Hello everyone, my first presentation will be about the secrets of a long life on the example of Okinawa.
As you probably know a hundred years ago, not many people lived into their seventies. Today, it is fairly common to do so in developed countries. But on the Japanese Island of Okinawa, people live longer than anywhere else in the world, with an average life expectancy of 81 years. Many people on Okinawa live to be over 100 years old – the highest ratio of centenarians per head of population in the world. And they do not just live longer, they also live better. Rates of osteoporosis, heart disease, strokes, cancer, and dementia are all low on Okinawa.
So what is the Okinawan secret? So far all the findings indicate that lifestyle, not genetic factors, is largely responsible.
Okinawans eat a traditional diet of soya, fruit and vegetables. They consume a lot of fish, such as tuna, mackerel and salmon, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and help reduce the risk of heart disease and breast cancer. They do not eat a lot of red meat, and their diet is low in fats. Many elderly Okinawans also live by the motto ‘Eat until you are 80% full’, and this helps them to control portion sizes.
Elderly Okinawans enjoy walking, gardening, and Tai Chi, and often work long after the usual age of retirement in Western countries. Interviews with elderly Okinawans reveal that they are optimistic, adaptable, and easy-going. They have strong religious beliefs, which give them comfort and support. They have a valued role in the society and the family, and they are respected for their wisdom and experience of life. All of these factors give Okinawans a ‘reason to live’, which makes their lives happier and more fulfilled.
Most of them belong to moai, groups of old classmates, colleagues, friends or neighbours that meet several times a week to drink tea and chat. These networks provide emotional and financial support throughout their lives.
Unfortunately, younger Okinawans have abandoned these good habits. They have followed more Western diet and lifestyle, and the results have been devastating. Okinawans under the age of 50 have Japan’s highest rates of obesity, heart disease and premature death.
For Okinawans who move away from the Island, the picture is similar. Around 100 000 Okinawans moved to Brazil and adopted the eating habits of their new home, including eating a lot of red meat. The life expectancy of Brazilian Okinawans is 17 years lower than that on Okinawa itself.
Below I attach movie presenting the Okinawans, interviews with old citizens, but also showing youngsters (their habits) – sound quality is not the best but I encourage you to watch it.
Watch movie about Okinawans on Youtube - unfortunately this movie can not be embedded so I encourage you to watch it on Youtube
So would you like the kind of lifestyle presented in the movie?
Maybe you have your own ideas what to do/eat etc. to live long and healthy?
Do you think you will be able to work after your retirement? (Will your health be good enough?)
I think that such a long life on Okinawa is mainly caused by the religions of Residents. What's more it makes the mentality that is peaceful. I agree that eating lots of fish and soy, instead of red meat affects the long life. Similarly, the ritual of tea drinking is healthy. I think that this lifestyle is not possible in Poland, so I will not be so healthy. Currently, the race is at work, not a regular diet affects disease. Like the young people of Okinawa, more of us suffered from heart disease and obesity. As for work after retirement I hope that it will be possible. But I'd when old age rather travel then working :)
ReplyDelete@Jan Milewski - I am not saying that such life style is possible in our country. But we can eat fruits and fish. My question to you is whether you like to eat so much that you feel full and can't even move ;P - or maybe this 80% full style?
ReplyDeleteSimilarly like you I also would like to travel after retirement - question which arises here is whether my health condition will allow me for it and if I will have enough money ;>
Being healthy if very important for me. I try to eat a lot of vegetables and keep fit but nowadays it`s really hard to avoid acids in food.
ReplyDeleteFood in organic shops are very expensive so not everyone can afford for this. As we see the cucumbers affair showed that we can die eating such an innocent vegetable.
I think long life is conditioned by environment we live and the habits we have learned during our childhood. I hope my condition would be enough to be active for 40 years. I do not want to be a burden for my family in the future. Old people very often complaining for pain-I wish I could avoid this kind of situation that`s why I try to prevent this starting now.
For me this kind of life seems be boring. They live far away from civilization. They are fishing, working in the field, etc. It is hard work. I will not change my present life for this presented in the movie. Tempting is the fact that they live longer and healthier than us but despite of it I prefer my own life. You don't have to leave our country and go to Japan to live longer. Just eat healthy food, resting enough, be physically active, and just take care about yourself. Retirement is another topic to discuss. I don't think about it but I already know that when I will be old I just would like to rest. If I only could I would never work after retirement.
ReplyDeleteEating lots of healty food like frutis and vegetables rich in vitamins. Add to this the fact of high level fish consumption. Sounds like an ideal diet :) I think I can imaginy my transition to this way of eating. But on the other hand your diet is conditioned by your lifestyle. With mine I don't have enough time to prepare my meals to be as healthy as possible :(
ReplyDelete@Kamyk: You mentioned about some Okinawans that migrated to Brazil. I found out this page:
http://www.wub.gr.jp/english/con06/01.html
Which generally says that the emigration from Okinawa has a long history.
And the basic expatriation background are economical reasons. The people leaving Okinawa were looking for a better life. I'm not really sure then if I want to live the Okinawa's lifestyle ;) I feel quite well.
