Learn from the Japanese: Why Japanese People Live Longer?

I've told you before that I am interested in Japanese diet ...Well, why I chose Japanese diet instead of other countries' diet? The reason is just above. Japanese people stay longer and they have the longest life span among other people in Asia as well as in America. What makes them so healthy and strong? Of course the reasons does not depend solely on the diet, but also their lifestyle. This is what I aimed to explore when I was thinking what I wanted to do after my examination. I love every single thing about nutrition. How I can benefit most from food and how to make the food that people dislike (like vegetables) to be more attractive? Here I'll be sharing with you on the article that I've read about Japanese diet and why it makes them more healthy than us and the Americans.

Fish versus Red Meat: Japanese people don’t eat nearly as much red meat. Red meat has a lot more cholesterol than fish, which causes you in your later years to have a much higher chance for heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and other fun things. [This is the reward first, pay later concept. Woohoo...I'm applying what I've read!] In Japan, fish is the primary “meat” to eat, which means not only do they keep their cholesterol lower, but they also get healthy fish oils, too. Now, there’s probably something to be said about the nasty stuff that can come with fish (i.e. mercury), but no matter what you eat you’re going to be getting something “fun.”

Less Milk, Butter, Dairy: Most Japanese people are lactose intolerant.[omg. I never knew that!] In fact, people who can drink milks after becoming an “adult” are mutants anyways. People aren’t really meant to do dairy their whole life. Although non-fat milks are pretty healthy, a lot of people drink 1% and 2% milks. The amount of fat and cholesterol in those is pretty astounding and will kill you slowly. Japanese people don’t really do dairy all that much, lactose intolerant or not, which means they avoid all the extra cholesterol.

Rice: Rice is eaten with almost everything and is high in nutrients (there are special rice strains in Japan that have been created to have more nutrients than normal rice, even). It’s also low in fat and helps fill you up. [No wonder eating sushi is so fulfilling but it also makes me crave for it every second. Oh. I love Sushi~] Now, to make this even better (for yourself), you should try to mix in some brown rice as well. A lot of people don’t like this, but it’ll help you get some more whole grains.

Lots of Soy: Tofu, bean sprouts, and so on are awesome for getting you proteins and help reduce heart disease and high blood pressure, a couple of things that kill a lot of Americans. Soy products are really healthy, and an awesome alternative to meats, milks, and other “unhealthy” things. [I learned from the Japanese that it is okay not to take any meat. So, it's perfectly fine that I'm not a fans of chicken. I don't really eat chicken anyway and not many people believe me. Well, I don't mind whether they wanna believe or not. But my main problem is I also don't really like fish. The only fish that I like is just SALMON, COD FISH and STINGRAY. Well, people says that I only know how to appreciate expensive fishes. Well, I can deny any further but to admit it too. But I really don't like fish smell...But the weird thing is, I don't mind to eat it when it is a sushi! Lol~~]

Tea: Japanese people drink a ton of tea. Americans drink a ton of coffee. While there’s something to be said in regards to “everything in moderation,” I feel like one cup of tea is going to be better for you than one cup of coffee, especially when we’re talking larger amounts. Green / Oolong Tea is full of antioxidants (good for fighting that cancer thing), and apparently helps break up oils in the digestive system, keeping those bowels happy.

Seaweed: Mmm, seaweed. It’s full of iodine and other nutrients you don’t get as much of anywhere else. So incredibly healthy. Also supposed to help fight against many kinds of cancers, too.


More Vegetables: Vegetables tend to be a big part of every meal, not an afterthought or “oh, I should add a vegetable to this steak dinner” kind of thing. Everyone knows that vegetables are healthy and good for you. What else is there to say?

Smaller Plates: Here’s a trick. If you’re looking to lose weight, get rid of your big plates. Small plates cause people to eat smaller portions, which causes people to eat less. So many studies have been done on plate size and how much one eats, and there’s a surprising correlation between the two. Japanese tend to serve food on smaller plates which means they don’t overeat and get fat, which, of course, reduces chance of heart attack, heart disease, stroke, and other ailments.

Calories: According to Greg O’Neill, director of the US National Academy on an Ageing Society, Japanese people eat a third of the calories Americans eat. Now, Japanese people do tend to be smaller, so this kind of makes sense, but on the other hand Americans tend to eat too many calories. Next time you do fast food, look at the calorie counts. It can get pretty ridiculous, sometimes.

Walking Vs. Sitting

Not only do Japanese people eat well, but they stand and walk way more than the average American. In America, most people tend to drive everywhere. Then, after they drive, they sit for long periods.

The Commute: A large portion of Japanese people walk, bike, and take the train to work (or wherever they need to go). Cars are kind of a luxury, and it’s almost easier to take a train anyways (train system is awesome). This means Japanese people are standing up for longer periods of the day, whether that means they’re walking / biking to the train station, or standing up in the train because there isn’t room to sit down. There have been plenty of studies done showing the correlation between how long you sit down per day and how likely you are to die early. Basically, if you stand up more every day, you’ll probably end up living longer. In Japan, standing and walking is just a necessity, while in American you have to go out of your way to do it. If you want to live longer, try and stand up for a few hours every day. [Maybe the crazy Canon CEO isn’t just being evil, he’s helping his employees live longer!]

Squatting While You Poop: Apparently, it’s also healthier to squat when you poop. [Haha. I prefer squatting in the public toilet.] Although this is becoming less and less the case, many Japanese toilets require you to squat, which has its own health benefits (even if it takes some practice). Apparently (I won’t get into too much detail here), squatting helps with your digestive system and actually help you to avoid hemorrhoids. While hemorrhoids are pretty common in Western countries, they’re nearly nonexistent in Asian, squatting countries. Back in 1978 they even got Jimmy Carter a squat toilet because his hemorrhoids were so bad. I don’t want to talk too much about poop here, so if you want to read more you can.