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A top Australian beauty founder has broken down the five rules those who live the longest follow – and her own life and diet secrets at 51 years old.
Carla Oates, the founder of The Beauty Chef, shared her key takeaways inspired by Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, a film where journalist Dan Buettner visits the five places in the world with the most centenarians (those aged 100 or older).
The zones include Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. Those who live in each share a number of behaviours that are thought to contribute to their above average life spans.
These include a plant-heavy diet, regular physical activity, mindful alcohol consumption, ideal sleep habits and active social lives/communities.
‘Although relocating to a remote island sounds quite dreamy, the key to good health and longevity lies within the lifestyle habits. Here are the top five shared traits that you can easily try no matter where you live,’ Carla said.
A top Australian beauty founder (pictured) has broken down the five rules those who live the longest follow for optimal health – and the beauty and diet secrets she follows at 51 years old
Embrace a plant-heavy diet
Wholegrains and beans dominate meals within the Blue Zones, combined with seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Across all five zones, plant-based foods make up 95 per cent of their diet on average. Pork, chicken and lamb are also consumed in some areas in small amounts.
As a result, these diets are packed full of fibre and prebiotics which encourage greater gut health and microbiome diversity.
The Beauty Chef founder shares her daily routine at 51 years old
Diet
Carla’s diet is plant-filled and protein-rich; she makes sure she has three vegetarian meals every week.
‘I also always start the day with Glow Inner Beauty Essential, either stirred into a glass of filtered water or blended into a delicious smoothie,’ Carla told FEMAIL.
The $69 buy is the brand’s bestseller and hero product.
Typically, Carla’s smoothies will include the likes of papaya, banana, blueberries, coconut milk and chia seeds.
At lunchtime, Carla looks for a ‘good salad mix’ with plenty of ‘leafy greens, seeds and nuts’ with a protein source like fish, tempeh, chicken or legumes.
Dinner is more vegetables with protein in the form of a slow-cooked curry, stew, soup or roast.
Body
Carla looks after her body through regular moderate exercise like walking and Pilates.
‘I try to walk most mornings. I describe walking as a natural filing system for my brain – it provides mental clarity, gives me energy and helps to set me up for the day,’ Carla said.
She also likes to ‘have fun’ and ‘laugh as much as possible’.
‘It helps the body to de-stress – which is great for gut health and skin health – and it gives you a glow that no amount of cosmetics can replicate,’ she said.
Skin
‘After I get home from my morning walk, the first thing I do is stir Glow Inner Beauty Essential, Collagen Inner Beauty Boost and Omega Elixir into water,’ she said.
She cleanses with Sodashi’s Calm Clay Cleanser, and uses a Probiotic Skin Refiner.
She uses The Beauty Chef’s own Glow F.A.C.E oil into her skin and neck and likes to use The Beauty Chef’s Flora Fix Balm on her lips and eyes.
In the evening, she will do similar, and will also add a moisturiser – Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Crème is her favourite – to her regime.
Move often, daily
Buettner’s team observed that people within the Blue Zones were nudged to move approximately every 20 minutes. These movements were not necessarily exercise but natural, everyday motions from things like gardening, kneading bread, operating tools, dancing and walking.
Outside of the Blue Zones, physical activity has been shown to improve mortality. In a study of over 60,000 people, those who did 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, compared to those who did none, had a 20 per cent lower mortality rate.
Wine is often the drink of choice and consumed with friends over food rather than consumed in excess in Blue Zones
Drink mindfully
With the exception of the Adventists in California, people in Blue Zones drink moderately – up to one drink daily for women and two for men.
Wine is often the drink of choice and consumed with friends over food rather than consumed in excess.
Sardinians are particularly known for their robust regional red wine called Cannonau, which has two to three times the level flavonoids (a source of antioxidants) as other wines.
Keeping socially connected was another shared commonality among all the Blue Zones. In Ikaria, Sardinia and Nicoya, people frequently stop to chat to neighbours as they pass by and often connect with friends at daily happy hours
Prioritise sleep
Approximately one in three Australian adults aren’t getting the minimum recommended amount of seven hours of sleep a night.
Meanwhile, people in the Blue Zones rise with sun and sleep with the night, reaching seven to nine hours regularly. In Ikaria and Sardinia, daytime napping is also common and there is evidence to suggest a short nap can boost brain health.
Make time for community
Keeping socially connected was another shared commonality among all the Blue Zones. In Ikaria, Sardinia and Nicoya, people frequently stop to chat to neighbours as they pass by and often connect with friends at daily happy hours.
Roughly half of Okinawans also belong to a ‘moai’ – a group of individuals who meet weekly or more to share hobbies, interests and support each other.
Considering research has linked loneliness and social isolation to a variety of health and mental conditions, there are plenty of positives to staying connected.
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