Average life expectancy in Japan. Why does Japan have such a high life expectancy?

Statistics show that the average life expectancy of the Japanese, both men and women, is one of the highest in the world. In terms of the number of centenarians per 10,000 population, Japan also leads. The Japanese island of Okinawa is especially famous for this. Naturally, there is a desire to know what conditions contribute to this? They talk, write, rewrite, express their own thoughts on this topic, which, due to the lack of real information about Japan and the nutrition of its inhabitants, are more often like myths than the truth.

In 1801-1850. Life expectancy in Japan was only 36-38 years(no earlier data), when, as in Russia during the same period, life expectancy was one of the highest in the world and was 40-50 years (in the UK 38-50 years; Germany 37-38 years; USA 39-43 years; France 32-42 years). In 1851-1900, the Japanese already live 36-44 years, the Russians still live 40-50 years. From 1901 to 1950 life expectancy in Russia is 32-58, in Japan 37-61. In the early 1980s, the Japanese took the lead in terms of life expectancy and achieved a life expectancy of more than 80 years (in 1983 - 83 years). What changes took place in Japan after 1851, which allowed them to have such a drastic effect on the life expectancy of the Japanese.

40 years ago in Japan there were indeed only about 100 people who crossed the centennial milestone, and now there are more than 20,000 such people. Within a few years, this figure may increase to 30,000.

A high average, of course, does not mean that all Japanese live to a ripe old age. One of the reasons for such a high percentage of older people in the population is the low birth rate in the country and, of course, a rather low percentage of children in society. This indicator significantly affects the estimated value of average life expectancy. The infant mortality rate in Japan is also one of the lowest in the world in 1997, at 4.7% (in Russia, 17.2%; the lowest in Sweden, 3.9%; and the highest in India, 65.5%). Low infant mortality is another factor that increases the statistical average life expectancy in Japan. So it cannot be said that everyone living in Japan will necessarily live to a ripe old age.

The most important factor in long life is diet. Although there are many other factors, no less significant factors contributing to this. Let's start with diet. Not with the diet that was in the Edo era and to which the myths of Japan are credited with the main contribution to achieving such a high life expectancy. Let's talk about food modern Japan. After all, 40 years ago, the Japanese could not boast of high life expectancy figures.

A bit of history

Archaeological finds have shown that the first dishes of the ancestors modern Japanese they cooked on a fire as far back as 10-5 thousand years BC, in the so-called Jomon period. The ancient Japanese knew how to smoke meat, store food in natural refrigerators (pits up to 3 meters deep), and also use salt as a preservative.

The year 552 for Japan is characterized by the beginning of the spread of Buddhism from China. With the advent of the era of Buddhism in Japan, the ideas of vegetarian food also appeared. Buddhist monks believed that eating is an important part of a person's life, that it also contains a spiritual principle. Therefore, the spread of Buddhism in Japan was accompanied by the spread of the view of food inherent in Buddhist monks.

According to Buddhism, eating animals is a great sin, which greatly burdens karma and reduces the chances of being reborn in a worthy form. In order to finally and irrevocably instill this valuable thought in the brains of his subjects, in 675, Emperor Tenmu (the founder of the first ancient Japanese government) issued a law banning meat food. According to the new law, the killing and subsequent eating of cows, horses, dogs, monkeys and chickens was punished not only by worsening karma in the future, but also by severe troubles in the present. His successors on the Japanese imperial throne continued the glorious tradition of protecting domestic animals by issuing new decrees with the same content.

In the 7th and 8th centuries each new emperor who ascended the throne issued another imperial edict prohibiting the consumption of meat. The repeated editions of the edict are most likely explained by the fact that not everyone could so easily refuse meat, and there were many lawbreakers. However, by the X century. open consumption of meat has ceased almost everywhere.

The most famous Japanese "green", a fighter for animal rights, was the fifth shogun from the Tokugawa clan, Tsunayoshi, who ruled in 1685-1709 (almost at the same time as our Peter the Great). Shogun Tsunayoshi was born in the Year of the Dog and became famous for a bunch of edicts and laws protecting dog rights. Moreover, the violation of these very rights was punishable (depending on the severity of the crime) by prison, by reference to outlying islands for commoners and the highest command to commit hara-kiri for the samurai class. At the same time, protection was extended to all domestic and wild animals.

Modern researchers believe that the animal protection laws of that time are the best that the greens could have thought of even in our enlightened time. And the wild Japanese called their ruler Dog Shogun. Here's a joke of history: the ruler, who adored dogs and protected animals, remained in Japanese history under the name of "son of a bitch", and Emperor Meiji, who for the first time solemnly ate beef on January 24, 1872 with the accumulation of all the nobility and foreign ambassadors, is called the "reformer" .

Soon after the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century, the shoguns cut off many of Japan's trade relations with the West and forbade sending people outside the country, and expelled Europeans who were in Japan. Only Holland continued to trade with Japan, other foreigners were forbidden to enter the country.

Had a dreary life Japanese people during the reign of the Dog Shogun: they don’t give meat, by a special verdict all entertainment establishments (Kabuki theaters, tea houses with geishas) were expelled from the cities. Only wild aquatic birds such as herons and ducks did not fall under the edicts on the protection of rights, but the law forbade their breeding at home very strictly.

In China and the Korean peninsula, the ban on eating meat or fish extended to the Buddhist clergy; in Japan, even lay people were forbidden to eat meat. This was partly due to the influence of Buddhism, and partly to the local religion of Shinto, which considers eating meat as an unclean act.

This rule applied only to the meat of mammals, but not to the inhabitants of the sea. Whales are mammals, the common people considered them big fish, and therefore there was no ban on catching and consuming them. Wild birds were also eaten. There was a belief that chickens and roosters were the messengers of Shinto deities, and only their meat and eggs were eaten until the 15th century.

Folk wisdom and the thirst for survival turned out to be higher than the fear of punishment

History has not preserved the name of the one who first guessed that the Japanese word "usagi" (hare) consists of two words: "u" (white heron) and "sagi" (gray heron). And therefore, the hare is a bird and does not fall under the law. This idea was seized upon by the ever-hungry Buddhist monks who lived in the mountains and ate pasture. There are not so many water birds in the mountains, but there were many hares. So the hares became birds.

