The average American could live about 14 extra years if they optimized their lifestyle.

Longevity expert Dan Buettner is spilling the secrets of what it takes to live those extra years. He’s been studying some of the longest living communities on the planet known as The Blue Zones.
Before the secrets are spilled in his new book, The Blue Zones: Secrets For Living Longer, and Netflix documentary series, Living to 100, he shares some with “The Weight Loss Champion on The Exam Room Podcast. You’ll learn that the diet and lifestyle habits practiced in these communities are perhaps the best medicine of all.
The pair also discuss what has changed in the original five Blue Zones since they were first documented 20 years ago.
Dan also reveals an exciting new sixth Blue Zone!
Dan also shares what we’ve learned from these communities that you can apply to your own life to live a longer, happier, and healthier existence.
Topics Discussed
- Reverse engineering longevity
- The new Blue Zone
- Applying longevity traits to your life
- Supplements and living longer. . . or not
- New insights from 20 years of life expectancy research
- Blue Zones food guidelines
- And more!
Follow and Subscribe to The Exam Room Podcast
Instagram: / theexamroompodcast
Apple: apple.co/2JXBkpy​​
Spotify: spoti.fi/2pMLoY3
🗓️UPCOMING EVENTS🗓️
Exam Room LIVE with the Esselstyn Family
Tickets: bit.ly/ERLiveinDC23
Who: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn with Ann, Rip, and Jane. Plus, Dr. Neal Barnard and Chuck Carroll
When: Nov. 7, 2023
Where: National Press Club in Washington, DC
🔗 SHOW LINKS 🔗
Dan Buettner
Secrets for Living Longer Book: amzn.to/44iaaAe
Website: www.bluezones.com
Instagram: / danbuettner
Facebook: / therealdanbuettner
Chuck Carroll
Instagram: / chuckcarrollwlc
Twitter: / chuckcarrollwlc
Facebook: / chuckcarrollwlc
Physicians Committee
Instagram: / physicianscommittee
Facebook: / pcrm.org
Twitter: / pcrm
--
About Us
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 12,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

[@Scor-ah]

My Dad renewed hid drivers license when he was 98, it was good until he was 103...lol He ate a very clean diet and cycled around the world with my Mom till he was 83. He then continued to cycle 20 miles per day at home in Canada (Kelowna BC ) till he was 99. He did not out live his drivers license, he passed at 100 and 8 months. A life well lived

[@daisymazie21]

That's amazing!

[@kirankishore9934]

Good genes and good healthy habits. Hope you will improve on his legacy.

[@annemccarron2281]

Dan says most people don't live but, on average, 14 months after hitting 100. I think 100 was the goal for most. Once that is accomplished, they aren't as interested in living longer.

[@DrStevenLome]

Yes! Plant based is ideal for heart health and heart disease is the #1 killer! I enjoyed presenting at the PCRM event The International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine! Keep spreading the message!

[@StanDupp6371]

Wikipedia says Buettner is a storyteller so he can say whatever he wants. All blue zones over the last 500 years always consumed the daily dozen since they had no access to synthetic vitamins, supplements or fortified foods. These daily dozen nutrients in foods consumed in moderation were Vitamin A1, B12, K2, Choline, Iodine, DHA, Heme, Taurine, Sulfur, CoQ10, C15:0, Sphingolipids.

[@laureneharrison8897]

Loved this! Can’t wait to read Dan’s new book & watch the Netflix series 😀 Hope it reaches many people!

[@sachsunil]

Well done Dan! Thank you Chuck! I'm glad Singapore is the 6th on the Blue zone list. I was impressed by how the government has handled traffic, guns and public transportation in Singapore. Another fact is that Malay, Chinese and Indians live in harmony. Hopefully some day India will adopt a whole food plant based lifestyle (WFPB)🙏🏽

[@StanDupp6371]

Korea is a blue zone much higher than Singapore and the centenarian men take in 269 mg of cholesterol every day on a 1700 calorie per day diet.

[@annwilliams6438]

@@StanDupp6371Korean women are not so likely to live as long though as the social stressors are high.

[@lindaripp5902]

So we'll done. Thanks. 6 years WFPB!

[@Christina-pq7kn]

I was lucky to stumble across a blue zone certified restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas when I was visiting 🎉

[@Scor-ah]

Since moving to the US 25 yrs ago from Canada, my one big realization is that Americans have a lot of fear. Because of the poor health care insurance they are afraid to do anything incase they get hurt and it could ruin their life. Also afraid they will have their guns taken away. The rest of the world does very well without a gun to settle disputes. Also they are very focused on the past and getting back to the good old days, which were not all that good for a lot of people. I think for me and my American husband, when we went plant based a lot of other changes took place mentally and we are happier and more at peace since doing so. I loved Dans talk about Singapore and how they have handled social changes that needed to take place.

