Healthiest Place on Earth

KickChick · Black Belt

I read a very interesting article last night about the healthiest place on earth to live...where there are more than 400 people aged 100 or older in a population of 1.3 million. Here in U.S. there are only 65-130 in a comparable sized sample. The 3 leading killers in our culture - heart disease, stroke and cancer occur with the lowest frequency in all the world. Everyone maintains a healthy weight without dieting and senior citizens average body mass index (BMI) is 21!!!! Women live to be 86 and the main cause of death is just....old age with no real dicernible cause. Where is this place? Okinawa, Japan.
Their secrets??? They fill up on unrefined carbs and fiber..they actually eat more food by weight than do North Americans...but stop when they are full..called" hara hachi bu which means eat until you are 8 parts full out of 10. Simply put leave a little room at the end of each meal. Here's why. It takes the stretch receptors in the stomach about 20 min. to tell the brain how full you really are and you will actually feel fuller 20 min. after you put down your fork. If you eat until you are 100 % full, you will go about 20% over capacity at each meal. Interesting huh?
And also Okinawans feel exercise is a way of life. Martial arts is taken up at a very early age and continued throughout their lives. Martial arts demands a harmonious blend of mind and body and reduces stress. YES ... that is why I love Martial Arts!!!
A study on the Okinawans' habits especially their dietary habits...reveals that what you eat- and how you live and think - has a huge impact on your health, weight, energy, stress level and your life expectancy. They follow their own food pyramid..which our USDA is looking into.
If you want more info go to:
http://okinawaprogram.com/news/boston_globe.php

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Tae Kwon Do Blk Belt 1st deg./Fitness Kickboxing Instructor
(KarateForums Sensei)

[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2001-11-09 09:32 ]

Kickbutt · Pre-Black Belt

Wow! Very interesting read KickChick! Thank-you for that! I' eat the same way - there's nothing worse than feeling as though you have a lead weight in your stomach! When it comes to chocolate - well that's a different story altogether!! I can't stop!!!

Lori

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If you think something small cannot make a difference - try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.

-Unknown-

KickChick · Black Belt

You got that right Lori!

But hey...chocolate is good for you (some study found this out...but I always knew it was!) Also red wine is too (protects against heart disease!)
Cheers!

Kickbutt · Pre-Black Belt

Yeah - I heard that about chocolate too!! I also drink red wine regularly...I'm into Australian red wine now - I love Wolf Blas and a good Merlot. Man! I'm gonna freakin' live forever at this rate!!

_________________
If you think something small cannot make a difference - try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.

-Unknown-

iamrushman · KF VIP

ladies please.........i wanna hang out with the girls here...........

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rushman (karate forums sensei)
3rd dan wtf/kukkiwon
"saying nothing...sometimes says the most"--e. dickerson

kicker · Black Belt

hey KickChick maybe thats right only for old people best place to live!!

But not for younger kids and teenagers and adults I believe best place to live usa i might not agree with that maybe some parts of usa!!

Jack · Black Belt

kicker, eating a load of junk food, breathing polluted air and not getting enough exercise as a kid can all cause problems for later in life.

I for one would LOVE to visit and/or live in Okinawa, the problem is with where I live and who I live with is that there isn't enough good natural food, not enough room to practice properly, too much time-stress; School, homework, seeing friends (I don't want to give up my social life for martial arts, although I do train with one of them on sundays)

hmm, does anyone else feel that where they live or the people they live with can sometimes "try" (for lack of a better word) to stop you from reaching your full potential? What do you do about this?

Personally, I try to ask mum to get whatever healthy things she can from the shops on saturdays, I train with a friend who does Ju Jitsu with more room (he lives next to a big field) and generally try to practice whenever I can (Although other things get in the way

)

How about you?

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

Interesting thread Kickchick.

Jack you have rather profound insight for one of your years.

I think in many different ways the physical area we live in promotes unhealthy life styles. The kind of people we live and work around also have a strong affect on our patterns of living.

It would be very interesting to hear what others do to promote better health given the area and type of people they live around.

Jack · Black Belt

Thanks for the kind words SaiFightMS

Yeah I would also like to hear what people do, so get posting!

kicker · Black Belt

okay mine turn now!!

well when they do that i usally try do get away from it like leave it in the past and try not to bring it back and then i may not want ot go back to the class i go for in martial arts to stay strong and fit so you have to develop a stronger inside of you or if your not getting enough healthly food well maybe ask your mom or bye it yourself and cut down on junk food if you down eat healthy food like everyday!!I guess thats it!

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