Okinawans have among the lowest mortality rates in the world

This is so interesting.

When Dr. Suzuki, the Principal Investigator of the OCS, first began his studies, he found an unusual number of centenarians to be in extraordinarily healthy shape. They were lean, youthful-looking, energetic, and had remarkably low rates of heart disease and cancer-even stomach cancer, which claimed many mainland Japanese. And they enjoyed the longest life expectancy in the world. By 1995, according to Japan Ministry of Health and Welfare life tables, Okinawan life expectancy had even surpassed the absolute limits of population life expectancy estimated by the Japan Population Research Institute and many biodemographers (see Fries JF. New England Journal of Medicine 1980;303:131-5).

The study began in 1976, after the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare confirmed initial reports of outstanding health and long life in Okinawa through validation of birth certificates and other statistical data. Since then our research group has investigated over 600 centenarians to uncover clues to their outstanding health and long lives. Studies have concentrated on the genetics, diets, exercise habits, and psychospiritual beliefs and practices of the Okinawan elders.

Here is the website; www.okinawaprogram.com...

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I was watching cnn for a minute and they were talking about longevity on coopers 360.
It turns out alot of these people grow their own vegetables and dont pay for any other kinds of foods, mostly eating leafy greens which have high levels of anti oxidants in them.
There, they honour and look up to the older people by mimicing what they eat, how their attitudes are, ect, whereas people in america celebrate and honour youth, moreso then the eldery who get put on the backburner (paraphrasing here from what Willcox said)

I believe that too be true, i've worked in assisting living homes where family barely goes to visit their family member because it's too hard on them, they get easily forgotten about or put on the backburner.
I think i'm going to buy this guy's books for my family members as xmas gifts, good news like this deserves my attention, plus a few pointers for myself wouldn't hurt either haha.



Photo: 97 year old karate master Seikichi Uehara

One of the most important things about the Okinawa Centenarian Study is the fact that it is based on solid evidence. The most important evidence needed for any centenarian study is reliable age-verification data
Read about the study here; www.okinawaprogram.com...

Edit to add an amazon reader who has lived in this part of japan, he comments on this guy's book and the 'secret of longevity' simply put he states:

It is not so much that they have a low fat diet, or that any one aspect of their diet is vitally important or some sort of secret gift or "program," except this: that they eat a great variety of mostly whole, home prepared food always in moderation. Younger Okinawans, blessed with all the modern conveniences, including cars, fast food and the vast selection of instant or factory prepared foods now stocked by supermarkets throughout Japan, are beginning to struggle with obesity and alarming rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis and so on. (Sound familiar?) There is no great secret here and, as of reading this, if you did not already know (most people do these days), you now know the simple secrets of longevity.

[edit on 16-11-2005 by TrueLies]

Yes its amazing odds, I was reading about them a few months back. I think its the fish.

I believe it may be the kombu (Seaweed) . I read a report a while back which talked about how the citizens of Okinawa had one of the lowest incidences of cancer in the world and it was primarily due to their diet which was full of mineral rich Kombu. I need to try and find the report and i i wlll post the link.

Mayet, I think the fish does help especially for any sort of inflamation. Fish is rich in essential fatty acids and they gretaly assist in reducing any inflamation before it greatly affects ones day to day living. That would help to keep the Okinawans mobile and pain free fo most of their long lifes.

Coupled with the fact that EFA's are great for the brain and Okinawans may have better neurotransmitter function than most and this would result in them consistantly making better choices about what they eat and what they do to keep fit.
Some say will power is what makes people eat properly and excercise but if your neurotransmitters are not conforming to your bodys natural rhythm then you are more likely to make the wrong decisions about your health and lifestyle.

When I lived on Okinawa in the mid sixties, alot of the vegetables were grown with human excrement and urine. You could see the farmers walking in their fields with the "honeypots" on each end of a stick across their shoulders. My mom would always soak the veggies in bleach water before she would let us eat them. I suspect the locals did not do that. I wonder if having bacteria in their digestive systems contributes to their longevity?

I would agree as well that it's their diet that plays the biggest part. I can't get enough Japanese food. It gives you energy and doesn't weigh you down. If I ever hit it big one day I'm going to hire a Japanese personal chef and eat it all the time.

Japanese food is great for your sex drive too!

Peace

Originally posted by sparkyloveandlight
Mayet, I think the fish does help especially for any sort of inflamation. Fish is rich in essential fatty acids and they gretaly assist in reducing any inflamation before it greatly affects ones day to day living. That would help to keep the Okinawans mobile and pain free fo most of their long lifes.

there was a guy i think on the amazon commentary section mentioned he went there w/ a foot problem (cant remember if it was internal or external) but when he left there 'after consuming what they consume' his foot problem totally disappeared.

I was just at a site where they give rankings fo rpeople all around the world who live the longest. Apparantly the report people in Anguerlla live the longest AVG 83 yrs, and Japan is third at an AVG of 80 yrs.
On CNN last night they were speaking w/ people who were 103 years old, and they were still strong in mind, still working, and the one lady was going out w/ a man 20 yrs younger then her.

Coupled with the fact that EFA's are great for the brain and Okinawans may have better neurotransmitter function than most and this would result in them consistantly making better choices about what they eat and what they do to keep fit.

I totally agree w/ that statement, my friend who was studying the brain in university told me everything had to do w/ the neurotransmitters..


Country Description
1. Andorra 83.49 years
2. Macau 81.87 years
3. San Marino 81.43 years
4. Japan 80.93 years
5. Singapore 80.42 years
6. Australia 80.13 years

Link

Not sure how this site comes up w/ it's stats so keep that in mind.

Hmmm.

Both sites are good, and both are accurate, I think. Okinawa may have the (or one of the) largest number of centarians... but not necessarily be the longest-lived people.

What I found interesting was that the study showed the Okinawan elders had hormone levels of much younger people. This would indicate that to live to be very old, your body probably has to be much "younger" than your contemporaries. For example, one of my friends is 56 and still hasn't gone through menopause (most women enter menopause in their late 40's and are finished by the time they're 53. Her doctor keeps running tests, but she's fit and healthy... and apparently much younger inside than her age measured in years.)

She doesn't eat any special diets, and she's somewhat overweight.

Now, for the Okinawans, weight may also have something to do with it. They're leaner than many first world citizens.

Anyway, interesting topic!