The main supplier of animal protein in the diet of the Japanese was fish. Off the coast of the city of Edo (the old name of Tokyo - modern capital Japan, until 1868) there was a fleet of fishing boats, funded by merchants, who daily brought in a catch that was sold fresh on the same day. River fish was also included in the diet. Fishing with a rod in canals and streams, lakes was a familiar pastime of the Japanese. Most often, crucian carp, tuna, trout, salmon, carp and ayu (small river fish) fell on the Japanese table. Pieces of sea fish were fried and added to miso soup, but in most cases sea fish was eaten raw; it was cut into very thin slices and dipped in soy sauce or mixed with herbs and other vegetables, which were flavored with vinegar. The tender meat of chickens was eaten in the same way. Some varieties of fish were salted, sun-cured and eaten whole, and "meat" fish such as tuna could be dried to a "wood" hardness; it was thinly planed, and then added to the soup for broth, or cut off from a piece and eaten with other dishes or just like that.

One could list many other animal products that the Japanese ate. They included many crustaceans such as shrimp and lobster, various shellfish, as well as bird eggs and fish eggs, and even feasted on exotic foods such as frog meat, bee larvae, fish eyes and fish skin.

The Japanese have an expression "mountain whale" (yama-kujira). It began to be consumed during the time of the ban on wild meat. With the words "mountain whale" the Japanese camouflaged from the authorities and priests the wild boar meat that was forbidden to be eaten.

Ainu, indigenous people northern island Japan, Hokkaido, significantly depended on local animal food. The meat of deer and bears was an important part of their diet. southern kingdom Ryukyu, located on the islands of Okinawa, was subject to special jurisdiction, and bans regarding meat did not work here. The locals raised pigs, goats and other animals and ate their meat.

The population of the mountainous regions of the main Japanese islands, living by fishing, hunted animals for their fur and for medical purposes and, of course, ate the meat of slaughtered animals. Some, hoping to get rid of the disease or strengthen their strength, used the so-called practice of kusuri-gui - the use of animal flesh for medicinal purposes. Eating meat for medicinal purposes was allowed by Buddhism. But despite all this, animals were not raised specifically for their meat, and for many centuries the consumption of meat food in Japan was kept at an extremely low level, as was the actual seafood and fish. Most of the population did not have the means to eat fish daily.

The staple food was rice, vegetables, and soy-based products.

Like their neighbors, the Chinese and Koreans, the Japanese did not drink the milk of domestic animals, and the production of dairy products began relatively recently. Thirty-something years ago, the Japanese almost did not consume milk and cheese.

In addition to fish and seafood, the Japanese had another source of protein. It's soy. But not regular boiled soybeans or soymilk. the proteins in it, as in all plant products, are hidden behind an additional cell membrane of cellulose, which the enzymes of the human body cannot destroy. Vegetable proteins are practically not digested and pass through the human digestive tract in transit. Read the articles on the Health Tuning website: Vegetarians vs. Omnivores. Who is right? Answer found! | How much, in fact, protein in plant foods. Or how we are "fooled"! | Where do the trees go or In what case would the concept of “hunger” not exist for a person?

An additional technology of soybean fermentation, as a result of which cellulose is destroyed by the enzymes of special fungi, made it possible to make soybean a source of protein. The product of soybean fermentation is miso paste.

What is miso paste?

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning prepared by fermentation i.e. fermentation of rice, soy, salt and FUNGUS koji-kin (Japanese rice mushroom). As a result of preparation and long wait in a few years, a thick, versatile miso paste is obtained. Miso paste is mainly used in the preparation of soups, sauces, marinades for grilled chicken and fish, pickles for pickles and eggplant. And also this pasta is used as a sauce for rice or cooked with vegetables. It was and is an integral part of Japanese cuisine.

For all these types of miso paste, the cooking process is almost the same, only the cooking time varies from 6 months to 5 years of fermentation. The koji-kin fungus has cellulolytic properties. is able to produce the enzyme cellulase, which destroys the strong additional shell of the plant cell, consisting of cellulose. After that, the human digestive system is able to get proteins, which are mainly concentrated inside the plant cell. Otherwise, soy or algae, such as spirulina, often advertised as a source of protein, is not. Without the enzyme cellulase, plant proteins practically transit through our digestive tract. And protein deficiency is the cause of a huge number of diseases. Therefore, with the diet of the Japanese, extremely deficient in protein, everything that supplied protein to the body was a medicine.

A Japanese proverb says, "Go where they sell miso, not the doctor."

Soy products that have not undergone a fermentation process with the help of a special fungus are a source of carbohydrates, vegetable fats, vitamins, microelements, but are practically not a source of protein. This can be said about soy milk, and about unfermented tofu, and, even more so, about all boiled legumes.

For many centuries, miso paste has been the main source of protein for the inhabitants of not only Japan, but also China, and a favorite seasoning that gives oriental cuisine a special taste. First courses based on miso paste are still extremely common in Japan.

By the way, ancient sushi in Japan was made on the basis of fermented soybeans. It was fried and made into thin cakes, in which rice (often also fermented) seaweed or vegetables was wrapped. But putting seafood or fish inside such sushi was too expensive for many. Fermented cakes replaced fish or seafood in ancient sushi to supply the body with protein.

Only fermented soy is healthy. We will tell you more about this below.

The bourgeois revolution of 1868 in Japan led to a food revolution

In 1868, an event occurred in Japan that dramatically changed the course of the historical development of this country. For the first time since the twelfth century imperial power was restored. Not just the Tokugawa shogunate, which began in 1603, ended. The entire system of the shogunate, which had existed in Japan for almost seven hundred years, collapsed.

The new government embarked on the path of reforms and transformations that unrecognizably changed the face of Japan. From a backward medieval country, it has turned into a modern power on Far East. This truly revolutionary event took place during the lifetime of one generation, before the eyes of the whole astonished world. The rapid breakthrough of Japan is still of interest not only to scientists, but also to simply inquisitive people.

Young Emperor Meiji in military uniform (1873)

Until 1868, Japan was a very isolated, closed and poor country. The birth rate exceeded the death rate by 1%. In the thirties of the XIX century, at least a million people died of starvation (out of 30 million people in Japan).

Life expectancy at the end of the Edo period (approximately coincides with the period of the prohibition of eating meat) was 36 years.

By the beginning of this period average japanese He was rather short in stature and had a delicate physique. Women forced to be bent for a long time at work in rice cultivation, due to spinal weakness caused by a lack of protein for the collagen backbone of the spine (which requires a lot of protein, iron, copper, vitamin C to build), over the years, in the full sense of the word, bent in half and could no longer bend to death. Until now, in Japan you can meet quite a large number of such grandmothers.

