Netflix has a new documentary titled Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. It is a 4-part series revealing the secrets of those who live in certain parts of the world who have a high population of individuals who are living over the age of 100. While my interest in this programme peaked from a nutrition point of view, I was also interested in the other factors that have contributed to a life expectancy of over 100.
Despite what I may personally believe or learn from research etc., I found it interesting to learn how our food system has been designed to encourage us to eat more food. The programme explored how some parts of the Western world have gone from eating an average of 3200 calories per day to 4000 calories per day. This started in the 1970s when an announcement was made by an American governor that there was a need to produce more food to feed the world and that is exactly what happened. For the food industry to be successful in selling the additional food produced, it started to increase portion sizes, make food textures more pleasing, and make food more colourful. Hence, it looks more attractive, and the obvious one was to change the taste of food through additional additives.
The countries which fell in the blue zones ate differently. Their meals were nutrient-dense consuming fewer calories, they also ate all the food groups and made their own breads and pasta etc. The same goes for Alcohol they produced their own wine using homegrown grapes.
It wasn't all about nutrition, community, laughter, and exercise were also referenced to be the secret to longevity. I think we have all probably heard about the healing power of laughter and yet we probably don’t do it enough or the need for belonging and yet we are so lonely something else which was also mentioned on the programme in relation to an increase of individuals feeling lonely which has impacted life expectancy.
This is definitely a programme worth watching, mainly because in our Western society it feels like we can only be healthy if we are wealthy and this is not the case and the countries in the Blue zone are a prime example.
