The Power9: Secrets to Living Longer, Better

The Power 9 is a concept that stems from Dan Buettner's research in the Blue Zones (the longest-living cultures in the world), and describes nine 'secrets' to a longer, healthier life. The Power 9 emphasizes making changes to your environment that will influence your habits. It's much easier to promote good habits through environmental change than it is to force changes to long-standing behavior.

Everything you read here at BlueZones.com is in some way related to the Power9 concepts. To start with, every post belongs to a category (EAT, OUTLOOK, MOVE, BELONG) that makes up the core of the Power 9. Over time, we'll be going into more details about this underlying idea, and we'll even post some of the raw interviews, video, and research that make up the foundation for the concept.

For now, here's a brief introduction to the nine behaviors we believe can lead to living longer, better:

Move (find ways to move mindlessly, make moving unavoidable) Plan de Vida (know your purpose in life) Down Shift (work less, slow down, rest, take vacation) 80% Rule (stop eating when you're 80% full) Plant-Power (more veggies, less protein and processed foods) Red Wine (consistency and moderation) Belong (create a healthy social network) Beliefs (spiritual or religious participation) Your Tribe (make family a priority)

Of course, the secret to these secrets is in how you integrate them into your daily life. This blog will be our forum to explore the myriad possibilities to doing just that. Whether it's simple recipes, ingenious exercise tips, or even DIY projects, we'll be digging into every corner of the internet (and beyond) to help you make the Power9 a seamless part of your life.

What do you think? Do you have your own 'secrets' to living healthy? Don't be shy; let us know how you do it in the comments!