It was obvious that other nationalities were significantly superior to the Japanese in physical development, because they ate meat and milk. French military instructors who worked under the last shogun Yoshinobu complained that Japanese soldiers could not cope with modern ammunition, and demanded to improve their diet.

In 1868, the period of industrialization of Japan began and members of the government, representatives of the enlightened elite, considered that in order to build a modern industrial state, the country needed a stronger workforce and army. Therefore, the traditional diet should be supplemented with meat and dairy products.

Even before 1868, Emperor Meiji heeded the recommendations of doctors and tasted milk. Since that time, beef and even lamb have been cooked in the palace kitchen. And on January 24, 1872, he solemnly ate beef in the presence of all the nobility and foreign ambassadors. Meiji seemed to say to his subjects: I allow you European cuisine.

However, at first, many Japanese looked at Europeans "devouring" meat with undisguised disgust. But gradually, meat began to appear on the tables of wealthy citizens more and more often, it became a sign of "civilized life." Newspapers even claimed that meat-eating was not spreading at the speed of a slow tread of a cow, but at the speed of a cannonball.

It was at this time that milk and dairy products entered the development of a national nutrition strategy, they were recommended for nutrition, especially for children. Dairies were built in 1876 to produce processed cheese. I even had to go to the trick and spread rumors that the emperor loves meat very much and drinks milk 2 times a day. Cheese and milk still don't really fit in national cuisine, so the Japanese eat cheese as a snack, with bread, pasta, in the form of pizza. The Japanese now consume more than 2 kg of cheese per person per year, up from 1.1 kg in 1990 and almost zero a hundred years ago.

Since the Meiji era, the Japanese have first tasted many foreign foods and foods such as meat, ice cream, coffee, black tea, and even bread. From the middle of the 19th century, restaurants appeared where you could order beef dishes, and in addition to such meat dishes as steak, cutlets and kebabs from meat and offal, beef delicacies began to appear, already prepared in the Japanese national style, i.e. with Japanese spices.

So, starting from the Meiji era (1868-1912), European food gradually enters the life of the Japanese. The Japanese began to quickly catch up. Mortality began to decrease, and life expectancy is steadily increasing. In 2014, the population of Japan is 127,040,000 people (for comparison, the population of Russia is 146,206,093 people).

Thus, Japan for many centuries conducted a global experiment on itself, which showed the positive role of meat in increasing life expectancy and physical strength of the body.

Preparing to make homemade sushi

Japanese meat dishes

Japanese cuisine had very few traditional meat recipes. Therefore, the chefs turned to foreign experience. Their main teacher was European cuisine. All the energy of the then Japan was directed to the modernization of the Western model. This is probably why meat dishes from China and the Korean Peninsula were borrowed only in the middle of the 20th century.

Some (but not all) Japanese fish and seafood dishes have been well known in Russia in recent decades. Who doesn't know sushi! The Japanese pronounce "sushi". Many Russians are sure that the Japanese eat very little or no meat at all, and this explains why high duration life in Japan. However, once in Japan, they look with surprise at the abundance of meat and meat products on supermarket shelves. Perhaps, there are much more meat products in Japanese stores than fish. And the seafood market, unfortunately, is even impossible for Russians to imagine.

The history of meat dishes in Japan is short (only in 1872 did the official permission for their preparation appear), but many very tasty ones appeared among them.

Sukiyaki

The most famous dish is SUKIYAKI, which is cooked right at the table from meat prepared in advance of extremely thin slices (about 1 mm thick). Also, vegetables, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, tofu are used to make sukiyaki.

A large cauldron filled with water and heated by a small gas burner is placed in the center of the table. Now the boiler and gas burners have replaced electric pans. When the water begins to boil, each of those sitting at the table takes with chopsticks the component he likes (from previously prepared ones) and lowers it into the cauldron. Since the meat is cut very thinly, it comes to readiness quite quickly. When the components are sufficiently cooked, they are taken out of the boiler with chopsticks, dipped in sauce and eaten. The sauce can be different, sometimes they make a mixture of several ready-made sauces and spices. The meat sauce market is very well represented. When all the prepared ingredients are eaten, the noodles are lowered into the rich broth, boiled and eaten along with the rest of the broth.

According to one version, the name sukiyaki comes from the two words "sugi" - a plow, and "yaki" - fry. Previously, people sometimes roasted vegetables and chicken meat right on the plow, which plowed the ground. Hence this dish got a similar name: “fry on a plow” - “sukiyaki” .

Shabu-shabu

A more modern version of sukiyaki is SHABU SHABU. . Shabu-shabu was first introduced to Japan in the 20th century during the opening of a restaurant in Osaka. It also includes incredibly thinly sliced ​​meat, thinly sliced ​​vegetables, which are served with sauce.

In the middle of the table, water boils in a special deep frying pan. Pieces of fresh meat are taken with chopsticks and dipped in boiling water for a few seconds, while it is as if they are rinsing a thinly sliced ​​​​piece of meat until it is cooked.

Traditionally, sliced ​​beef was used for this dish, but the modern version contains pork, chicken, duck, crab meat or lobster meat. Most often, tender fillet or tenderloin is used to prepare shabu-shabu. But if income allows, then elite meats, such as wagyu, the most refined variety of marbled beef, can be used to make shabu-shabu. In addition to meat, they cook vegetables, mushrooms, of which there are a huge number in Japan, and various "tricks" made from the roots of the konjac plant.

Sukiyaki, like shabu-shabu and other meat and fish dishes, is usually served with boiled rice, which replaces bread for the Japanese.

Japanese marbled beef

I would like to say separately about Japanese marbled beef. It is so named because it resembles white-veined marble stone.. The resemblance to marble is given by very thin layers of fat. The taste of the meat is juicy, soft. In Russia, they say about such meat "it melts in your mouth." And in Japan they say about such meat: "Meat that does not need teeth." It is easily digestible, because. not very oily, although it is pierced by a lace of fat. It is not for nothing that in children's educational institutions in Japan, children are given meat products of only increased "marbling".

In general, the term "marble beef" spread at the end of the 19th century precisely from Japan. Now such beef is grown in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries. In Japan, the number of local beef cattle was bred, capable of producing high-quality marbled beef.

Japanese marbled beef is considered one of the most expensive types of meat. It is a paradoxical fact that the power that dictates the standards in this segment of the meat industry around the world is a country that has not grown or consumed meat for many years.

Website special promotion Japanese government to open Japan "Yokoso!" (translated as "Welcome!") brought Japanese marbled beef from Japanese city Kobe among the most interesting features countries. If you manage to try the shabu-shabu dish with real Kobe marbled beef, you will realize that you have never known the taste of real meat.

