The Japanese have found a recipe for longevity

You can't defeat old age, you can't turn back time. While scientists haven't yet found the recipe for eternal youth, you can look and feel much younger even when you're retired. And this is within the power of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. Most of our grandparents suffer from cardiovascular diseases, and in Japan they are extremely rare. The three-headed Serpent Gorynych, which means the three most common pathologies in the West - ischemia, stroke and cancer, from which people die every day, does not cause such catastrophic associations in the East. On the island of Okinawa, most residents have never heard of malignant tumors of the prostate and mammary glands. Moreover, among the Japanese, it is difficult to find anyone who is overweight. Obesity increases the load on the heart muscle, which means that the chances of getting arterial sclerosis increase.

According to the Russian Ministry of Health, in 2012, every 3 out of 10 people died from cardiovascular diseases in the country, a total of 17.5 million. Of this number, 7.4 million died from ischemic heart disease alone, and 6.7 million from stroke. Unfortunately, these diseases are getting younger in our region, becoming more than just isolated cases even at the age of 50-55.

The principles of being of a Japanese long-liver

The descendants of the samurai have proven that the normal aging process does not have to be accompanied by a sharp deterioration in health. You can live 10-20 years longer, being in full health, and not vegetate your last days, being in the care of nurses. Okinawans lead an active lifestyle and have an optimistic outlook on life in their old age.

Few of our pensioners would dare to ski down the world's greatest mountain peaks - Everest and Kilimanjaro - at the age of 70. But Japanese skier Miura Keizo did it. He also celebrated his centenary at a ski resort with his relatives and friends. Its secret lies in daily physical exercise for 3-4 hours, regular walks, light and simple food, and a thirst for life.

Nutrition is the basis of a healthy existence. The balanced diet that the Japanese follow - in the past a forced measure due to the scarcity of flora and fauna in the country - subsequently became the basis of traditional Eastern cuisine.

• Their food is low in calories and rich in unrefined carbohydrates. It provides protection not only from diseases that provoke rapid aging, but also from stroke, cancer and ischemia.
• The Japanese cook their dishes by frying over low heat with constant stirring. For this, they mainly use cold-pressed canola oil (the healthiest vegetable fat), which lowers the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, nourishes the "good" and enriches the body with polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6).
• Any dish is prepared exclusively from fresh products. You will not find expired vegetables or fish in the supermarket here. Moreover, their food culture has practically no place for frozen semi-finished products, so the percentage of food consumed with preservatives is also reduced.
• The lion's share of the diet of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun is local food rich in proteins and minerals, which is most suitable for their body.
• Fish is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Favorite delicacy - salmon: raw, fried, marinated, baked, salted and stewed. Only 2% of the world's population lives in Japan, but they consume 10% of the world's fish products. Seafood is a source of healthy fatty acids that help reduce the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease.
• The diet of any Japanese is rich in vegetables. They prefer to steam them with the addition of the same rapeseed oil. Residents of the East regularly eat healthy shiitake mushrooms, ginger root, and add seaweed, rich in minerals and vitamins. This food is low in calories and does not create prerequisites for overeating and obesity.
• Rice is the basis of most Eastern dishes. This high-carbohydrate product, which does not contain cholesterol and saturated fats, does not allow Japanese centenarians to gain weight and clog blood vessels. Rice replaces bread, so familiar to the inhabitants of our country.
• It is difficult to find Western delicacies in the form of fried ham, butter, sour cream sauces or other heavy ingredients at the Japanese table. A Japanese woman's invigorating breakfast is the most dense meal of the day, consisting of a cup of tea, a plate of boiled rice, a small piece of salmon and miso soup.
• The cult of green tea reigns supreme in Japan. The tea ceremony of the Eastern people, which has been honed for 500 years and has reached perfection, is known throughout the world. The drink is served without sugar, milk or cream. In Shizuoka Prefecture, where there are tea plantations, studies have shown that 20% fewer people die from cancer there than in other regions. Tea contains the natural antioxidant catechin, which protects cells from damage, destruction and, of course, aging. The ability of the substance to absorb cholesterol helps to combat the occurrence of thrombosis, atherosclerosis and strokes.
• 66% of Japanese who profess Buddhism are vegetarians. Back in the 7th century, the emperor (a Buddhist) forbade the killing and eating of any animal that runs on the ground by state decree. The law was in force for 12 centuries. During this time, the taste preferences of the people became unbreakable traditions.
• Japanese cuisine is unthinkable without soy. The product contains vegetable protein, similar in structure to animal protein, and does not contain cholesterol, which is abundant in meat. Soy phytoestrogen reduces the level of the female hormone estrogen, which has a preventive effect on the body, reducing the risk of developing breast cancer. Legumes are also useful for those over 40, as they help to combat osteoporosis by replenishing calcium and other minerals in the body.

A balanced diet based on traditional Japanese cuisine certainly plays an important role in the fight against old age. But the philosophical attitude to life, low stress levels (especially on remote islands) and constant physical activity (yoga, tending to one's own gardens, orchards, jogging) are also significant in the longevity of the Japanese.