Dan Buettner

The Blue Zones Explorer — Learning from the World's Longest-Lived People

The Story

What if the secret to living past 100 wasn't found in a lab or a supplement bottle, but in small villages around the world where people were already doing it?

Dan Buettner spent years traveling to five regions where people routinely live to 100—healthy, active, and disease-free. From Greek islands to Japanese archipelagos to a community of Seventh-day Adventists in California, he discovered that the longest-lived people share surprisingly similar habits. And none of them involve gym memberships or protein shakes.

Who is Dan Buettner?

Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow, three-time Guinness World Record holder for distance cycling, and the creator of the Blue Zones® project. He partnered with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging to identify and study regions with exceptional longevity.

His books—The Blue Zones, The Blue Zones Solution, and The Blue Zones Kitchen—have become global bestsellers. His 2023 Netflix documentary Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones won an Emmy Award.

The Five Blue Zones

Region	Location	Notable Feature
Sardinia	Italy	Highest concentration of male centenarians
Okinawa	Japan	World's longest-lived women
Loma Linda	California, USA	Seventh-day Adventist community
Nicoya	Costa Rica	Lowest middle-age mortality
Ikaria	Greece	Lowest rates of dementia

What ISP Students Learn

From Dan Buettner's Blue Zones research, ISP students discover:

1. The Power 9

Buettner distilled the common habits across all five regions into nine principles:

Principle	What It Means
Move Naturally	Daily walking, gardening, stairs—not gym workouts
Purpose	Having a reason to wake up (ikigai in Japan, plan de vida in Costa Rica)
Downshift	Daily stress-reduction routines (naps, prayer, happy hour)
80% Rule	Stop eating when 80% full (Hara Hachi Bu)
Plant Slant	Beans, greens, and grains as dietary foundation
Wine @ 5	Moderate alcohol with food and friends (1-2 glasses)
Belong	Faith-based community participation
Loved Ones First	Prioritizing family, keeping aging parents nearby
Right Tribe	Social circles that reinforce healthy behaviors

2. The 95% Plant Diet

Across all Blue Zones, meat is rare—consumed about 5 times per month, often in small portions (3-4 oz). The dietary foundation is:

Beans — The cornerstone of every Blue Zone diet
Whole grains — Sourdough bread, corn, rice
Vegetables — Especially leafy greens and sweet potatoes
Nuts — Adventists who eat nuts 5x/week cut heart disease risk in half

3. Eat to 80% Full

The Okinawan practice of Hara Hachi Bu—pausing before meals to remind yourself to stop at 80% full—creates a natural 20% calorie deficit without counting or restriction.

4. Environment Over Willpower

Blue Zone residents don't have more discipline—they live in environments that make healthy choices automatic. Their kitchens, communities, and cultures nudge them toward longevity without effort.

Key Takeaways

Principle	Application for Student-Athletes
Beans daily	Add legumes to at least one meal every day
Walk more	Movement throughout the day matters more than gym sessions
Eat with others	Social meals slow you down and improve digestion
Find your purpose	Athletes with clear "why" perform and recover better
Build your tribe	Surround yourself with people who share your health values
80% full	Practice stopping before you're stuffed

How This Shows Up at ISP

At Iowa Sports Prep, we integrate Blue Zones principles:

Plant-forward nutrition — Beans, vegetables, and whole grains as performance fuel
Team culture — The "Right Tribe" effect of positive peer influence
Purpose-driven training — Connecting athletic goals to deeper meaning
Natural movement — Valuing daily activity beyond structured workouts
Family involvement — Engaging parents and loved ones in the athletic journey