1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast 2 00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:11,693 Speaker 1: from News Talks at Be. 3 00:00:12,733 --> 00:00:16,013 Speaker 2: A few weeks ago, I had the great privilege of 4 00:00:16,173 --> 00:00:20,293 Speaker 2: spending a week in Costa Rica, of all places. It 5 00:00:20,653 --> 00:00:22,173 Speaker 2: took a little bit of a family trip, had a 6 00:00:22,213 --> 00:00:25,453 Speaker 2: little bit of paternity leave. We were in the Northern Hemisphere. 7 00:00:25,493 --> 00:00:27,373 Speaker 3: We thought, since we're in this part of the world, 8 00:00:27,493 --> 00:00:32,173 Speaker 3: since we're in we're in the warmer climbs at the moment, 9 00:00:32,253 --> 00:00:35,413 Speaker 3: let's make the most of being being up here and 10 00:00:35,533 --> 00:00:37,733 Speaker 3: take a few days in Costa Rica. And when I 11 00:00:37,773 --> 00:00:40,613 Speaker 3: was traveling through Costa Rica, I was surprised to travel 12 00:00:40,613 --> 00:00:44,813 Speaker 3: through the Nakoya Peninsula, which is one of the world's 13 00:00:45,093 --> 00:00:46,853 Speaker 3: few blue zones. 14 00:00:47,213 --> 00:00:49,493 Speaker 2: Now, a blue zone is one of these places where, 15 00:00:50,053 --> 00:00:54,253 Speaker 2: for whatever reason, and there are several reasons, people or 16 00:00:54,333 --> 00:00:58,973 Speaker 2: citizens of that region on average, have much higher life 17 00:00:59,013 --> 00:01:02,173 Speaker 2: expectancies than in other parts of the world. So anyway, 18 00:01:02,253 --> 00:01:05,693 Speaker 2: I wasn't the only one whose interest was piqued by 19 00:01:05,773 --> 00:01:10,173 Speaker 2: the Nikoi Peninsula and the concept of blue zones. Google Sutherland, 20 00:01:10,613 --> 00:01:14,133 Speaker 2: clinical psychologist from Umbrella well Being, was interested as well, 21 00:01:14,173 --> 00:01:17,053 Speaker 2: and he's with us this morning. Calderdogle Cura Jack. 22 00:01:17,173 --> 00:01:18,973 Speaker 4: Yes, I picked up what you were putting down, and 23 00:01:19,013 --> 00:01:21,453 Speaker 4: I thought, gosh, I wonder what is about those blue 24 00:01:21,533 --> 00:01:24,773 Speaker 4: zones that makes them, you know, that magical place And 25 00:01:24,813 --> 00:01:26,773 Speaker 4: maybe if we all just did what they do, maybe 26 00:01:26,773 --> 00:01:28,013 Speaker 4: we'd live longer too. 27 00:01:28,213 --> 00:01:30,853 Speaker 2: Yeah, So what actually is a blue zone? Because you've 28 00:01:30,853 --> 00:01:32,413 Speaker 2: looked into this more than I did when I was 29 00:01:32,453 --> 00:01:34,613 Speaker 2: traveling through and until I traveled through Costa Rica at 30 00:01:34,613 --> 00:01:36,453 Speaker 2: the very least, what actually is a blue zone? 31 00:01:36,813 --> 00:01:39,973 Speaker 4: Yeah? So I mean you've I think encapsulated in nicely. 32 00:01:40,013 --> 00:01:43,373 Speaker 4: It's where people on average live turnto their nineties or 33 00:01:43,373 --> 00:01:46,693 Speaker 4: their hundreds, which is longer than the average life expectancy, 34 00:01:46,693 --> 00:01:51,053 Speaker 4: which is surprisingly short. Actually it's so worldwide. It's seventy 35 00:01:51,093 --> 00:01:53,613 Speaker 4: one for males and seventy six for females is the 36 00:01:53,653 --> 00:01:56,733 Speaker 4: average life expectance. I guess if you average that out 37 00:01:56,773 --> 00:01:59,413 Speaker 4: over some you know, developed countries and third world that 38 00:01:59,453 --> 00:02:02,053 Speaker 4: perhaps makes sense, but still a little shorter than I thought. 