LONGEVITY | CENTENARIANS | TRAVEL
The Longevity Secrets of Okinawan Centenarians Are Out
Here’s the proof in my first-hand experience
Can’t believe this happened three years ago. Time has flown and sometimes it stood still. I believe that’s a life worth living.
During the Easter holidays of 2019, my husband and I went on our first holiday together to Okinawa. I had heard a lot of amazing things about it. My fascination for shells was what first inspired me to travel to Okinawa. I’ll save that for another story. Later I learned that this Japanese archipelago is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, where there are high concentrations of centenarians. Hubby had visited places in Japan before, but not Okinawa. We both love islands and time spent under the sun equals fun.
The dates are important only for this story
We set off for Naha airport from Hong Kong on 17th Apr 2019, spent a couple days in the city before heading off to our Airbnb on Zamami Island. We arrived in Zamami on 19th April. Our host was a lovely Japanese mother who lived with her cat and dog in her well-ventilated house. She served us amazing breakfast and dinner. This was our first brekkie!
On 20th April we went biking on another island. Here we stopped on a bridge to take in the beautiful view of the ocean. It begged for a selfie!
Who knew what awaited us soon after. We were riding on a road going downhill. A peculiar noise from my husband’s bike distracted me at that moment. As my bike caught speed, my foot slipped off the pedal, I hit the wrong brakes and I flew off my seat. The next moment I found myself lying in the middle of the road with my toe and knee badly scratched. Thank goodness there were no cars on the road.
Hubby, who was riding right behind me, told me he was almost going to run over me. We collected ourselves and sat down side by side on the pavement. He was tearing up. I turned. I looked deep into his moist eyes and said, “I’m not done yet.”
My foot hurt. Somehow we managed to get back to the ferry pier to get to the medical center in Zamami. A kind couple who noticed me limping offered to ride me to the medical center. The nurses and the doctor at the Okinawa Prefectual Nanbu Medical Center had a cheerful demeanor.
After they treated my wounds, I left the medical center with this document and a cream. Please observe the dates.
The 31st doesn’t exist in the month of April. And my accident happened on April 20, 2019. Don’t you love it when you lose track of time, days, or dates?
Losing track of days and dates is a sign of being in the present moment! Number 5 on the list in the link explains how stressing less and rethinking your relationship with time helps Okinawan centenarians achieve longevity.
I’m glad I kept these documents and experienced the chilled outlook at life in Okinawa.
The factors responsible for longevity are
- Let food be your medicine. Eat healthily.
- Be positive, find your ikigai.
- Stay mentally engaged.
- Have a strong social support group.
- Rethink your relationship with time and stress less.
- Be in tune with self, nature, and spirit.
A small stone marker in the village of Ogimi in the rural north of Okinawa’s main island has a few sentences that roughly translate to this:
You’re merely a youth at 80. If your ancestors invite you to heaven at 90, ask them to wait till you’re 100, and then you might consider it.
Creativity and Us
Hubby and I have creative pursuits that keep us excited, and engaged physically and mentally. When we are creative we’re in a state of flow. We lose track of time and are in the present moment. We are both happy people and together life is only happier. Our diet consists of lots of vegetables, limited protein, and healthy carbs. We often go for long walks and visit beaches. We take time off work to play a sport together, visit nearby islands and explore new neighborhoods. We have a positive outlook on life and enjoy time with our loved ones.
Conclusion
Now you know the secrets of their longevity. City life is detrimental to our health simply because of its fast speed as well as stress. I tell myself, my ancestors, death, and God, “I have a lot to do on earth. I have met the love of my life much later in life. We have much to look forward to individually and together. Don’t bother inviting me, you will regret it. I will let you know when I’m done.”
Kane Tanaka is the oldest living Japanese supercentenarian at 119 years.
Todd and I are looking forward to living that long. You’ll keep hearing from us old farts.
References:
www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/09/japan-okinawa-secret-to-longevity-good-health/
www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uncover-the-secrets-of-longevity-in-this-japanese-village
www.bbc.com/future/article/20190116-a-high-carb-diet-may-explain-why-okinawans-live-so-long#:~:text=For%20every%20100%2C000%20inhabitants%2C%20Okinawa,100%20than%20other%20Japanese%20people.
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