{"id":2102,"date":"2007-10-01T15:48:33","date_gmt":"2007-10-01T19:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ehealth.cooperhealth.org\/?p=2102"},"modified":"2007-10-01T15:48:33","modified_gmt":"2007-10-01T19:48:33","slug":"live-healthy-live-longer-lessons-from-okinawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/ehealth\/2007\/10\/01\/live-healthy-live-longer-lessons-from-okinawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Live \u2018Healthy\u2019, Live Longer: Lessons from Okinawa"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Residents of 160 islands that comprise Okinawa, Japan, are more likely to reach 100 years of age than people living anywhere in the world. We know from research that it is not a \u201clongevity gene.\u201d Okinawans who move away and adopt the lifestyle of their new country quickly develop life spans much like their new neighbors.<\/p>\n

The people of Okinawa not only work hard but are traditionally active throughout their lives. They grow up walking; gardening; eating lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish; and many also perform martial arts and traditional dance. They eat fish several times per week but consume minimal dairy, fats, meat and sugar. While they consume approximately 500 calories less per day than the average American, they also eat a greater volume of foods that contain lots of water, such as fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

Okinawans also share strong social ties and believe in helping others \u2014 a practice called yuimaru \u2013 resulting in very low stress levels. This healthy way of living may be fading as an American lifestyle begins to creep into their lives. Younger children seem to be adopting a taste for pizza, burgers and fried chicken.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the United States, all the calories we\u2019re eating combined with our sedentary lifestyle has caused an increase in obesity rates. About two-thirds of Americans qualify as overweight or obese. If you\u2019re one of them, you can do something about it starting today. The health benefits you\u2019ll gain, and the sense of well-being you\u2019ll feel, are well worth the effort,\u201d said Cooper University Internal Medicine physician Daniel J. Hyman, D.O.<\/p>\n

Dr. Hyman offers these \u201chealthy living\u201d tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n