We frequently discuss the morning routines of successful individuals, but it would be remiss of you not to at least consider the morning routines of those who live in one of the Blue Zones, which include Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Nicoya, Costa Rica. There, people regularly live to be 100 years old, according to a study.
Dan Buettner is an author and explorer who pioneered the study of “longevity hotspots” and has made it his mission to identify the particular lifestyle habits of those who live there that support their extraordinary health.
Sharing knowledge about things like eating a low-protein diet and the value of connection and community is meant to help people live longer. A few of these routines can be practiced as soon as you get up in the morning to get your day started.
Find your ‘ikigai’
What inspires you to rise and shine each morning? Finding whatever motivates you and totally embracing it is one of the habits that at least one of the Blue Zones’ residents adopt. The Japanese concept of ikigai emphasizes having a purposeful life and discovering your soul’s passion.
Never miss a healthy breakfast.
Unsurprisingly, eating well is essential to aging well into your 100s. A 105-year-old Loma Linda resident who swears on a large cup of slow-cooked oats to start her day was the subject of Buettner’s inquiry. Because it is topped with nutritious walnuts, fiber-rich dates, and soy milk, which is strong in protein, this breakfast is very easy to make. Buettner claims that she follows each bowl with a “prune juice shooter” to get things rolling and decrease blood pressure and cholesterol.
Accept a cup of coffee in the morning.
According to Buettner, people who live in each of the five Blue Zones like their morning coffee.
That’s not to mean you should cram six packets of sugar or a sweet cream latte into your cup. Instead, add a splash of milk to your coffee along with a natural sweetener like Stevia and a plant-based milk substitute.
Try substituting a cup of tea for your morning coffee because it is another popular alcoholic beverage in the Blue Zones.
Be considerate to the first person you meet.
Buettner starts each day by literally complementing others, eating a healthy breakfast (full of fruits and whole grains), and exercising for 20 minutes (typically yoga or a bike ride to work).
He allegedly instructed a reporter to “Say something nice to the first person we meet,” according to the lifestyle magazine Well And Good. According to a Harvard study, behaviors are contagious, therefore if you do something to your neighbor, it will probably happen to you as well.