39 00:02:03,453 --> 00:02:06,933 Speaker 4: But yeah, And four zones that have been identify so 40 00:02:07,653 --> 00:02:11,773 Speaker 4: Costa Rica and the Korea. Sardinia was the original one 41 00:02:11,773 --> 00:02:16,053 Speaker 4: that they identified in two thousand and four Okinawa in Japan, 42 00:02:16,213 --> 00:02:19,333 Speaker 4: and I think I'm pronouncing this correct. Acardia and Greece 43 00:02:19,733 --> 00:02:23,093 Speaker 4: are the four known four known blue zones. There might 44 00:02:23,133 --> 00:02:25,253 Speaker 4: be others, but those are the four that have been not. 45 00:02:25,573 --> 00:02:28,333 Speaker 2: What's funny because you sort of think, like, what is 46 00:02:28,373 --> 00:02:31,253 Speaker 2: it that links those places? They're quite you know there, 47 00:02:31,973 --> 00:02:34,653 Speaker 2: you know there in some respects a long way from 48 00:02:34,693 --> 00:02:38,813 Speaker 2: each other, and yet they all kind of share this phenomenon. 49 00:02:38,813 --> 00:02:40,653 Speaker 2: And there's been a few bit of research right into 50 00:02:40,773 --> 00:02:44,333 Speaker 2: into what are the qualities that you know, or what 51 00:02:44,373 --> 00:02:47,853 Speaker 2: are the lifestyles they're contributing to people living this line. 52 00:02:48,333 --> 00:02:50,853 Speaker 4: Yeah, well there's I mean, there's probably genes is probably 53 00:02:50,893 --> 00:02:53,653 Speaker 4: a factor, but you can't really do much about your genetics. 54 00:02:53,733 --> 00:02:56,213 Speaker 4: You're born with that and that's it. And there's possibly 55 00:02:56,293 --> 00:03:01,373 Speaker 4: some geographical features as well, but yeah, lifestyle is probably 56 00:03:01,373 --> 00:03:03,773 Speaker 4: the main ones that people have focused on because it 57 00:03:03,853 --> 00:03:09,933 Speaker 4: is somewhat in our in our realm of control, but 58 00:03:10,373 --> 00:03:13,293 Speaker 4: important as we talk about these that people, I was 59 00:03:13,293 --> 00:03:14,693 Speaker 4: a bit inclined to do this when I read them. 60 00:03:14,733 --> 00:03:15,853 Speaker 4: I thought, I'll have a bit of that and a 61 00:03:15,893 --> 00:03:16,933 Speaker 4: bit of that and a bit of that, but I 62 00:03:16,933 --> 00:03:19,093 Speaker 4: don't think I'll do that. And it was like, no, no, 63 00:03:19,133 --> 00:03:21,213 Speaker 4: it's probably you need to have all of the they've 64 00:03:21,253 --> 00:03:23,973 Speaker 4: identified seven key factors and you probably need to do 65 00:03:24,093 --> 00:03:25,413 Speaker 4: all of these seven I. 66 00:03:25,413 --> 00:03:28,853 Speaker 2: Feel like not going to be fun. Well no, I 67 00:03:28,933 --> 00:03:29,253 Speaker 2: don't know. 68 00:03:29,333 --> 00:03:32,013 Speaker 4: I mean the first one is as well known. It's 69 00:03:32,053 --> 00:03:34,173 Speaker 4: the it's the it's the diet, right, and you know, 70 00:03:34,253 --> 00:03:39,133 Speaker 4: the classic being the the classic being the Mediterranean diet, 71 00:03:39,213 --> 00:03:43,013 Speaker 4: so lots of plant based stuff. Interestingly in this this 72 00:03:43,053 --> 00:03:45,613 Speaker 4: piqued my interest. But interestingly, if you have lots of 73 00:03:45,653 --> 00:03:48,853 Speaker 4: olive oil, a moderate amount of Greek coffee, and a 74 00:03:48,933 --> 00:03:52,093 Speaker 4: moderate amount here we go of red wine, it was like, okay, 75 00:03:52,253 --> 00:03:52,853 Speaker 4: I can do that. 76 00:03:53,013 --> 00:03:54,613 Speaker 2: It's the black pressure one though, isn't it. 77 00:03:55,293 --> 00:03:57,933 Speaker 4: I think, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so. 78 00:03:57,933 --> 00:03:58,053 Speaker 1: So. 79 00:03:58,853 --> 00:04:01,933 Speaker 4: Another interesting fact about eating, though, was not only the diet, 80 00:04:02,013 --> 00:04:04,293 Speaker 4: but it was that the way that you eat, and 81 00:04:04,413 --> 00:04:07,133 Speaker 4: this