Ready to begin or deepen your meditation practice? Join Dan Harris and world-class meditation teachers on the 10% with Dan Harris app here: https://app.danharris.com/membership We're bringing back an audience favorite: the Blue Zones — the five specific places on Earth where people appear to live the longest, healthiest lives, with dramatically lower rates of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and type 2 diabetes than the rest of us. Our guest has spent 25+ years studying them, and this conversation is a wonderfully practical download of what actually seems to work. Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow, explorer, and journalist. He's written six books (four New York Times bestsellers, including The Blue Zones Kitchen and The Blue Zones of Happiness) and hosts the Netflix show Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Note: this episode originally aired in June 2024. Since then, Blue Zones critic Saul Newman published a controversial paper questioning the methodology, and in December 2025, two of Dan Buettner's collaborators published a formal rebuttal. We'll link to both in the show notes. In this episode: – What the five Blue Zones actually are — and the mathematical case behind them – The Power 9 common denominators (and why beans are the through-line) – The pasta and sourdough surprise — why they're actually fine – The Seventh-Day Adventist "Sabbath as a sanctuary in time" – The central premise: don't try to pursue health — shape your environment – Why 80% of people quit the gym in a year (and 90% quit their diet in nine months) – The toaster-off-the-counter hack (per the Cornell Food Lab) – What driving is quietly doing to you – Ikigai, plan de vida, and the eight-year purpose bonus – Why Okinawa lost its Blue Zone status – Singapore as the world's first manufactured Blue Zone – The academic critiques — and Dan's rebuttal – Two of the easiest longevity hacks anyone can adopt Subscribe to watch more 10% Happier videos: https://www.youtube.com/tenpercenthappier Follow Dan Harris on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/danharris/ https://www.tiktok.com/@danbharris https://www.facebook.com/DanHarrisABC https://twitter.com/danbharris https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-harris-91ba5716b/ Additional Resources: Link to Buettner's collaborators' response on demographics: https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/65/12/gnaf246/8381533?login=false Saul Newman's critique of Blue Zones methodology: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/704080v3 #10PercentHappier #BlueZones #DanBuettner This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. With over 30,000 therapists and a 4.9-out-of-5 average rating across 1.7 million client session reviews, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. See reviews at https://www.betterhelp.com/reviews, and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier. This episode is brought to you by Function. Function tracks the markers behind your energy and immunity — white blood cell count, vitamin D and zinc, ferritin, cortisol, and more. 160+ lab tests for about a dollar a day. Join at https://www.functionhealth.com/happier and use code HAPPIER25 for a $25 credit. This episode is brought to you by Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest has been helping entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses for nearly 30 years, with over 1,500 corporate guides who know your local laws. Get started with a free account at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/Happierfree. This episode is brought to you by Warby Parker. Prescription glasses made easy and stylish — shop online with virtual try-on, or visit a store for an eye exam. Covered by many major eye insurance plans. Buy one pair and get 20% off any additional pairs at https://www.warbyparker.com/happier