In order to be sold under the "Kobe beef" brand, each tenderloin must meet strict standards.

Gobies of marble breeds are especially inactive, complacent and phlegmatic. The exclusivity of "marble" meat is achieved by the Japanese with the help of a special technology for growing bulls. Up to 4-6 months, the calves are given milk to drink, after which they graze in the meadows and live a free life, with little or no human intervention. Then they are placed in individual rooms with soundproof walls, and hung from the reins. This is done so that the bulls cannot move, but do not lie, since the muscles of the animal must be in tension to evenly distribute the fat layers in the muscle tissues. During this period, bulls are fed with selected grains and high-quality beer is drunk to improve their appetite. The longer the bull is fed with grain, the greater the "marbling". The average grain fattening standard is 200-300 days. In order for the fat to go into the meat and form thin veins, the bull is given a vibration massage, which resembles shaving. For improvement, they even include Japanese classical music. The end result is tender meat that melts in your mouth like butter. Livestock are given beer during the summer months to stimulate its appetite and growth during the season when the heat and humidity make the animals reluctant to eat.

Careful care leads to the fact that marbled meat has a great taste, and its price can be in the range of 200-600 dollars per kilogram. But the Japanese on holidays and home celebrations allow themselves such a luxury. They also buy marbled beef for children. At least marbled meat is constantly and in large quantities on the shelves. grocery stores Japan.

Kobe beef is very difficult (or impossible) to find in Russia, although restaurant menus may list "Kobe beef". It may be present in some restaurants, but to understand this, you need to know the taste of real marbled meat from Kobe.

Yakiniku

Yakiniku means "fried meat" in Japanese. This is a method of cooking meat on a grill, which, depending on the restaurant, can be on a grill over a clay pot with coals, or over an open fire on a special gas stove. Currently, there are a huge number of electric grills for cooking yakiniku in Japan.

The yakiniku dish originated in Korea, but in Japan it acquired a number of characteristic features. Japanese yakiniku is significantly less spicy than its Korean version.

Meat is served with soy or special sauce, which is poured into small bowls, and where the meat is dipped after grilling. Very finely grated garlic is often added to the sauce. Yakiniku also offers a rich selection of additional grilled products such as eggplant, daikon, mushrooms, leeks, leafy vegetables. As always, rice is served, and "on occasion" - alcoholic drinks.

Japanese skewers

In Japan, yakitori are very common - small kebabs, which are prepared from chicken, meat and offal, fish, seafood, and strung on wooden bamboo skewers. Previously, they were made only from chicken with entrails. Yakitori means "fried bird" in Japanese.

Strictly speaking, only fried pieces of chicken and vegetables are called "yakitori". If kebabs are made from meat, fish, then they are called kushiyaki (translated as “grill on a spit”). However, in other countries and even in parts of Japan, they are also called "yakitori".

Yakitori is a very popular dish in Japan. Coming home from work, people often buy beer and yakitori on their way home.

ramen

Ramen is a Japanese wheat noodle dish. It is very common in Japan, especially among young people. The dish is inexpensive, has great energy value and good taste. It is sold everywhere.

Despite the fact that ramen was considered quite a common dish in Japan already before the Second World War, a real explosion in its popularity occurred after the war. In the 1950s, it began to be made on the northern island of Hokkaido. The dish was called "Sapporo Ramen" and it was cooked in rich fatty chicken or fish broth with lots of miso, and seasoned with butter, soy sprouts, corn and boiled pork slices. Inexpensive and hearty, noodles have become a popular dish. Chefs all over Japan began to come up with new versions of the familiar dish, and by the 1980s there were dozens and hundreds of them. Ramen has become a whole social phenomenon throughout Japan.

Japanese gyoza dumplings

At the moment in Japan, meat dishes are very common in Japan. Not only Japanese, but also Chinese, Korean, Thai, European meat dishes have received a permanent residence permit in Japanese restaurants. Dumplings are also popular in Japan and they come from China, which is considered the birthplace of dumplings. They are made from fish, seafood, as well as from pure meat and a mixture of meat and vegetables or only vegetables. Meat dumplings are called yaki gyoza. Most often they are fried or cooked on a special grill.

The Japanese meat menu is very diverse and we will not be able to cover all of them in this article. meat dishes Japan.

Noodles

In Japan, noodles are very common, but not rice noodles, as many people think. There are three types of noodles: "udon" - flat or round noodles made from wheat flour, "soba" - noodles made from a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour, and "ramen" - noodles cooked in meat, fish or vegetable broth.

Longevity Island - Okinawa

Many have heard of the Japanese island prefecture of Okinawa and its centenarians. Okinawa is the record holder for the number of centenarians. The average life expectancy here for men is 88 years, for women - 92 years. This is higher than in the rest of Japan by 10-15 years. On this island, "an eighty-year-old is considered mature, and a ninety-year-old begins to think about approaching old age."

Okinawa - south island. In the Middle Ages, the kingdom of Ryukyu existed in Okinawa, which was subjugated by the Japanese in 1879 (before that it belonged to China). The inhabitants of Okinawan are not Japanese or Chinese, but a special nation.

The national cuisine of Okinawa is a “vinaigrette”, where the traditions of China are mixed, under the protectorate of which this was located for several centuries. Island state, and Japan. Your contribution to the development culinary tradition Okinawa contributed nearby islands South-East Asia and humid subtropical climate.

Many books about Okinawa published in Russia state that the Okinawans mainly eat fish and seafood, seaweed and vegetables, and eat very little. But those who managed to visit this island will be surprised to learn that the most common dish in Okinawa ... - noodles with pork.

When Westerners are brought a huge bowl of noodles floating in broth, and a couple of pieces of fatty braised pork are placed on top, many do not believe their eyes. Moreover, pork is served in the form of fatty undercut or bone-in meat with a thick layer of fat and skin. At this moment, all stereotypes collapse.

Newcomers from the west, who try this dish for the first time, fall silent for a long time, everyone is completely absorbed in eating. After a while, suddenly there is an understanding that the broth is “something different”, has an unusual taste for Westerners. And indeed, the basis of the broth is not meat, but tuna, and even dried to the state of a stone. Large pieces of dried tuna are sold in all markets, in stores, and here, upon purchase, a piece of tuna will be turned into shavings at your request. For Okinawan noodles with pork, these shavings are boiled, the broth is filtered, seaweed and other vegetables, soy sauce or miso paste are added. The broth is not greasy, has a rather spicy rich taste. Then wheat noodles are added to the hot broth, and a couple of large pieces of pork stewed in a separate bowl are placed on top. Delicious.