idea that you stop eating when you're about eighty 82 00:04:07,133 --> 00:04:10,373 Speaker 4: percent full, so you don't eat to sort of full 83 00:04:10,373 --> 00:04:12,093 Speaker 4: as a ball you kind of go no, no, I'm 84 00:04:12,493 --> 00:04:14,773 Speaker 4: pretty much done. I think. So that is sort of 85 00:04:15,413 --> 00:04:17,933 Speaker 4: and not quite sure what the magic is there, but 86 00:04:18,413 --> 00:04:20,493 Speaker 4: that seems to be a part or it seems to 87 00:04:20,493 --> 00:04:22,253 Speaker 4: be a factor that links everything in see. 88 00:04:22,333 --> 00:04:24,333 Speaker 2: I find that that's the hard part of it for me. 89 00:04:24,853 --> 00:04:27,613 Speaker 2: I can I'm my ethos with food, and I've gone 90 00:04:27,653 --> 00:04:29,373 Speaker 2: on and on about this over the years, is that 91 00:04:29,533 --> 00:04:33,493 Speaker 2: I don't mind eating I mean, I meat, and I 92 00:04:33,613 --> 00:04:36,053 Speaker 2: love eating sugar. I've got a real sweet tooth. But 93 00:04:36,053 --> 00:04:37,813 Speaker 2: my thing is just not wanting to eat too much 94 00:04:37,853 --> 00:04:42,533 Speaker 2: processed food. So I always prefer to eat like a 95 00:04:42,573 --> 00:04:45,973 Speaker 2: slice or a nice piece of cake that I've picked 96 00:04:46,053 --> 00:04:50,453 Speaker 2: up in a fancy cafe as opposed to eating a 97 00:04:50,493 --> 00:04:53,533 Speaker 2: bag of lollies or a thing of chocolate or cereal 98 00:04:53,693 --> 00:04:57,413 Speaker 2: or something like that. You know, yeah, but but but 99 00:04:57,413 --> 00:04:59,533 Speaker 2: but I will eat until I'm one hundred and fifteen 100 00:04:59,533 --> 00:05:06,053 Speaker 2: percent that might be yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, So the 101 00:05:06,133 --> 00:05:07,013 Speaker 2: diet an obvious one. 102 00:05:07,013 --> 00:05:10,053 Speaker 4: What else, Yeah, eat healthy, move naturally they call it, 103 00:05:10,093 --> 00:05:12,813 Speaker 4: So keep up physical activity, but do it in just 104 00:05:12,893 --> 00:05:18,453 Speaker 4: a natural way. So walking, gardening, just having having movement 105 00:05:18,493 --> 00:05:23,173 Speaker 4: and physical activity as part of your natural normal days. 106 00:05:23,213 --> 00:05:25,573 Speaker 4: So this isn't sort of going to the gym and 107 00:05:25,613 --> 00:05:27,653 Speaker 4: doing like crossing sessions in the gym. 108 00:05:27,733 --> 00:05:28,973 Speaker 2: Yeah right, that's interesting. 109 00:05:29,933 --> 00:05:32,333 Speaker 4: So it's just built. I think it's that lifestyle building 110 00:05:32,333 --> 00:05:35,733 Speaker 4: it in that it becomes you know, you're kind of active, 111 00:05:35,813 --> 00:05:36,973 Speaker 4: but naturally active. 112 00:05:37,333 --> 00:05:40,333 Speaker 2: Where that is that is really interesting? Okay, see I'm 113 00:05:40,453 --> 00:05:45,493 Speaker 2: an enthusiastic exerciser most of the time, but being in 114 00:05:45,533 --> 00:05:48,693 Speaker 2: my late thirties now I've got like quite developed arthritis 115 00:05:48,693 --> 00:05:51,413 Speaker 2: in my hip, like it's a real problem. Yeah, and 116 00:05:51,453 --> 00:05:53,573 Speaker 2: so I can see that, and part of that will 117 00:05:53,573 --> 00:05:55,613 Speaker 2: have been the way I have been exercising, you know, 118 00:05:55,733 --> 00:06:00,053 Speaker 2: And you can see how that will ultimately lead to 119 00:06:00,093 --> 00:06:03,813 Speaker 2: me being less active in the future. Yes, maybe if 120 00:06:03,813 --> 00:06:05,773 Speaker 2: actually I've been a little bit more chill over the 121 00:06:06,173 --> 00:06:08,813 Speaker 2: and just done a bit more walking instead of running 122 00:06:08,893 --> 00:06:11,493 Speaker 2: or whatever else, but of guarding than actually wear and 123 00:06:11,573 --> 00:06:12,413 Speaker 2: tear might not. 124 00:06:12,333 --> 00:06:16,213 Speaker 4: Be quite good point. Yeah, no, absolutely, So. 125 00:06:16,373 --> 00:06:18,093 Speaker 2: You're not supposed to smoke, there's a big surprise. 