Around the world, people are healthier and living longer than ever before..

One of the most visible indicators of this is the number of people who have reached the age of one hundred years..

In 1840, there were 90 centenarians in the United States—one in 189. 000 people, according to United States Census Bureau records.

Today there are more than 53. 000 - or one in 5. 800 people. But although we know people who live longer than others, we do not quite understand how they achieve this..

After discovering that there are longevity zones where people tend to live particularly long lives, writer Dan Buettner spent 12 months exploring these zones, dubbed the Blue Zones, from the inside.. “I delved into the mysteries of the human condition with increasing interest,” says Buettner of the National Geographic Society..

During these studies, he discovered several factors that may prolong the life and health of people in the Blue Zones.. “Longevity is the result of constant long-term trifles,” Buettner says, “and there is no simple formula for it.”. Buettner shares his findings in Blue Zones (2009) and Prosperity (2010). Below are a few excerpts from them..

Ikaria, Greece: enjoy an after-tea nap.

Residents of this Greek island are three times more likely to reach the age of 90 than people living in the US. Turning ninety is more likely if you can take an extra nap.

Among Icarian old men who regularly sleep in the middle of the day (90 percent of them, according to a 2011 study in the journal Cardiology: Study and Practice), none showed symptoms of depression, as most daytime sleepers did.. A larger study of all Greeks found that those who napped for at least 30 minutes during the day had a 37 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who didn't..

However, the embrace of Morpheus is not the only thing that helps them live longer.. They also regularly drink herbal tea..

Traditional Greek teas include: wild mint, which fights inflammation of the gums and gastrointestinal disorders; rosemary for gout; and wormwood, good for blood circulation. Many local teas also contain mild diuretics that can treat hypertension.. This may explain why Ikaria's rates of cardiovascular disease are half that of the region as a whole..

Okinawa, Japan: Maintain Positive Relationships.

Living to an average of 83 years old, the Japanese are the nation with the highest life expectancy in the world, according to the World Health Organization..

Okinawans are exceptionally long-lived and three times more likely to reach a century than Americans.. Buettner attributes this achievement to closer social ties.. “Having a bonding sense of community is what we see in all five Blue Zones,” he says..

Okinawans remain true to traditional Japanese culture, which includes a special emphasis on maintaining lifelong friendships - the so-called moais, which provides personal and community support.. Moais is established in adolescence and the group members become close friends for the rest of their lives..

Having a moai alone can be an advantage as it increases social interaction and support.. For example, a study by the Journal of Sociology and Medicine, which examined the mental health of older people in Japan, found that those who were unmarried but had social support reported higher well-being and less distress.. Simply put, the stronger the friendship ties, the happier you will be..

Loma Linda, California: Eat Your Vegetables.

Sixty miles east of Los Angeles is the city of Loma Linda, where the proportion of people aged 85 and over is more than twice as high in the rest of California.. Approximately four out of every ten residents of Loma Linda are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, whose adherents live longer than members of any other religious community in America.

The Adventist faith favors a healthy lifestyle by forbidding smoking and drinking alcohol and encouraging physical exercise..

A recent study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health examined the habitual diet of 73. 000 Adventists in the USA and Canada. Vegetarians in this group are 12 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disorders compared to non-vegetarians..

Another study found that vegetarian Adventist women live 4 years and men 7 years longer compared to other Californians.. The study concludes that regular consumption of nuts, fruit, grain fiber, lettuce, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (eg, wild salmon, saffron oil, peanut oil) leads to a decrease in mortality..

Nicoya, Costa Rica: Drink Your Juices.

In Nicoya, a person in their 60s is twice as likely to reach the age of 90 as the same person in France, Japan, or the US. It probably has something to do with the diet of the Nicones..

They tend to eat the most in the morning and the least in the evening, which Buettner says helps them avoid overeating.. “In the Blue Zones, they eat a lot of food, but the bottom line is that their products are less caloric,” Buettner says, adding, “It’s not like Americans who constantly put something in their mouths.. We overeat a little every day - about 200 calories more than necessary "

Lots of low calorie tropical fruits are the mainstay of the diet in Nicoya. Oranges, sweet lemons, various types of bananas are in great consumption there.. In addition to this, the Nicoyans also eat a few special fruits: cashews; king orange, which has a higher vitamin C content than regular orange; annonu - a pear-like fruit rich in antioxidants.

Some studies have shown a link between reduced cancer risk and diets high in vitamin C, but laboratory tests on vitamin C alone have been mixed..

Sardinia, Italy: take a walk.

In addition to a large number of centenarians, Sardinia is also home to an unusually high - considering the size of the island - sheep population..

Mediterranean island herding and agriculture is full of centenarians who, in their younger years, regularly walked eight kilometers a day over rough terrain to fulfill their shepherd duties.. Daily trips to the grocery store are also made on foot, and climbing the stairs in every high-rise building is an additional physical exercise..

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