There are different reasons why the Japanese life expectancy has become longer than the rest of the world. They are expected to live without major diseases by 73 years old, and the total life span is 80 and more years of vigorous life.
On April 1st, Misao Okawa, the oldest living man (and woman) as of 2016, died in heart failure. She lived for 117 years. She is a true testament to Japanese lifestyle and inspiration to put more effort in longevity.
Here are some of the contributing factors on how Japan breeds centenarians:
1. Healthy Diet. The Japanese love eating raw seafood (like sushi) and seaweeds. Japan isn't a vegan nation. However, they have this "Okinawa Diet" that you can definitely try!
2. They make time for exercise. Exercise is important. They even have a breathing exercise. Imagine, you can flatten your belly by just inhaling and exhaling!
3. Releasing Stress. As we know, Japanese are hard workers. They devote most of their time in work. Afterwards, they have a lot of options to release stress. A little time for nightlife is good to maintain the fountain of life. Kampai!
4. Cleanliness and orderliness. Influenced by Buddhist religion and discipline, Japanese people always keep their environment clean. Good environment lessens the chances of acquiring illnesses and stress.
5. They love green tea, not brewed tea leaves, but the powdered one, called matcha. They have innovated desserts and drinks with matcha so they will be guilt-free taking bite of their favorite sweets.
6. Best baths. Natural hot springs in Japan or onsens are definitely therapeutic.
7. Fermented Food. Sake, soy, miso and natto (sticky fermented beans) are some of the fermented food which are staple in Japanese cuisine.
These are actually not secrets. The Japanese teaches us the discipline of taking good care of ourselves to live longer. Eat healthily, exercise, and be happy!
Photo by Mr Hicks46. Licensed under Creative Commons. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
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