If a tourist in Okinawa asks for meat in a restaurant, the waiter hears pork. Okinawans believe that if one of the human organs is not healthy, then the corresponding animal organ should be eaten. And there is a certain logic in this. After all, the organs of our body have different protein, i.e. amino acid composition. And if you eat only chicken breast, then certain amino acids may not be enough to restore a diseased liver or kidneys, since there are not enough of them in the breast.

In Okinawa, the whole pig is involved. Soup is boiled from the head, the ears are finely chopped and lightly marinated. They love pig legs. One of our favorites is the hearty pork leg soup, which is regularly denounced by our health advocates. The frozen crust of fat is removed from the chilled broth, and the abundance of sticky collagen, which supplies the body with the amino acids necessary for the formation of human collagen, is considered the most beneficial in the soup. How can one not recall here the traditional Russian aspic and the former fortress of Russian men and women. But surprisingly, doctors recommend taking dietary supplements containing collagen, but forbid eating broth.

Collagen, released during long cooking of pork legs, gives elasticity to aged skin, is necessary for building the skeleton of bone tissues in children or their renewal in adults, and is important for the formation of ligaments, fascia, and joints. If the collagen backbone is not formed, there is nowhere for calcium to be incorporated. You can take calcium and vitamin D supplements as much as you like, but osteoporosis will progress and the bones will not heal well during fractures.

It is important to understand that collagen from food or dietary supplements will never be able to "integrate" into our body. In order for human collagen to form from animal collagen, quite a few conditions must be met. However, without a sufficient amount of "building material" in the form of protein, collagen cannot be built.

Osteoporosis- this is a decrease in the formation of an organic collagen matrix of the bone, and not poor calcification of the bone tissue, as many people think. But the violation of bone mineralization, the main cause of which is calcium deficiency and / or low levels of vitamin D in the body, leads to the development of osteomalacia, not osteoporosis. Often both diseases go hand in hand.

Okinawans are genetically short. They are much lower than the rest of the inhabitants of Japan. The calorie content of the Okinawan diet is balanced according to their height, i.e. it is lower than, for example, among the inhabitants Scandinavian countries or Americans. Therefore, they write everywhere about the low-calorie diet of the centenarians of Okinawa. However, for their growth, the calorie content is not at all low.

According to the centenarians themselves, they actively eat meat until old age and satisfy almost 50% of their calories from meat and fat from meat. Many centenarians say they have not been vegetarian for a single day. And a hundred-year-old resident of Okinawan told scientists that she is still faithful to the traditional Okinawan diet and often invites friends for dinner, treating her to stewed pork leg, potatoes, rice.

Pork leg, of course, contains a lot of lard - saturated fat. But this saturated fat and cholesterol does not clog Okinawans' arteries. It does not bring them heart disease, diabetes and other degenerative diseases. He doesn't even make them complete! Okinawans- slim, lean and energetic.

Why? And the reason is that it is not meat and animal fat that makes humanity fat and sick. But we will talk about this in future articles.

Despite their short stature, Okinawans are quite robust. Here you can often see very short stature of young women delivering the suitcases of hotel guests to their rooms. There are practically no very thin among Okinawans.

But the fat ones last years you can still see - these are regulars of American fast food restaurants, of which there are a lot here, since an American military base is located on Okinawa.

Seafood and plant foods in the diet of Okinawans

Okinawans, like all the inhabitants of the islands, of course, eat fish and seafood, but they prefer pork to fish and seafood and practically do not eat chicken. Beef is sometimes eaten, they love dishes from the tongue and bovine blood. Okinawans eat very little dairy products, although they drank goat's milk in the villages. Many Asians are genetically poorly digested milk sugar lactose, so many of them do not tolerate dairy products.

Extremely popular and loved in Okinawa is the goya vegetable, which looks like a bitter pimply cucumber. Goya has many names - bitter melon, bitter gourd, momordica. It tastes bitter, and after tasting it, you wonder why the Okinawans liked it so much. But without a salad from this vegetable, not a single feast can do. But surprisingly, after a few days you stop noticing the bitter taste of goya, and you begin to like it. And that's great, as goya contains compounds that lower blood sugar levels.

bitter cucumber

In Okinawa, another bitterness is loved - wormwood, which is used as a seasoning for rice.

Residents of Okinawan consume about 150 g of fruits and 300 g of vegetables per day, including seaweed containing iodine. Okinawa is a southern island, so fruits and vegetables can be grown here all year round. Naturally, Okinawans are not deficient in vitamin C.

Seaweed is an important part of the Japanese diet. They are especially loved in Okinawa. Algae consistently provide sufficient iodine content in the diet of Okinawans, which is necessary condition ensure high life expectancy. But without a normal level of protein in the diet, not even too much large quantities iodine can lead to serious disorders in the body.

We will talk about the role of iodine in increasing life expectancy in the next article. Follow the news on the website "Health Settings".

Salad with sea grapes

The main source of carbohydrates for the Okinawans is by no means rice, since the conditions on the island are not very suitable for growing it, but sweet potatoes, or sweet potatoes.

To the surprise of the enemies of sugar in Okinawa, they love and eat it, but prefer unrefined sugar or hard candies made from it.

Alcoholic beverages are not foreign to Okinawans. Awamori's favorite alcoholic drink is a product of the distillation of raw rice. The alcohol content is usually between 30% and 43%, sometimes up to 60%. Some varieties of awamori are aged for many years. Awamori consumption is very moderate and always accompanied by good food.

Awamori should not be confused with an alcoholic drink made from rice, but without distillation - sake. Sake is rice wine.

A wide variety of food in Okinawa, the inclusion of essential foods in the diet, moderation in food, the absence of starvation and vegetarian diets are the basis for a high life expectancy.

The calm pace of life of the Okinawans, the warm climate, the sufficient amount of sun and the habit of being active also have an impact on the health of the Okinawans. Even deep (by Western standards) old people walk a lot, collecting seaweed and shells for food. Calm and moderate movements on fresh air, rather than running to exhaustion on treadmills, help ensure a record high number of centenarians.

The oldest residents of Okinawan all their lives cared not about the figure, but about the strength and endurance of the body, which allowed them to work. There was practically no physical labor.

On small island Okinawa family ties are very strong. Together with the young, grandparents live in the same house. In addition, older people have historically been respected in Okinawa.