126 00:06:18,293 --> 00:06:21,773 Speaker 4: No, don't smoke and reduce stress, which you know, and 127 00:06:22,333 --> 00:06:25,013 Speaker 4: I took lots in the past about reducing stress. So 128 00:06:25,013 --> 00:06:26,973 Speaker 4: so those are two sort of easy ones. Don't smoke 129 00:06:27,053 --> 00:06:28,013 Speaker 4: and reduce A. 130 00:06:27,973 --> 00:06:29,933 Speaker 2: Lot of people of course who still smoke RELI on 131 00:06:29,973 --> 00:06:31,253 Speaker 2: smoking to reduce their stress. 132 00:06:31,773 --> 00:06:38,213 Speaker 4: So yeah, get a bit sleeping. So the importance of 133 00:06:38,333 --> 00:06:43,493 Speaker 4: sleeping well, and the way the researchers defined this is 134 00:06:43,493 --> 00:06:47,413 Speaker 4: is sleeping getting your kind of your sleep patterns or 135 00:06:47,413 --> 00:06:50,213 Speaker 4: your circadian rhythms sort of in sync with the day, 136 00:06:50,373 --> 00:06:54,573 Speaker 4: so broadly sort of speaking, you know, going to bed 137 00:06:54,653 --> 00:06:57,093 Speaker 4: when it's dark and waking up when it's light if 138 00:06:57,333 --> 00:07:00,733 Speaker 4: you know. So so not too much, I mean, there's 139 00:07:00,733 --> 00:07:02,573 Speaker 4: obviously you can stray a little bit from that and 140 00:07:02,613 --> 00:07:04,773 Speaker 4: not too religious about it. But but yeah, the idea 141 00:07:04,813 --> 00:07:07,853 Speaker 4: about your your your circuit rhythms are in sync with 142 00:07:07,893 --> 00:07:10,413 Speaker 4: the seasons of the year. And here's another one that 143 00:07:10,453 --> 00:07:12,973 Speaker 4: I really like too. Napping in the middle of the 144 00:07:13,093 --> 00:07:16,533 Speaker 4: day is very helpful, right, so if you can have 145 00:07:16,533 --> 00:07:18,133 Speaker 4: a nap in the day, you know that sort of 146 00:07:18,213 --> 00:07:22,013 Speaker 4: half hour, yes, the short one, a little shit, yeah, yeah, 147 00:07:22,053 --> 00:07:24,493 Speaker 4: just a nice short one that that's that. That seems 148 00:07:24,533 --> 00:07:27,613 Speaker 4: to be a factor as well, which is I thought, 149 00:07:27,613 --> 00:07:29,333 Speaker 4: oh yeah, no, I can definitely snap in them midle 150 00:07:29,333 --> 00:07:30,053 Speaker 4: other day. That's good. 151 00:07:30,093 --> 00:07:34,533 Speaker 2: And then there are the kind of social slash psychological edestions, 152 00:07:34,533 --> 00:07:36,173 Speaker 2: And there are two different things here. 153 00:07:36,813 --> 00:07:41,773 Speaker 4: Yeah, so keeping family ties and connections so so keeping 154 00:07:41,813 --> 00:07:44,893 Speaker 4: good so you know, and often these these blue zones 155 00:07:44,973 --> 00:07:50,253 Speaker 4: there there's a perhaps a greater sense of community and connection. 156 00:07:50,493 --> 00:07:54,733 Speaker 4: So the idea is that keeping up those social connections 157 00:07:54,773 --> 00:07:59,293 Speaker 4: actually helps combat loneliness and depression. And we know that loneliness, 158 00:08:00,493 --> 00:08:02,893 Speaker 4: there's been some other studies around loneliness that shows that 159 00:08:02,973 --> 00:08:06,733 Speaker 4: can reduce your life expectancy to the same level as 160 00:08:06,733 --> 00:08:09,933 Speaker 4: if you were smoking something like ten cigarettes to day or. 161 00:08:09,933 --> 00:08:11,213 Speaker 2: Something like that. 162 00:08:11,333 --> 00:08:15,173 Speaker 4: So loneliness and it's amazing, isn't it. It's and I 163 00:08:15,213 --> 