Long Life & the 7 Essential Diet Habits on the Island of Okinawa, Japan

Long Life & the 7 Essential Diet Habits on the Island of Okinawa, Japan
Why Longevity in Japan is the Highest in the World - the Secret to Long Life





Okinawa, Japan- Locals are well known for their long life and a low risk of disease. Most of the longevity in Japan is thought to be related to a healthy lifestyle, low calorie, and nutritionally dense diet.
There are many theories on aging, but how long we can live, quality of life, and why we age to begin with, have been the primary focus for years.

The study of aging is called gerontology, There are 2 groups associated with the aging theory. The first group believes that it's a natural and pre-programmed process. That you have very little control over aging.
The second group, the one I believe in, states that aging is a result of damage done over time. The things we do to our body over the course of our life have a direct impact on longevity. Things like smoking, excessive sun exposure, and eating processed overcooked foods, have all been proven to shorten the life expectancy of the average person.
At the end of the day, aging is a compilation of many thing, genetics, chemistry, physiology and behavior.

According to wikipedia, The oldest verified person to live was a French woman named Jeanne Calment, she lived to be 122 years & 164 days old.
The oldest woman still alive today is, Kama Chinen a female, she was born on May 10, 1895. As of April 29, 2010, she's still kickin' at the age of 114 years & 354 days.

While Japan has the second highest rate of centurions (people over 100) in the world, Okinawa has the highest percentage with five times as many per 100,000 people. In comparison, the United States ranks only 38, with women averaging 80.8 years old and men averaging 75.6 years.

According to the United Nations (2005- 2010), The Japanese rank #1 in life expectancy. It's no surprise that Japanese women have the longest life span. The average age for women in Japan is 86.1, Japanese men 79.0 years.

Long Life & The Secret To Longevity

Many studies have been done and support the argument that their diet and healthy lifestyle is directly linked to long life.

The studies have shown several common factors that have contributed to the large number of centurions in Okinawa. [source: The Okinawa Centenarian Study]

1) A diet that is heavy on grains, fish, and vegetables and light on meat, eggs, and dairy products

2) A low-stress lifestyle, is a very important factor.

3) The Japanese have strong family ties. The elderly are well taken care of, and not isolated or separated from their loved ones like other cultures.

4) The level of physical activity in Okinawa is higher then in other cultures. The locals will work until much later in life.

5) They embrace spirituality. Their sense of purpose comes from within, as prayer and meditation ease the mind of stress and worldly problems.

The traditional Okinawan diet consists of a low calorie intake. It has been said that there is a tight correlation between the high proportion of Okinawan's over 110 years of age and the relatively low caloric diet. With exception of pork, almost no meat is consumed; virtually no eggs or dairy products are consumed either. The Okinawan's include pork in their every day diets, but will keep the fat content low by boiling it off first.

The 7 Essential Foods Associated With The Okinawan Diet

Organic Fresh Vegetables: Most of their meal consists of fresh vegetables. The Okinawans eat as many as 8 servings of vegetables and 2 serving of fruit a day. Papaya and sweet potato are among the staple foods in their diet. Other staple vegetables are radish, marrow, onions, carrots, cabbage and leafy greens.

Seaweed or Wakami: Is an antioxidant rich, nutrient and mineral dense food. It's an important part of the Okinawan diet. Seaweed is a staple in japanese quizine .

Soy: This is among the staple food consumed by the Japanese. The studies on soy are ever changing, but given the longevity of the Japanese, it's safe to say that soy is good for all.

Whole Grains: The Okinawan diet includes 6 to 8 servings of whole grains daily. Rice and noodles are the staple grains in their diet

Green Tea (Matcha): They drink green tea several times a day. It has been well documented that green tea has a long list of health benefits.

Fish: They consume fish several times a week. Fish high in EFAs ( Omega 3s), such as salmon and tuna, common staples in the Japanese diet.

Meat is the lowest consumed staple on their diet: As stated before lean pork is boiled to ensure the majority of the fat is removed from the meat before it's consumed.

Papaya: is also among the staple foods used in many cultures, particularly Japan.
Papain, is the enzyme contained in Papaya, that breaks down proteins. Papaya is believed to be the only source of papain. Of its many uses, the aiding in digestion is on the top of the list.
Papayas are a rich source of vitamin A and C. A small amount of papaya
can provide 150% of the recommended dietary intake of Vitamin C. Its a good source of potassium, foliate, and fiber.

This is the secret to the Okinawan diet!