COM Outlook Summer/Fall 2019

24 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE STUDENT Perspectives STUDENT PERSPECTIVES Lifestyle Principles for a Long and Healthy Life BY ALEX NIKOLIC While modern geneticists claim that human DNA’s natural life span is about 90 years, life expectancy in the United States has been declining for the past several years and is currently at 78.6. Recent studies suggest that our genes dictate 20 percent of our life span, while 80 percent is dictated by our lifestyles. Thus, a purely biochemical perspective tells us we are robbing ourselves of roughly 12 years of living. In an era of contradicting information about health and aging, how does an average person know what lifestyle allows us to live up to our genetic potential? Luckily, we have scientific data on that. Researchers have found five population areas that constantly exceed U.S. genetic potentials when it comes to health and life expectancy. People in the five so-called Blue Zones follow certain principles that add years to their lives— and life to their years. What Are Blue Zones? Blue Zones represent five regions of the world in which residents consistently live longer and healthier lives than the populations of other areas. The five locations—Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; and Okinawa, Japan— have 10 times more centenarians than other areas and significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Blue Zone Lifestyle Traits The United States is in a public health crisis, with cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes rates being higher than ever. Additionally, 85 percent of U.S. medical costs are due to physical inactivity, food choices/portion sizes, tobacco, and unmanaged stress. Although geographically unconnected, the residents of Blue Zone populations seem able to avoid chronic disease and premature death through physical activity, life purpose, healthy eating, social support system, and engagement in spirituality or religion. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY It is no surprise that physical activity made the list of Blue Zone principles. The biggest surprise, however, is that these populations rarely work out. Instead, people move naturally throughout the day. They garden, mow their lawns, hike hills while looking after their sheep, or simply bike to a friend’s house or downtown. There is an abundant amount of research suggesting that sedentary lifestyles increase the risk for chronic diseases up to 20 percent and are linked to premature death. Blue Zone residents are constantly engaged in low-impact exercise and stay sexually active well into old age. Statistically, 70 percent of Blue Zone residents are sexually active after the age of 90. Blue Zones