"Smelly Tofu"

One unique Okinawan delicacy is fermented tofu. Okinawans rank first in Japan in its consumption. Tofu is included in soups, fried dishes and served as an appetizer with local alcoholic drinks. To prepare this product requires a fair amount of skill and two to three months of time. First, tofu is dried in a dark place for two to three days, then dipped in rice and red yeast, and then in local moonshine - awamori for fermentation. The end result is a "stinky" tofu whose taste and aroma depend on the degree of maturity. It has a specific strong smell, which at first seems unpleasant to Westerners. But after all, ripened cheese, cooked according to all the rules, also has a specific smell, which you need to get used to. For example, many Chinese consider cheese to be the most tasteless food in the world.

March 8 in many Eastern countries consuming fermented tofu is Stinky Tofu Day.

Eating soy products only after fermentation and low consumption of unfermented soy products contributes to the high life expectancy of both women and men in Japan.

The process of soybean fermentation allows not only to extract proteins from the plant cell, safely hidden behind the "cellulose fence", but has a number of other very positive effects.

Fermented Tofu and Vitamin B8 (Inositol)

The process of soybean fermentation makes it possible to assimilate the most important vitamin B8 (inositol, myoinositol) from soybeans, in which it is present in large quantities, but in a hard-to-reach and poorly digestible form of phytic acid and its salts. There is a lot of vitamin B8 in an accessible form in fish caviar, offal (liver, kidneys, heart, brains). And in cereals and legumes, many fruits and vegetables, although there is a lot of inositol, it is poorly absorbed in our body. Caviar and offal are not frequent foods on the table of the Japanese of the Edo era, and even modern Westerners, because they are viewed as villains that contribute to atherosclerosis.

Another thing is the plant product soy. She was not banned. But regular, unfermented soybeans are mostly eaten in the west and in modern Japan. But earlier they used almost only fermented soy products, and even now these products are very loved by the Japanese. The fermentation process converts phytic acid (phytins) into an accessible form of vitamin B8. Those. fermented soy products in the Edo period are practically the only source of the available form of vitamin B8.

Without inositol (vitamin B8), the normal functioning of brain cells, pancreas, thyroid gland, liver and kidneys is impossible. Inositol is a constituent of phospholipids. The main function of inositol and its derivatives is participation in intracellular signal transmission and ensuring the functioning of such important receptors as insulin receptors, reproductive hormones, growth factors, etc. More than half of inositol-dependent receptors are necessary to support the cardiovascular system, immunity and the functioning of the central nervous system, as well as support for the menstrual cycle.

Myoinositol normalizes the sensitivity of ovarian tissues to insulin. It is necessary for the successful activation of the cell at the time of fertilization, for the treatment of infertility and polycystic ovaries.

Vitamin B8 supports metabolic processes in the body, in particular the metabolism of sugars. Vitamin B8 deficiency increases the risk of type II diabetes.

Plenty of vitamin B8, in the form of indigestible phytic acid, in cereals (wheat, barley, rye, oats, brown rice, brown white rice). Those. from cereals without prior fermentation, it is also very poorly absorbed, as well as from legumes. There is no legume or cereal without phytic acid (or phytin). Contain quite large amounts of phytic acid and such products: Brazil nuts, cocoa powder, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, orange, grapefruit, raisins, cabbage, potatoes, peach, watermelon.

If foods high in phytic acid have not gone through the fermentation process, then they are not healthy, but ... ANTI-nutritional foods!

And that's why.

Beware - not fermented soy!

Vitamin B8 deficiency, of course, can be dealt with with the help of modern drugs, dietary supplements. But the harm of phytic acid is much wider.

Phytic acid is an organic acid that binds phosphorus in the outer shell. Non-neutralized (i.e., not broken down into inositol and phosphoric acid) phytic acid can combine in the intestines with phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and form insoluble complexes with them. As a result, these trace elements cannot be absorbed, which leads to bone loss, reduced immunity, poor oxygen supply to the body, disruption of detoxification processes in the liver, and hundreds of other negative consequences caused by micronutrient deficiencies.

Here are some other possible Negative consequences use of soy products without prior fermentation or processing. Soy, like all legumes, contains certain anti-nutritional degrading proteins that inhibit (suppress) the digestive enzymes produced by our pancreas. This applies to the enzymes alpha-amylase, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Basically, this phenomenon is genetically determined in representatives of the white race.

Amylase- an enzyme that in our body decomposes starch and glycogen to maltose, which later turns into two molecules of glucose. That is, the improper use of legumes will lead to the fact that all the efforts of the pancreas to produce the enzyme amylase will be nullified. The enzyme will not work, and, therefore, starch and glycogen, as well as barley malt (from beer) will not be able to turn first into maltose, and then into the carbohydrate that our brain, nerve cell, muscle and other organs so need - glucose.

If you have such a genetic predisposition, then when eating legumes (beans, peas, lentils ...), the brain will suffer from hunger, because it recognizes only glucose as a source of nutrition. And undigested starch will cause flatulence. True, for the intestinal flora, a large amount of undigested starch is a feast. But, unfortunately, not only beneficial flora. If there is little beneficial microflora in the intestines, then uninvited guests will come to this feast - pathogenic (i.e., disease-causing) microorganisms. And this will disrupt all digestion, which absolutely no one needs.

Trypsin and chymotrypsin are pancreatic enzymes that break down proteins and peptides into their constituent "bricks" - amino acids. From amino acids, our body builds many proteins that are characteristic only for humans. There is no trypsin, and there is a deficiency of amino acids in the body even with normal protein intake.

In addition, trypsin is an activator of all other digestive enzymes. So, as a result of the resulting deficiencies of trypsin and chymotrypsin, animal food proteins are poorly digested (vegetable proteins are poorly digested without it). There is a process of putrefaction in the intestines, the stool becomes fetid, a large amount of undigested (i.e. foreign) protein and fat is found in the feces, and edema may appear. And many make global conclusions - meat is harmful!

The considered protein inhibitors from legumes are characterized by high temperature stability. For example, the complete destruction of a soybean trypsin inhibitor is achieved by heating to 115 degrees under high pressure (in autoclaves) for 20 minutes. Cooking legumes for 2-3 hours significantly reduces the amount of soy inhibitors, but does not completely destroy them. It follows from this that the use of legumes in the human diet is possible only after appropriate heat treatment.

Surely, many of you have heard about the painful bloating of the stomach in cows that ate too much alfalfa, which belongs to the legume family. This may result in the death of the animal. And the reason is in the trypsin inhibitor, which is abundant in alfalfa.