[@JillWhitcomb1966]

Yep, I'm an American who has lived in 4 foreign countries (including living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). So much of American culture, as you said, is based on fear--fear of change, fear of others who are different than them, fear of trying something that is successful in other countries, fear of doing anything that isn't mainstream or 'the norm'. Being plant based in the United Kingdom or Canada? No one cares because many people do it. Being plant based in most of the USA? We are belittled, name called, called 'woke', or bullied..... although vegetarian and veganism can be traced back thousands of years.

[@rida3922]

In 2000, Michel Poulain a Belgian demographer, introduced the concept of Blue Zone related to population experiencing exceptionally high longevity and identified with Gianni Pes the first Blue Zone in Sardinia.Thereafter he cooperated with Dan Buettner to investigate additional Blue Zones in Okinawa, Costa Rica and Ikaria (Greece).

[@developingthehabit]

Thanks for this update on the Blue Zones!

[@lisengel2498]

Great interview - but I Think there was kind of one very clear solution that maybe can be enterpreted in a variety of different ways but points toward : avoid junkfood , politics Making laws supporting healthy choice,finden a purpose ( or choose your culture wisely),create community/extended family, green spaces,keep moving, walking 😊🎶🍀🎵💚🐸🌻🐝 -

[@unflappable3551]

Costa Rica’s health system sounds amazing - low cost, preventative care.

[@sunnyshealthcoaching]

2 great people in 1 podcast! Thank you!! ❤

[@bettyglick2679]

Inspiring and super interesting!! Thank you for having him on !

[@janiceenzone561]

Amazing information. Thank you.

[@easypeasylemonpotato]

V excited for the Netflix docuseries!!!

[@davidsthoughts60]

My one concern about the things shared is that for us to do the things that were talked about, a lot of government mandates and strict regulations would be imposed on us, especially strict gun control. Not trying to start a debate here. It seems like for most blue zones, their ways of life were created over hundreds of years (Singapore being the exception) but for us to get to where they are, we'd have to get there by government regulation instead of organically. For my part, I do try to eat wfpb as much as possible and do things that Buettner talks about - like exercise and stress reduction. No simple answers, but movement toward healthier environments is definitely needed.

[@davidsthoughts60]

@@Nanners514 I agree 100%!!!

[@hobbyfarmer1452]

My purpose of living is to make my garden beautiful daily and my pets happy. I wake up in the morning, the first thing is to think of them, then my own health such as exercise and cooking health food… my day passes very fast. Just like everyone else, there are ups and downs in my life, but I feel I am in control overall. Am I in a purple zone?

[@philsmith5400]

Interesting to see the wine cooler and wine storage behind him! But, I agree with that approach - you still have to enjoy life!

[@sharonb1290]

I don't like the sound of government agents peeking into my fridge. Bad precedent.

[@evanhadkins5532]

Government subsidies and whatnot effects the price of foods. It is about whether they make healthy food cheaper (or not).

[@Fruit_bee]

Me too , they will either tax it or take the home They went absolutely dictatorial in past years

[@someguy2135]

Sad for the people of Okinawa, but happy for the people of Singapore!

[@dmitrykhangulyan4349]

quite an unexpected direction of the discussion, but was very interesting

[@valeriejohnson2367]

If it has anything to do with plant-based, I’m interested. Actually just ordered the book, my birthday present to myself

[@melyndaduh3501]

Happy Birthday 🍓🥦🍇🫐🌽🍠🍅🥒🫑🥑🍆🥔🥜🍎🥭🎁

[@zeemc2751]

I'm purchasing the book .👍🌄

[@SuperDodoe]

Might want to quit the alcohol as it's considered a class 1 carcinogen.

[@annemccarron2281]

It can be, however, the high levels of reservatrol may counteract many of the adverse aspects of the wine in the Blue Zones.

[@evanhadkins5532]

Red wine may be different?

[@SuperDodoe]

@@annemccarron2281 dr. John McDougall would say to that "people love to hear good news about their bad habits"

[@Fruit_bee]

Just drink high quality grape juice for its benefits and you counteract something else that is sure present instead of alcohol 😊

[@user-ln1dq8uf7h]

Please i want to know more about anti cholesterol diet .. egg white(albumin) is it zero fat ?

[@RoxinaSolerGamborena]

With the example of Sardinia, are the step/high slope landscape correlated to leaving in the mountains and so more healthy environment? And, how do you correct for non explanatory / coincidental associations?

[@evanhadkins5532]

There was a study in Greece. Those who lived in hilly regions were healthy.

[@normanbell-br7nf]

the blue zone is the end of my nose wintertime here in Scotland

[@Stefanitza27]

I heard a pretty sound argument that it’s not diet but height that is correlated with longevity?

[@Battery-kf4vu]

I wonder why he says they eat 90+% of plants. On the bluezones website, it says in Sardinia they eat 26% dairy + 5% meat/fish/poultry. In Loma Linda 10% dairy + 4% meat/fish/poultry, in Costa Rica 24% dairy + 5% meat/fish/poultry, In Ikaria, they say 5%meat/fish poultry, they don't mention dairy in the chart, but in a paragraph below they say they drink goat milk.

