SECRETS OF LONGEVITY IN JAPAN

ACCORDING TO W.H.O FIGURES AS OF 2015, JAPAN IS THE COUNTRY WHERE

HUMANS LIVE THE LONGEST. THE COUNTRY RANKS NUMBER ONE IN LIFE
EXPECTANCY FOR BOTH WOMEN (90.1 YEARS) AND MEN (85.4 YEARS), WITH
AN OVERALL AVERAGE OF 87.9 YEARS - OVER 4 YEARS MORE THAN COUNTRY
WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST RANKING (SWITZERLAND)!

A HEALTHY DIET

"May your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food"
This advice, attributed to the Greek physician Hippocrates, perfectly sums up the
positive effect of the diet of the Japanese on their bodies.
Indeed, the staple foods of Japanese cuisine, namely fish, rice and vegetables, are
healthy and low in saturated fats and sugars, which over time can cause hypertension,
cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

Tofu, octopus, edamame (soybeans), assorted tempura (fried vegetables or fish) and other small plates
will delight gourmets.
Credit: DR
The Japanese also consume a lot of soy and seaweed, which, as well as being rich in
many vitamins and minerals, reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Read : Soya in Japanese cuisine

A bowl of matcha
CARE FOR SOME TEA?

For several centuries, the Japanese have been heavy consumers of matcha, green tea
powder. It is rich in catechins, antioxidants that boost the immune system and help
prevent cancer and excess cholesterol. Its antioxidant activity extends to the elimination
of free radicals, which have an impact on cell aging, and helps preserve membrane
cells and DNA.
Matcha also has a positive effect on the regulation of blood pressure, digestion and
stress.

DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE

The Japanese continue to engage in physical activityin their old age for as long as they
can. It's not uncommon to see groups of the elderly in city parks doing gymnastics,
running or Nordic walking. Cycling is also particularly popular, and many seniors
continue to move around by bike.
Generally, daily physical activity, valued at an early age by the Japanese especially
through rajio taiso (literally "gymnastics radio" and a kind of warm-up calisthenics
broadcast every morning throughout Japan), continues until very late in the life of
Japanese people.

AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH SYSTEM

Japan has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world, offering affordable,
high quality health coverage that's easily accessible to a large number of
people (ranked 4th in the world by Bloomberg Efficient Health Care).

The competence of the country's doctors is also recognized and respected, and these
two factors combined mean that many Japanese visit their doctor frequently, improving
the prevention and early detection of diseases.

ALCOHOL IN SMALLER QUANTITIES

The Japanese love a drink, but like other Asian ethnic groups, they are often affected by
a dysfunction of one of the two enzymes responsible for treating alcohol in the liver.
This alcohol flush reaction, which can often be noticed in people of Asian origin, is a
redness of the skin following the ingestion of alcohol. It can also be accompanied by
nausea, headaches, and an increased heart rate. This genetic mutation makes many
Japanese more sensitive to alcohol, and greatly reduces the amount of alcohol they are
able to drink. This relative intolerance to alcohol helps distance those affected from the
negative effects caused by drinking too much.