Long-term fermentation of soybeans using old-fashioned methods, as the Japanese do, reduces the heat treatment time for legumes to destroy enzyme inhibitors.

So, the widespread use of fermented soy products, such as miso paste, fermented tofu, soy sauce, allows the people of Japan not only to get some of the proteins from soy, but also to absorb the most important vitamin B8, not disrupt the absorption of trace elements and not expose pancreatic enzymes to destruction under the influence of soy inhibitors.

All this does not happen if you use soy and bean products according to Western recipes. Vegetarians are especially at risk, as they consider soy to be the main source of protein (soy milk, tofu). Be careful with non-fermented soy products if you don't want to end up with a full package of vital nutrient deficiencies and digestive problems.

Caution - non-fermented cereals!

Our ancestors have been honing their cooking methods for centuries, and those peoples who managed to find recipes that are optimal for the human body managed to survive. Surely, many of you have heard about the long-term languishing of cereals or cabbage soup in a warm Russian oven and wondered - why is this necessary? And many do not know at all about the preliminary soaking of all cereals and legumes (peas, beans) for several days without exception. And it was mandatory.

Soaking and prolonged languishing in heat caused the fermentation process and allowed the enzymes (enzymes) that produced human-friendly microorganisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. Throughout Europe, grains were also pre-soaked in water or sour milk overnight, and sometimes for several days, before being made into porridge. Where is this tradition now?

At the beginning of the 20th century, bread dough “fit” for a long time under the influence of home-made fermented sourdough (based on lactic acid fermentation), and not under the rapid influence of baker's yeast, especially the modern invention - fast yeast. With the currently existing technologies for preparing dough for bread, bakery products, the fermentation process takes a very short time, and many useful fermentation results do not have time to complete. Those. we do not eat the same bread that our ancestors ate, and modern bread for us is an ANTI-nutritional product. We get carbohydrates from it, but such bread inhibits the absorption of trace elements not only from bread, but also from other foods that we eat with bread. But in any case, yeast bread is better than yeast-free.

Other "uncivilized" peoples also soaked or fermented grains before making porridge, bread, pies, and grain dishes. In India, rice and lentils are fermented for at least 2 days before they are cooked into dishes. In Africa, locals soak coarsely ground corn overnight before adding it to soups and broths, and they also ferment corn and millet for days to make porridge. A similar dish, but made from oats, was traditional among the natives of Wales. In some Eastern and Latin American countries, it is customary to ferment rice for a long time before cooking it.

It is no coincidence that in our time with an abundance of food, but the loss of the experience of ancestors, even in very wealthy sections of society, a normal balance of trace elements in the body is a rarity.

Insulin resistance, type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome, age-related dementia and chronic fatigue syndrome have become epidemics, and women are forced to resort to in vitro fertilization (fertilization in a test tube) to give birth to a child.

Bad ecology, preservatives, excess sugars, saturated animal fats and meat are blamed for these troubles, but often the reason is “buried” in the neglect of the experience of ancestors and modern cooking technologies that have not passed the test of practice. What are the recommendations to eat inedible products, such as muesli, from raw grains (containing raw starch). The fashionable and incorrect practice of consuming bran, muesli or unrefined cereals and legumes after boiling or roasting without prior fermentation does not stand the test of practice.

How are people in Japan different from people in many other countries? First of all, a careful and respectful attitude to the ancestors, their customs and traditions, especially the traditions of Japanese cuisine, which allowed the nation to survive even with a protein deficiency.

Isn't this the secret of such a high life expectancy in Japan?!

However, in Lately among the inhabitants of Japan you can see quite fat. The Japanese have diabetes, varicose veins and other problems that they practically did not know. The reason for this is the Western style of eating that is actively penetrating Japan. Hamburgers, sodas, fast food restaurants, the wrong techniques for making bread and baked goods (they originated in Japan) have changed food traditions. Young people are especially susceptible to this.

After World War II, the Americans set up military bases in Okinawa and opened more than 100 fast food restaurants, including McDonald's and others. Some Japanese eat at these restaurants up to three times a week, compared to the average Japanese who eats Western fast food only once. in Week.

Will the people of Japan survive such an invasion of their diet? How will longevity be maintained – through advanced rescue medicine, through a huge amount of drugs, or through normal metabolism and healthy old age? So far, there is no answer to this question.

The average life expectancy in the world is closely related to the standard of living and incomes of the population that are available in the country of residence of a person. A civilization that rejects the experience of ancestors can be the cause of a significant deterioration in the health of mankind.

Far from everything we understand in the metabolism in our body and digestion. Therefore, some theories that have not passed the test of the centuries-old practice of ancestors are always a big risk. And there is still a lot to be understood in order to introduce new technologies into nutrition without risk. Written by Vitaliy Kozhuk on Elise

Japan is a country where ancient cultural traditions harmoniously combined with the most advanced modern technologies. The peak of the development of this country, according to statistics, fell on the end of the 80s - the beginning of the 90s of the XX century: during these years, Japan for some time led the world in the Human Development Index. Currently, the high life expectancy in Japan is in the center of attention of the world community. According to this important social parameter, the country rising sun Today, it is practically ahead of the rest of the planet, without losing its positions.

Average life expectancy in Japan

Such an indicator as the average life expectancy, also called the average life expectancy or life expectancy, can be considered one of the most important characteristics of the development of any society. It indicates both the quality of medicine, and the level of culture of the population (nutrition, attitude towards one's health, etc.), and the degree of safety environment(ecological, criminal, political), and many other factors.

An increase in the number of people living to a ripe old age, as well as a low level of child mortality, can serve as confirmation of the improvement in indicators for this parameter.

According to the latest data, life expectancy in Japan is the highest in the world at 83.7 years. Japan's closest "competitor" - little Hong Kong - is 0.4 points behind, 4 more countries can boast of a level exceeding the mark of 82 years: Switzerland, Australia, Italy and Iceland (from 82.7 to 82.3 years).

For comparison: the lowest scores in the majority African States(the worst in the Central African Republic - 45.91 years), among which, for obvious reasons, Afghanistan "got in". The average level of life expectancy in the world fluctuates between 57-60 years.

Attention is drawn to the fact that in terms of life expectancy, the Land of the Rising Sun is ahead of its competitors both in absolute terms and in terms of gender. Life expectancy in Japan for men and women is 80.9 and 86.6 years, respectively. The men of Iceland were only 0.2 years behind the Japanese, and the residents of Hong Kong with a result of 86.5 years almost reached the level of Japanese women. In general, the trend of longer life expectancy for women is global and is observed in absolutely all states. This pattern, in addition to social, apparently also has biological grounds.

