"At 70 you are still a child, at 80 you are a boy or girl; if at 90 someone from heaven will invite you upstairs, tell him: go away and come back when I am 100."
This good advice is carved in stone on one of the islands of Okinawa. And the locals take it very seriously.
“You must definitely try the umi budo,” said Sayaka, “it’s the secret to a long and healthy life.”.
Sea grapes - this is how Umi Budo is called in Okinawa. What is the connection between a daily dose of umi budo in vinegar and active and smiling Okinawan old people?
Firstly, Okinawans, unlike the Japanese, do not lean heavily on fish. They prefer pork and practically do not eat chicken and beef. "We have the whole pig in business, except for his squeak"said the butcher at a market in Naha, the capital of the prefecture. Soup is cooked from the head, the ears are finely chopped and lightly pickled. According to him, Okinawan pork has less cholesterol and 3.5 times more glutamic acid than any other.
After hunting wild boar, both young and old enjoy eating raw boar belly, dipping it in soy sauce. And then comes the turn of the tebichi pig legs: the gelatin released during their long cooking preserves the youthfulness of the skin.
Tofu (soy) and algae Okinawans eat more often than Japanese. Dairy products do not eat at all. Sugar is used only cane, brown. The right antioxidants are obtained from vegetables. Of fruits, they love papaya. True, they consider her a vegetable and eat unripe. Okinawans respect alcohol. They drink strong (40 °) Avamori, which is driven from Thai rice and often insist on poisonous vipers, as in Vietnam. They use turmeric for hangovers.
They eat pork, drink Avamori, and live long, fun, not thinking about heart attacks and strokes, unlike other elderly people on the planet. But over the past 15 years, Okinawan men have lagged far behind in life expectancy - slipping into 20th place in the world. To preserve the glory of the island and, most importantly, extend the years of life of its inhabitants, and humanity as a whole, scientists focused on the lifestyle features of 740 Okinawans, who are over 100.
Secret No. 1 Eighty-Ten
Long-lived Okinawans do not overeat. They have such an expression, "eat eight tenths." According to Dr. Makoto Suzuki, such self-discipline does not allow the stomach to stretch and demand more with each meal. This prevents the development of fullness.
Okinawan young men have stopped monitoring nutrition. Young people would rather order a hamburger than a "goy champa."
Secret number 2 MOVEMENT
Older Okinawans do not sit still. They always have business: a garden, a circle for weaving baskets, ikebana, a photo, karate (this is his homeland). Men play a local variety of croquet. There are platforms for him in every village. And some 80 years old run a marathon or get fish for lunch by spearfishing.
The new generation is literally losing shape. Obesity among young men is observed everywhere: driving a car replaces walking, and the only muscles that are constantly involved move the fingers on the keyboard.
Secret No. 3 to YUIMARU
“Belonging to something bigger than yourself, and the atmosphere of mutual assistance create peace of mind and optimism, they give Okinawans the energy to enjoy life in old age”- convinced Dr. Makoto Suzuki.Although older Okinawans often live alone and independently, they all take advantage of the Yimaru philosophy - "kind and friendly joint effort"are actively involved in community life.
Young Okinawans are too preoccupied with well-being and do not pay due attention to mental health. Therefore, they have more than older Okinawans, heart attacks, strokes and other sad signs of age.
A strange fact: Okinawans are recognized world champions in life expectancy. But, as it turned out, it was not a matter of genetics: once the Okinawans move to other countries, they stop breaking records and live no longer than the locals.
And finally, another component of the secret of a long and healthy life - Okinawans do what they like!
The article was published on the materials of the magazine "Good advice" 1/2014
Text and photo: Alexey Dmitriev
Material prepared by Julia Dekanova
