Okinawa, Japan has long been known as an area of the world associated with people who traditionally live longer than their counter-parts throughout the rest of the world. But they don’t just live longer, they also live healthier more active lives at more advanced ages.
So what are the older Okinawans doing right?
Apparently, they eat the right things, get the right amount of exercise, and engage in stress relieving activities that not only extend their lifespans, but which allow them to enjoy the more advanced years, instead of just surviving.
Okinawans eat lots of plant foods – soy, vegetables, fruit and whole grains – a diet that’s shown to keep the arteries unclogged, the better for cardiovascular health. They get most of their soy from tofu and edamame, the raw soybeans that the Canadian-born Willcox reports go great with beer.
Okinawans drink less alcohol, and typically consume 500 fewer calories a day than Americans. And while they love their pork stew – a traditional delicacy some Okinawans swear is the secret of their longevity – they eat it only occasionally, and cook the meat so long the fat disappears.
Okinawans also engage in healthy amounts of physical exercise while adopting a work ethic and other practices that help to manage and reduce stress. The practices include certain forms of martial arts, including meditation, that are known to reduce life’s pressures to insignificant levels.