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What if the secret to physical independence long into life was not found in a pill or a potion, but in the flow of our daily lives? That’s the question researchers sought to answer when they researched some of the world’s longest-lived communities. 

These are places where people live far longer than you’d expect, often well into their 90s or past 100. Not just progressing steadily along that extra decade of life but thriving. These areas, called the Blue Zones, provide a tantalising glimpse of how natural movement, not formal exercise, could be the secret to living long and well.

Shepherds in Sardinia, Italy walk eight rocky kilometres a day. In Okinawa, Japan, the older people do a lot of gardening and meet up with friends. In Nicoya, Costa Rica, many elders often walk long distances daily and do tasks to keep themselves busy. These aren’t workout sessions for them, it’s just part of their daily routine, and yet, the health results are astonishing. The healthiest people on Earth just move more, by seeming not to move much at all.
Blue Zone secrets
Blue Zone research identified nine common lifestyle practices in Blue Zone countries, which has been referred to as the Power 9. 

The very first? Move naturally. That doesn’t mean pounding the treadmill or pumping iron. It entails dwelling in environments that make you move, like walking to the store, taking multiple flights of steps, gardening and housework the old-fashioned way. It’s motion woven into the very fabric of everyday life, with natural social interaction on their way.

This type of motion has measurable consequences. Research has even shown that you need only walk briskly for half an hour a day, five days a week. This significantly lowers your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, two common ailments among former smokers, and to stave off dementia. In reality, 9800 steps or more is associated with optimal health, and even just 4500 can slash your diabetes risk by almost 60%. That’s not much, and certainly less than the average step count among many people in Blue Zones.

But it’s not just how much we walk, it’s also the way we walk. Brisk, rather than slow, walking is associated with a 20–27% lower risk of all-cause mortality. Faster walkers are not only healthier but have a much lower cardiovascular risk. So, are speedier runs more important than longer ones? And if not, how can we get people to walk with a destination in mind, not just to take a leisurely stroll?

Blue Zone brains
As it turns out, walking may be good for us cognitively as well. Slower speed of walking in older adults is related to increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline. 

Beyond the brain there are also benefits to the heart from walking. Systematic walking reduces systolic blood pressure by about 4–5 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by approximately 2 mmHg. Walking also improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels, which is a powerful predictor of longevity. 

Then, we get into the nitty-gritty. Is there really such a thing as the biology of walking? 
Yes, there is! When you walk, your body releases useful molecules known as exerkines, which exert systemic beneficial effects on inflammation and metabolism …even brain health. It also turns on pathways that shield your mitochondria, the energy factories in your cells, and assist DNA repair and the maintenance of telomeres … both key for slowing the ageing process.
Blue Zone miracles
In Blue Zones, the gains from these behaviours are not just theoretical, they’re lived. 

In Loma Linda, California, Adventists adhere to a plant-based diet and continue being active into their 90s. A 95-year-old surgeon, was still doing open-heart surgery. Among the centenarians, another did volunteer work for seven groups and rode a stationary bike daily. These are not exceptions, they are examples of what’s possible when moving is a way of living.

The built environment has a ton to do with that. In Minnesota, a Blue Zone pilot project rebuilt sidewalks and introduced walking paths. Restaurants added plant-based dishes to their menus and schools eliminated candy from fundraisers. The results? Longevity went up by more than three years; medical bills went down 40% and the group collectively shed +-3300kg. When walking is effortless, people walk.
Why are Blue Zones so rare?
The question needs to be asked: Why aren’t more communities following suit? Even with clear direction from the World Health Organization, just 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, worldwide adherence to exercise is low. A quarter of all adults don’t even get the minimum. 

So, what’s stopping us?

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider how we sell movement. Instead of gym memberships and expensive fitness apps, what if we counted steps and paid more attention to the cadence at which we walk? It is well-accepted that 6000 steps/day would be a threshold for free living adults to reduce mortality risk. And even walking at 100 steps a minute, a brisk pace, can reduce risk still further. 

Walking also helps you to sleep better, improves your mood and creativity. In Ikaria, Greece, people have a much lower risk of heart disease attributed to their daily naps. Studies has found that walking can help reduce depression and anxiety, improve emotional wellbeing, raise self-esteem and even combat ‘morning lethargy’, while some studies have long argued that it can increase creativity. One study showed that people who walk were 60 percent more creative than those who sit more. 

Walking is not a cure-all. Every step too much, especially untrained, can cause injuries. That’s why every person should walk in a way that’s adapted to their fitness level, conditions or previous injuries. 

So, what’s the takeaway? Walking is more than exercise and should be part of your daily life. It’s the common denominator among the world’s longest-lived people, from the mountains of Sardinia to Nikoyan beaches. It’s a framework for health, resilience and connection. And it is something that nearly all of us can do.