At Effingham Cardiology’s Heart Health Lunch & Learn event, our Board Certified Interventional Cardiologist answered the question he often hears from patients: “What can I do to live longer?” His advice? “Eat less and move more.” Dr. Kendall Griffith explained how your weight, what you eat, and how much you move impact heart health and longevity.
Dr. Griffith introduced “Blue Zones,” where people regularly live into their 90s and 100s. He shared habits the people in multiple Blue Zones in different parts of the world have in common, hoping guests will find inspiration to supercharge healthy lifestyles.
People in Blue Zones tend to have long lives and are healthy because of habits like:
- Plant-based diet: Eating mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes
- Physical activity: Incorporating low-intensity movement into daily life, like gardening, walking, or cycling
- Stress management: Using meditation, relaxation, or rituals to reduce stress
- Social engagement: Having strong social connections with family and community
- Sense of purpose: Finding meaning and purpose in life through work, family, and other activities
- Sleep: Getting enough sleep and taking naps during the day
- Family first: Prioritizing family and spending time with children and aging parents
- Moderate alcohol consumption: Some Blue Zones allow moderate alcohol consumption, but excessive drinking is uncommon
- Hara hachi bu: Eating until you’re 80% full, a Confucian-inspired principle from Okinawa
- Taking time to unwind: Taking breaks to pause and rest
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