N-H-P
Sun, Jul-06-03, 19:15
Okinawans losing secret to long life http://www.itechnology.c-
o.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=qw1057026241418B241&set_id=1
July 01 2003 at 04:24AM
By Linda Sieg
Naha, Okinawa - Toshi Uechi is 92 and still dancing. Her
grandchildren may not be so lucky.
"I've been dancing almost since I was born," said a sprightly
Uechi after practicing traditional Okinawan dance with about
30 other men and women - most in their eighties - at a senior
centre in the capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture.
A weaver in her youth and now retired from the noodle shop her
family ran after World War 2, Uechi avoids snacks and eats
daily servings of "goya", a vegetable resembling zucchini with
warts, whose most outstanding feature is its bitter flavour."
Related SOURCEs: Suzuki M, Wilcox BJ, Wilcox CD. Implications
from and for food cultures for cardiovascular disease:
longevity. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=-
Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11710359&dopt=Abstract Asia Pac J
Clin Nutr. 2001;10(2):165-71. Review. PMID: 11710359 ABSTRACT:
"This [healthy lifestyle] has consisted of a plant-based diet,
low in salt and fat, with monounsaturates as the principal
fat. Other healthy lifestyle factors include regular physical
activity (farming and traditional dance) and minimal tobacco
use. The associated negative risk factors are low
homocysteine, healthy cholesterol profile (Total:HDL ratio
less than 3.5) and reasonable blood pressures throughout the
life cycle."
Sho H. History and characteristics of Okinawan longevity food.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db-
=PubMed&list_uids=11710358&dopt=Abstract Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.
2001;10(2):159-64. PMID: 11710358 ABSTRACT: "Okinawan food
culture in the Ryukyu island is one of the world's most
interesting culture because its consumers have the longest
life expectancies and low disability rates. It is a product of
cultural synthesis, with a core of Chinese food culture,
inputs through food trade with South-East Asia and the Pacific
and strong Japanese influences in eating style and
presentation. The Satsamu sweet potato provides the largest
part of the energy intake" Akisaka M, Tanaka Y, Suzuki M.
Longitudinal and comprehensive follow-up study of the oldest
man in Japan] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?c-
md=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9212687&dopt=Abstract Nippon
Ronen Igakkai Zasshi. 1997 Apr;34(4):312-23. Japanese. PMID:
9212687 ABSTRACT: "The man did agricultural work until age 85,
after which he continued to be physically active and to pay
close attention to his health. ... Close attention to diet and
exercise from youth through senescence may also contribute to
health and longevity."
Mimura G, Murakami K, Gushiken M. Nutritional factors for
longevity in Okinawa--present and future. http://www.ncbi.nlm-
.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1-
407825&dopt=Abstract Nutr Health. 1992;8(2-3):159-63. PMID:
1407825 ABSTRACT: "Okinawa prefecture is well known as the
leading area for longevity in the world. ... Their leading
occupation was agriculture, and they were in work until the
8th decade. They took rice or potato as carbohydrate with
abundant vegetables and vegetable protein or fish protein."
------------------------
This Article Concluded:
"That sort of active lifestyle and spartan diet have helped
make Okinawa home to one of the highest percentages of
centenarians in the world - 39,5 per 100 000 residents. ...
Okinawans have long eaten more pork than mainland Japanese,
but a tradition of stewing it for hours - skin, bones and all
- means the meat loses its unhealthy fat content. ... Elderly
islanders are also accustomed to plenty of exercise. ...
Prefectural health officials got a shock when data showed that
longevity for Okinawan men had fallen to 26th among Japan's 47
prefectures in 2000 from fourth in 1995 and first in 1985."
------------------------
Comment:
Longevity diets always center around dates where a particular
locality has been documented to have the longest longevity on
the planet. For the Okinawan diet the key year appears to be
1985. For the Cretan Mediterranean Diet it was the 1960's. So,
rather than waste time portraying the Okinawan diet as a fad
that time has proven not to work the idea is to study the
actual diet during the correct time period.
In addition, while the popular press likes to portray it as
the Okinawan diet and the Cretan Mediterranean Diet it always
has been about total lifestyle. And, that means the dirty word
exercise / activity levels among other things.
The prominent psychosocial factor in the Okinawan culture was
their strong social support system of strong family values.
Interestingly the Okinawan food culture had a stronger Chinese
than Japanese food influence, with monounsaturates as the
principal fat.
--
John Gohde, Achieving good Health is an Art, NOT a Science!
