OnthewayMargetellsmeshewasbornpoor,toa
muleskinnerfatherandhomemakermotherinYubaCity,California.Sheremembersthe1906SanFranciscoearthquake,whenshewasjustatoddler,and
theaftershockthatreachedherfamilyfarmandsloshedwateroutoftheanimaltrough.Sheworkedasanurse,putherhusbandthroughmedicalschool,and
raisedtwochildrenasadoctorswife.Herhusband,James,diedtwodaysbeforetheir77thanniversary.OfcourseIfeellonelyonceinawhile,butforme
thatsalwaysbeenasigntogetupandgohelpsomebody.

LikemanyAdventists,MargespendsmostofhertimewithotherAdventists.ItsdifficulttohavenonAdventistfriends,shesays.Wheredoyoumeet
them?Youdontdothesamethings.Idontgotomoviesordances.Asaresult,researcherssay,Adventistsincreasetheirchancesforlonglifeby
associatingwithpeoplewhoreinforcetheirhealthybehaviors.

Atnoon,backatLindaValleyVilla,whereMargelivesinacommunityofretiredAdventists,shetreatsmetolunch.Wesitbyourselves,butastreamof
neighborsstopbytosayhello.Overtofucasseroleandmixedgreensalad,IaskMargetoshareherlongevitywisdom.

Ihaventeatenmeatin50years,andInevereatbetweenmeals,shesays,tappingherperfectteeth.Theyreallmine.Hervolunteerworkhelpsheravoid
thelifeshorteninglonelinesssufferedbysomanyseniorsandgivesherasenseofpurpose,whichimbuesthelivesofothersuccessfulcentenarians.I
realizedalongtimeagothatIneededtogoouttotheworld,shesays.Theworldwasnotgoingtocometome.

IhavealastquestionforMarge.Afterinterviewingmorethan50centenariansonthreecontinents,Ivefoundeveryonelikabletherehasntbeenagrumpin
thebunch.Whatsthesecrettoacenturyofcongeniality?

Well,Iliketotalktopeople,shesays.IlookatstrangersasfriendsIhaventmetyet.Shepausestorethinkheranswer.Thenagain,peoplemaylookat
meandwonder,Whydoesntthatwomankeephermouthshut!

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