If you want to live to be 100, do this for 6 hours a week, say scientists.

There are countless recipes for longevity online, often involving various diets, stress reduction, meditation, and physical activity. Many people opt for rigorous gym workouts, which, in addition to their numerous benefits, are said to positively impact long-term physical fitness. However, if we take a closer look at the lifestyles of those living in the Blue Zones, it's immediately apparent that these centenarians don't, and haven't previously, been regular gym goers. The secret to their longevity lies in physical activity, albeit of a different kind.

Natural movement throughout the day can be much more beneficial to the body than lifting weights in the gym. But how can we maintain a high level of "home physical activity" when, a century ago, only 10% of people had sedentary jobs?

What is natural movement?

It's nothing more than free movement throughout the day, which impacts physical fitness. We often don't realize how much we rely on technology or other people for our work. We use house cleaning services, hire gardeners to plant plants in the garden, and drive from door to door. On top of that, we spend every day chained to a desk in front of a computer, and in our free time in front of a TV screen.

With such habits, even going to the gym twice a week won't guarantee a long, healthy life. Excluding natural movement from daily life causes the body to age faster, and many functions begin to fail. Analyzing the lives of residents of Blue Zones —places with the highest percentage of centenarians (Barbagia region in Sardinia, Ikaria island in Greece, Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Loma Linda city in California, and Okinawa island in Japan) —we see that their lives are based on regular daily physical activity, which stems from natural household chores.

What to do to ensure you get the right amount of natural exercise?

The human body was designed to move. Giving your body "jumps" at the gym two or three times a week won't do much to improve its performance if the rest of the week is spent "sitting." However, there are ways to restore natural movement in your life that will work greater wonders than an hour-long run on the treadmill.

1. Don't travel everywhere by car or bus

One of the most important factors in exercise is active transportation. Walk your children to school, and don't take the bus right to your office door. If you can, choose a bicycle, which will add value. Research shows that the best commute to work is a 15-minute walk each way.

2. Start walking 6 hours a week

Make walking a habit, just like an evening spent watching Netflix. Walking is not only good for the body, but also for the mind. A daily walk can reduce the risk of dementia by as much as 40%, according to Anders Hansen, a physician and psychiatric specialist at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Research from the American Cancer Society has shown that just six hours of walking a week is enough to lower the risk of death from heart or respiratory disease.

3. Adopt a dog and at least take it for walks

Whether you live in an apartment or in a house, adopt a dog. You'll no longer have any excuses for not having time for walks. Your pet will need to be taken out at least three times a day, so how much time you dedicate to it outdoors will be up to you. You can initiate joint play with a ball or a ring; you'll quickly notice the benefits on both sides.

4. Start gardening

Easier said than done. But if you live in a house with a garden, take care of its appearance yourself. Nothing will give you more rest after a hard day's work than tending to your plants. Do you live in an apartment building? Create a relaxation area on your balcony. You can grow seasonal flowers or herbs, which you can then use in the kitchen.

5. Don't sit in front of the computer for long periods of time, take 5-minute breaks

Sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day is the bane of modern times. Even a short lunch break doesn't add anything valuable to your daily schedule. But you can change that. For every hour you work in front of a computer , schedule a five-minute break. Get up from the monitor, do some squats, drink some water. Just move! Even... when you're sitting!