Increasing life expectancy with the okinawan diet
Having the correct diet is a central pillar of a long lasting life. Here are the 4 ways to live longer and this is one of them.
It is not only that are living for longer than average they are also healthier, being leaner, more energetic and having a lower rate of chronic illness.
The Okinawans are islanders off Japan, where people are reported to have the longest life expectancy in the world. One of the main reasons for this is said to be their eating habits. This does need to be in context though, the islanders have other lifestyle factors which could be influencing the longevity enjoyed. Their diet consists of a relatively low intake of calories, with fish being one of its central pillars. The Okinawan diet. The diet of the islanders is about twenty percent less in calories from their mainland cousins and contains over 300% yellow or green vegetables with a specific emphasis on sweet potatoes. The diet consists of little fat and much lower sugar and grains than the average person. Almost no meat, eggs or dairy foods are eaten.
Basic foods of diet
Eat
- green/yellow vegetables – e.g. lettuce, celery, Asparagus, green salad, baked sweet potato, miso soup
- Fish and brown rice, tofu
Avoid
- red meat and hummus pasta, pizza
- fried food and desserts
Generally avoiding more heavy foods. One of the most important tenants of the Okinawan diet is to only eat until 80% full. This is as it takes the body a while to realise it is full, and thus over consumption can easily occur. Due to this and the food choices Okinawans tend to eat about 500 less calories than average. It is also worth noting that this diet has similarities to a glycemic index diet with its emphasis on low glycemic carbs. As with most diets it is important to transition slowly into it, especially with such a radical diet.
Other factors
It is not only the diet which is affecting the life expectancy of the Okinawans. Okinawans generally have a positive outlook on life and remain unstressed. As well as this there may be a genetic component to the longevity as the Okinawans have a distinct genetic signature as compared to other Japanese.