Health-with-Attitude is a support group for people trying to
follow a Healthy Lifestyle.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Health-with-Attitude/
o.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=qw1057026241418B241&set_id=1
July 01 2003 at 04:24AM
By Linda Sieg
Naha, Okinawa - Toshi Uechi is 92 and still dancing. Her
grandchildren may not be so lucky.
"I've been dancing almost since I was born," said a sprightly
Uechi after practicing traditional Okinawan dance with about
30 other men and women - most in their eighties - at a senior
centre in the capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture.
A weaver in her youth and now retired from the noodle shop her
family ran after World War 2, Uechi avoids snacks and eats
daily servings of "goya", a vegetable resembling zucchini with
warts, whose most outstanding feature is its bitter flavour."
Related SOURCEs: Suzuki M, Wilcox BJ, Wilcox CD. Implications
from and for food cultures for cardiovascular disease:
longevity. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=-
Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11710359&dopt=Abstract Asia Pac J
Clin Nutr. 2001;10(2):165-71. Review. PMID: 11710359 ABSTRACT:
"This [healthy lifestyle] has consisted of a plant-based diet,
low in salt and fat, with monounsaturates as the principal
fat. Other healthy lifestyle factors include regular physical
activity (farming and traditional dance) and minimal tobacco
use. The associated negative risk factors are low
homocysteine, healthy cholesterol profile (Total:HDL ratio
less than 3.5) and reasonable blood pressures throughout the
life cycle."
Sho H. History and characteristics of Okinawan longevity food.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db-
=PubMed&list_uids=11710358&dopt=Abstract Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.
2001;10(2):159-64. PMID: 11710358 ABSTRACT: "Okinawan food
culture in the Ryukyu island is one of the world's most
interesting culture because its consumers have the longest
life expectancies and low disability rates. It is a product of
cultural synthesis, with a core of Chinese food culture,
inputs through food trade with South-East Asia and the Pacific
and strong Japanese influences in eating style and
presentation. The Satsamu sweet potato provides the largest
part of the energy intake" Akisaka M, Tanaka Y, Suzuki M.
Longitudinal and comprehensive follow-up study of the oldest
man in Japan] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?c-
md=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9212687&dopt=Abstract Nippon
Ronen Igakkai Zasshi. 1997 Apr;34(4):312-23. Japanese. PMID:
9212687 ABSTRACT: "The man did agricultural work until age 85,
after which he continued to be physically active and to pay
close attention to his health. ... Close attention to diet and
exercise from youth through senescence may also contribute to
health and longevity."
Mimura G, Murakami K, Gushiken M. Nutritional factors for
longevity in Okinawa--present and future. http://www.ncbi.nlm-
.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1-
407825&dopt=Abstract Nutr Health. 1992;8(2-3):159-63. PMID:
1407825 ABSTRACT: "Okinawa prefecture is well known as the
leading area for longevity in the world. ... Their leading
occupation was agriculture, and they were in work until the
8th decade. They took rice or potato as carbohydrate with
abundant vegetables and vegetable protein or fish protein."
------------------------
This Article Concluded:
"That sort of active lifestyle and spartan diet have helped
make Okinawa home to one of the highest percentages of
centenarians in the world - 39,5 per 100 000 residents. ...
Okinawans have long eaten more pork than mainland Japanese,
but a tradition of stewing it for hours - skin, bones and all
- means the meat loses its unhealthy fat content. ... Elderly
islanders are also accustomed to plenty of exercise. ...
Prefectural health officials got a shock when data showed that
longevity for Okinawan men had fallen to 26th among Japan's 47
prefectures in 2000 from fourth in 1995 and first in 1985."
------------------------
Comment:
Longevity diets always center around dates where a particular
locality has been documented to have the longest longevity on
the planet. For the Okinawan diet the key year appears to be
1985. For the Cretan Mediterranean Diet it was the 1960's. So,
rather than waste time portraying the Okinawan diet as a fad
that time has proven not to work the idea is to study the
actual diet during the correct time period.
In addition, while the popular press likes to portray it as
the Okinawan diet and the Cretan Mediterranean Diet it always
has been about total lifestyle. And, that means the dirty word
exercise / activity levels among other things.
The prominent psychosocial factor in the Okinawan culture was
their strong social support system of strong family values.
Interestingly the Okinawan food culture had a stronger Chinese
than Japanese food influence, with monounsaturates as the
principal fat.
--
John Gohde, Achieving good Health is an Art, NOT a Science!
Health-with-Attitude is a support group for people trying to
follow a Healthy Lifestyle.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Health-with-Attitude/