Increasing Longevity Through Better Nutrition
Allison Preston
In an archipelago southwest of Japan, lies the island
of Okinawa, which is home to the healthiest population of centenarians
(people over 100 years old) on earth.
They suffer fewer instances of cancer, diabetes and
heart attacks. Their secrets include a more nutrient based diet and
less stressful living.
Okinawan centenarians stay lean by eating fewer calories
than they burn off during the day. They maintain a healthy weight.
For them, meals are a social event where the focus is on the social
interaction and not the food itself.
They eat until they are almost full before they get
stuffed. It takes 20 minutes for the body to signal to the brain that
is it full. Americans like to eat until they are stuffed.
You can use a hunger rating system to monitor your
level of satisfaction. During a meal, rate your hunger on a scale
of 1 to 5- (1 is famished and 5 is stuffed.) By just taking the time
to think about how you actually feel, you are less likely to overeat.
They eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole
grains and lean proteins. They include fish and soy in their diet.
They eat more food but less calories since the foods they choose have
more nutrients, greater bulk and fewer calories per gram.
Besides feeling fuller, eating a diet rich in vegetables
and fruits and low in saturated fats from animal proteins have been
shown to significantly cut your risk of chronic disease. They eat
locally grown foods, so their food choices are fresher, riper and
more flavorful.
They are also always changing their dietary intake
so the constant changing of nutrients helps build their resistance
to chronic illness. They also engage in many physical activities daily.
They tend to exercise in the evening to relieve their
daily stress and get their bodies ready for rest. They go to bed early
and take naps during the day giving their bodies the proper sleep.
A major part of their diet is seafood which provides
omega-3 fatty acids. These fats protect the body from heart disease,
depression and Alzheimer's because they reduce arterial inflammation.
Another stable in their diet is soy which is made
up of antioxidant-rich proteins. You can try to get more fish into
your diet. Try to get some soy into your diet at least once a week.
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About The Author: For more articles by Allison Preston
be sure to visit her website http://www.fitness-web.com
where she writes about diet, exercise, nutrition http://www.fitness-web.com/category/nutrition/
and other health and fitness related topics.