I have watched a TV program on National Geographic (or Planete - doesn't matter) where scientists were trying to discover secrets behind logevity. They were researching 3 totally diferent regions where life expentancy is long and tried to determine a common denominator. One of these regions was Okinawa. It turned out that despite different diets, climate and geographic location one thing was common in all these regions - a strong community affilation. People remain in close contacts with each other and their duties give them a reason to wake up every morning.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with their findings. As for my diet... well I eat what I like because I see no reason to force myself to eat "healthy" food which I hate. Of course it's important to have a rich diet, for each type of food there are at least a few substitutes.
@Artur Gwiazda - I defnitely do not induce anyone to leave our country - but do you really think that the reasons you gave are enough? In our life we have a lot of stress, we chase the career - while they lead peaceful and calm life
ReplyDelete@Michał Kąkol - thanks for that link, I thought so that they are emigrating because of such reasons
@Adam Młodziejowski - I agree with you that community affilation may be one of factors which cause a long life. What do you think about community in Poland? Do you know all neighbours? To be honest I know just one in my block of flats..
I know about long life at Okinawa, Japan. It's most know thing at world :) I agree totally that eating fresh wegetables, soya, fish and many healthy eating plus enjoying sport, walking, cycling, drink non-alcohol drinks can make a long life way. I like it really and try to live and eat healthily. I'm vegetarian from 2 years and feel better than that time when I was "carnivorous" ;) I try to eat a little but more, 5 meals per day. Now I don't have so much time to enjoy sport, because I've study and work.. When I've some time then can make healthy food with fresh vegetables, fruits and something good to eat.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad about that young Okinawa's people eat fast and chemical food's that make many disease.
And I'm angry at American that have a negative impact to all people at world, because not Okinawa's people are eaing fast food, but in Europe too. We've McDonalds, KFC and some restaurant with fat food. I really dislike it.
I have heard about long life in Okinawa. It is incredible from one side, so many people more than one hundred years old. On the other hand when we saw the way they live: eating many vegetables and fish, being active all the time (they even don't have word for retirement ;) ), having many friends and never being lonely - it seems to be natural to live so long. In my opinion one more thing is important to live over eighty years: thinking positive.
ReplyDeleteI think living so long isn't possible in Poland despite of our eating habits. Poles prefer to watch TV than work out. When we have free time we like to rest in a passive rather than active way. Moreover people in Poland never look happy. We like to complain and be unsatisfied all the time.
Maybe if we change our lifestyle we will live longer.
@Emilia - exactly as you wrote we like to watch tv. and this is caused by the hard work we do everyday - on Okinawa they live their way. I can tell on my example that I also do not practice a lot of activities since I started to work. At morning to job, then to universty and after that I just want to get rest ;)
ReplyDeleteThe most amazing fact for me is that those people remain mentally fit even after reaching the age of 100. Old people in Poland tend to be lonely, thus grumpy or mentally deranged. The 'moai' thing must be of great importance.
ReplyDeleteFor me even exceeding the statistical life-span by 10-15 years due to 'healthy' lifestyle would be spoiling the previous 40 years of my life. Cravings are fun. And remember, the Okinawans don't live healthy because they have such choice (well, at least not fully). The Japanese don't eat red meat because they can't afford it (kettle can't really be fed on Japanese soil) and as we can see, the youngsters have a choice and don't follow their ancestors. I'd be among them if i were an Okinawan.
I hope I won't have to work after retiring. The only exception from that rule is to keep in touch with the world or if i really liked my job.
Trivia: I've heard that Queen's Elisabeth II secret of longevity is a daily glass of Gin&Tonic.
Who wouldn't like to be happy and productive at work? I think that the culture causes us more stress and treating our jobs as something bad, which just must be done to have money for living. For successful and happy people, their jobs seems to be just a natural part of their life.
ReplyDeleteIt's rather common knowledge, that the major contributing factor to longevity is a healthy and balanced diet. I think the problem is that most people are constantly in a rush, I don't know many people who have enough time to buy fresh food and prepare healthy meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper, the more, smaller meals, the better) every day. A lot of people eat outside of their homes and most places where one can eat are either expensive or unhealthy (sometimes both). In Japan I think that even the takeaway food is a lot better than in the West. I would like to have more opportunities to eat healthy food without having to spend so much time or money on it.
I would like to have a job that naturally fits my lifestyle, and of course, continue it (maybe part-time) after retiring. The other scenario that I think of is to travel around the world after retirement. The key is to constantly have something to do, people to meet, places to see, to not have to think about uselessness as an elder person (what most Polish elders seem to do). I would like to be active as long as my health permits.
It's not easy to keep your live healthy but if we want to live longer we should, firstly have more relax and have good and long sleep. I don't want to work on my retirement. I think when I will be old my health will be good enough to travelling.What I do to keep healthy: I try to prepare meals myself and eat only vegetables and fruits. My grandmother has now 84 years old and I wish to be healthy like her, she still cycling and walking very fast.
ReplyDeleteSo eating habbits can make me live longer?
ReplyDeleteThat is possible. We are eating now everythink chemicaly preserved. It is hard to find natural products.