Dan Buettner, producer, author, and Blue Zones guy

Who we're talking about: Dan Buettner, the popularizer of the Blue Zones concept. Buettner started out as a journalist for National Public Radio and National Geographic. Then in 2008, he published "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest." It's been all Blue Zones for Buettner ever since.

And the news is: Even though Buettner's Blue Zones made the bestsellers lists all the way back in 2010, the concept is hot once again, thanks to a new 4-part Netflix documentary. The documentary is getting positive reviews and anecdotally, everyone is talking about it.

So what's next? To your Long Youthspan editor, the Blue Zones concept is both bad and good. It's bad, because it exploits our fascination with centenarians. But as I've written before, there are reasons to be skeptical about what centenarians can teach the rest of us about health and longevity.

On the other hand, the Blue Zones concept is also good because it ultimately gives us solid lifestyle recommendations — regular physical activity, whole foods, friends, family, reduced stress. A good starting point, and for many people in the modern world, one that would create a transformation in health and wellbeing.