00:08:18,653 Speaker 4: think it's something that we get more of in modern culture, 164 00:08:18,693 --> 00:08:21,253 Speaker 4: although we are more perhaps we're more connected than ever. 165 00:08:21,333 --> 00:08:23,693 Speaker 4: I think I argue that there's certainly been huge rates 166 00:08:23,693 --> 00:08:26,413 Speaker 4: of loneliness around the country and around the world, really 167 00:08:26,453 --> 00:08:27,813 Speaker 4: Western world too, particularly so. 168 00:08:28,093 --> 00:08:31,693 Speaker 2: And then the final recommendation is, well, it's sort of 169 00:08:31,693 --> 00:08:32,813 Speaker 2: almost theological. 170 00:08:33,453 --> 00:08:36,373 Speaker 4: It is, Yeah, you believe in something bigger than yourself. 171 00:08:38,013 --> 00:08:41,533 Speaker 2: It doesn't have to does it means purpose? It's like that, yeah, 172 00:08:41,733 --> 00:08:42,213 Speaker 2: a purpose? 173 00:08:42,413 --> 00:08:46,253 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, that's right. So so what's your life worth living? 174 00:08:46,333 --> 00:08:49,013 Speaker 4: Is another way of thinking about that, or in the 175 00:08:49,133 --> 00:08:53,333 Speaker 4: sense of being part of a bigger thing. So lots 176 00:08:53,373 --> 00:08:56,453 Speaker 4: of research shows that people with what's called religiosity, so 177 00:08:56,533 --> 00:08:58,493 Speaker 4: that sense of I believe in something bigger than I 178 00:08:58,693 --> 00:09:01,933 Speaker 4: and I'm involved in some daily or regular practices or 179 00:09:02,013 --> 00:09:07,333 Speaker 4: rituals around my faith or around spirituality, that there's lots 180 00:09:07,373 --> 00:09:10,173 Speaker 4: of evidence to show that that helps with people's well being. 181 00:09:10,173 --> 00:09:12,173 Speaker 4: And happiness, and so that's another that seems to be 182 00:09:12,213 --> 00:09:14,813 Speaker 4: another key factor. Again, it doesn't have to be believing 183 00:09:15,173 --> 00:09:17,893 Speaker 4: in God or a god, but it's that sense and 184 00:09:17,973 --> 00:09:21,013 Speaker 4: I am part of a bigger purpose or something bigger 185 00:09:21,053 --> 00:09:24,413 Speaker 4: than me. So yeah, if you do all those seven 186 00:09:25,373 --> 00:09:27,813 Speaker 4: and you've got reasonable genes, then you know you might 187 00:09:27,853 --> 00:09:29,613 Speaker 4: be pushing well into the nineties with any. 188 00:09:29,533 --> 00:09:32,493 Speaker 2: Luck, giving yourself the best possibility, anyway, the best chance. 189 00:09:32,733 --> 00:09:36,453 Speaker 2: I reckon. I'm at about four. I reckon. There are 190 00:09:36,453 --> 00:09:39,133 Speaker 2: a few like half measures and quarter measures in there, 191 00:09:39,853 --> 00:09:41,253 Speaker 2: maybe four four and a half, I reckon. 192 00:09:41,613 --> 00:09:43,733 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think I'm about the same. Yes, you're right, 193 00:09:43,733 --> 00:09:45,493 Speaker 4: if you sort of, if you really. 194 00:09:45,373 --> 00:09:48,733 Speaker 2: Do think it'll be improved. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, very good. Hey, 195 00:09:48,733 --> 00:09:51,213 Speaker 2: thanks to that's great. Yeah, I really appreciate that. Google 196 00:09:51,253 --> 00:09:53,813 Speaker 2: Southerland from Umbrella Well Being. We'll make sure we put 197 00:09:53,813 --> 00:09:57,453 Speaker 2: these seven principles for longer living up on the News Talks. 198 00:09:57,453 --> 00:10:01,453 Speaker 1: He'd be website for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. 199 00:10:01,653 --> 00:10:04,853 Speaker 1: Listen live to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, 200 00:10:05,053 --> 00:10:07,053 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on Heart Radio.