[@annwilliams6438]

It is sections/groups in the areas that are ‘blue zones’ rather than an AVERAGE of what people across the region eat. Probably the easiest way to think about it is the general diets of ‘tribes’ of people in a region.

[@Battery-kf4vu]

@@annwilliams6438 Do you have proof of that? They've studied what these people eat extensively, I don't see why they would give what people eat in the region. Btw there is a video on the Sardinia blue zone, these people really eat goat cheese.

[@redcloud5813]

Because the Blue Zones are a myth concocted to promote plant-based diets, and in turn the bigger climate political cagenda. The people of Hong Kong are among some of the longest living and are the highest consumers of animal protein in the world.

[@Inismoon]

Dan's skin is a testimony of plant based whole foods lifestyle. 🥳🙏

[@annemccarron2281]

His physique as well.

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

OK, purpose does not necessarily manifest itself in the practice of faith. That's just goofiness to those of us who choose to lead our lives based on fact and not faith. It's foolhardy to base anything on a faith of the unknown. Another less obvious observation is that a huge emphasis is based on being personally involved with the community, like the human will wither and die if they are not around people daily. For me, I am involved insofar as supporting good work remotely through charities; I feel no need to be around people on a regular basis. I guess my way is involvement also; but it seems different that what the guest and host here describe. And I must say, I am very happy with my life - not with the state of the world, but my personal life is happy. Without god and without people coming and going, child-free, and now in my senior years oh so happy I am also grandchild-free!!

[@peteroffpist1621]

No credit to Ancel Keys ?, Ancel wrote his book 30 years ago and his research is 75 years old. The thing is that why back in the 1950 they did not eat the same food as they eat today. Much more super processed food today. So the real secret is going back time when you cook.

[@chanwaileong9880]

It's easy to say following a healthy lifestyle and proper diet will increase lifespan. We cannot even agree on what diet is actually healthy! I think l will just drink only water and eat grass.

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

I'm confused. We are trying a new diet - a whole foods plant based diet. I have learned from many sources, from doctors to athletes and others, that this will work. So I come to PCRM for support along those lines and I am watching this for 17 minutes and all I glean so far is Sardonia has steep streets, and community and religion is good. Finally at 17 minutes and he has still not been asked about diet but he blurts out that a new diet won't work! And I keep listening and he says to go talk to city councils? You lost me.

[@tdogharty]

I'm recovering from Covid and lost a lot of weight, so eating chicken and eggs but believe in the plant based thing.

[@LydiaZ36]

Both of those things are terrible for you. You can't believe in plant based and eat those things. Your immunity is far better served by plants.

[@tdogharty]

I'm not a vegan. I'm O neg blood type, fyi..

[@sulj3373]

Great interview on demographics. Makes sense to me.

[@sulj3373]

New Orleans and the south has a long way to go.

[@annemccarron2281]

I grew up in the south. My mother NEVER bought spinach, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, sweet potatoes, etc. I had many relatives die in their 50's.

[@sulj3373]

So much fat,salt, sugar and lack of walking.

[@vijaysastry4235]

40.25

[@anungunrama7646]

At 40:45 during his diet wrap-up Buettner lists his pillars of the Blue Zone diet. All of the food groups he lists are novel to the human diet. For 99% of our existence, they did not exist.

[@byggerEttSlott]

Beans did not exist? What are you talking about? Beans, Peas and legums have been found in some of the oldest human settlements so we can be pretty sure its been eaten for a long time

[@tinahelpme]

For some reason he left out Hong Kong, 2020 data, having the second highest longevity in the world which has the highest consumption of meat per capita. Oops

[@samgold9151]

Can you provide? Only in Blue Zones All the Blue Zones Environment Healthy Vegetarian and Vegan Style Fast Food Chain Foods and Drinks Update Fast Food Menu in all Blue Zones to be Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes On February 8, 2038 and Beyond

[@chongseitmooi2593]

Wondering what is the least junk food that vcan eat😂

[@Ron-rk6iz]

Such nonsense. Hongkong is number 1, Macao 2., Japan 3., Singapore 5, S Korea 7. None of these countries have these extreme rules as in Singapore......but score better ! Hence, it is not about less sugary drinks, rules for driving your cars etc., Hongkong is very air polluted even, they eat meat that is out on the markets in the open air, not refrigerated etc., The top 7 countries are mainly Asian countries, except for Switzerland and Italy, it is a matter of genes, the general diet I think, not too many consumers of Western food.

[@marleri]

Costa Rica isn't an Asian country neither is Loma Linda California.

[@redcloud5813]

Hong Kongers also eat more animal products than just about anybody, so do the Japanese.

[@kenpca]

So your solution is essentially more government mandates? Im all for healthy eating and living but i also believe in individual liberty and that utopia will only be acheived when Jesus comes. God Bless

[@monicasong427]

The 2nd amendment certainly outlived its usefulness.

[@daisymazie21]

Activism is my purpose.

[@plurabelle5]

A better one than religion!

[@daisymazie21]

@@plurabelle5 Yup. I'm an athiest.