On the possible reasons for the high life expectancy in Japan

Speaking about what explains the high life expectancy of the population in Japan, we can name a number of the most significant factors. First of all, it is a high standard of living, due to economic development countries. Japanese economy third in the world in terms of GDP and fourth in per capita terms (4.395 trillion dollars a year). However, although there is some relationship between economic prosperity and life expectancy, there is no direct interdependence.

In addition, such high indicators of the standard of living in Japan were far from always. Suffice it to say that at the end of World War II, the average life expectancy in a devastated and demoralized country barely exceeded 50 years, which is in stark contrast to today and casts doubt on the genetic predisposition of the Japanese population to a long life. Therefore, the researchers note that, in addition to economic factor, effective medicine and a healthy nutrition system contribute to the current mass longevity of the Japanese.

Japan has a well-developed system of early diagnosis of diseases, which in most cases allows timely prevention of ailments, rather than trying in vain to treat advanced diseases. In addition, thanks to the social measures taken, it was possible to significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases, in particular tuberculosis, among the poor. As for nutrition, the Japanese refrain from overeating, do not disdain lean and insipid food.

It is possible to explain why Japan has a high life expectancy by some features of the national mentality, which are high culture and the ability to find spiritual content in Everyday life. The Shinto religion, authentic to Japan and existing there on a par with Buddhism, teaches unity with nature and the search for life motivations in its beauty. It also regulates the pedantic observance of the rules of personal hygiene.

In addition, the attitude to work as an everyday way of self-expression, deep respect for the elderly, restraint and courtesy in communication allow the Japanese, perhaps, to a greater extent to feel and realize the value and uniqueness of human life and ultimately cherish it more.

Medicine and healthcare system in Japan

The Japanese healthcare system is considered one of the most advanced in the world, providing a high degree of social security to every citizen.

The focus on prevention and rehabilitation has made it possible to significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve its quality. Equality of access to health services is ensured by a nationwide health insurance system.

Since 1973, it has been combined with the pension insurance system, therefore it covers the entire elderly population. Not the last role in the availability of quality medical care is played by flexible taxation, which provides for significant relaxations in relation to medical services, pension insurance and life insurance.

Characteristics of living standards in Japan

Japan is a fairly wealthy country that is a member of the Organization economic cooperation and development. The purchasing power in the Land of the Rising Sun per capita is $34,611, which is a serious global figure. Moreover, Japanese standards are often ahead of those of most economically advanced countries, including the OECD countries, each of which has a strong and developed economy.

The high standard of living in Japan is due to a number of factors. Thus, the employment of the able-bodied population exceeds 70%, and this figure is especially high among men and people with higher education: 80% and 75% of the employed, respectively.

In addition, Japan has a high level of involvement of children in quality education - in addition to public schools, there are many additional courses and educational institutions by interest. At the same time, despite the rational attitude of the Japanese towards work, they spend less time at work than their counterparts in the majority. developed countries: 1728 hours instead of 1776.

The Land of the Rising Sun is also distinguished by a fairly prosperous criminogenic situation: more than two-thirds of all crimes are thefts, and only 0.05% of murders (60th place in the world according to this indicator).

117 years - the current record of the planet's longest-liver: Video

Many Japanese live to a respectable age, and more than 20,000 of them live to be over 100 years old. Life expectancy in Japan, for both men and women, is the highest in the world. But this, of course, does not mean that all Japanese live to a ripe old age. One of the reasons for such a high percentage of older people in the population is the country's low birth rate. The infant mortality rate is also low, and this is another factor increasing life expectancy. 40 years ago in Japan there were indeed only about 100 people who crossed the centennial milestone, while now there are more than 20,000 such people. Within a few years, this figure could increase to 30,000.

The most important factor in long life in our time is diet. Those who are now 60 years old or over were born before the war, and in those days people had to eat very little, and even today most of them eat little. If you reduce your intake of calories and cholesterol, this will ensure less hardening of the arteries, which is usually the main cause of disease. Centenarians have some common features. For example, almost none of them are overweight. Obesity puts more stress on the heart and increases the risk of hardening of the arteries. In youth, it is important to provide a fairly high calorie content of food, but after 60 years of age, you should monitor your calorie intake and eliminate animal fat from the diet, which contains a lot of cholesterol.

During the Edo period, there lived in Japan a Confucian scholar named Kaibara Ekiken (1630-1714) who wrote the Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle. Kaibara claimed that the only way to stay healthy is to stop eating when the stomach is about 80% full. And 70% even better. To stay healthy, eat just enough to stay within your desired weight. But this does not mean that you should only eat vegetables and avoid your favorite foods. For active life meat and fish are also needed. It is important to keep your calorie intake low and reduce your intake of animal fat and sugar. To ensure the burning of calories, we must perform physical exercises. Many who are already over 80 do not use escalators at train stations and airports. As we age, the joints become more difficult to manage, so you need to do exercises to keep them supple. Very elderly people always carefully monitor their own physical condition, regularly undergo examinations to identify symptoms of possible diseases. Even if you think that you do not have any diseases, you need to undergo an examination every year in order to detect and cure the disease at an early stage. If cancer is detected or chronic diseases leading to heart attacks, at an early stage, the chances of survival increase.

Another important factor is the outlook on life. Be optimistic. Do what you want. For example, some people get upset about not being able to get a good night's sleep, but in the grand scheme of things, sleep deprivation isn't that much of a problem - it's more the anxiety itself that is the problem. There are various theories such as "Early to bed and early to rise" or "Eat well three times a day." But people who have a zest for life remain healthy, even if the natural rhythm of their lives is sometimes a little disturbed.

When you get older, the quality of life especially strongly depends on your interests and whether you are passionate about them. It would be a big mistake to think, "Since I'm old, I can relax." Better keep on leading active image life and do what you want. communicate with people, live interesting life- that's what makes you move forward. But longevity is of little use if you are bedridden or have given up an active life. It is important that older people remain independent and socially active. In many Japanese companies, the retirement age is 60, and most employees leave at that age. But the 60-year rule was established many years ago, when the average life expectancy was 68 years. Today, the average life expectancy in Japan is over 80 years.

In Japan, there is an organization "Movement of new old people" for people over 75 years old. There are approximately 36,000 different genes in the human body, and many of them are simply not used by people. We can use the potential of these genes to do things we never tried before - music, art, sports. It does not matter that it will not give any financial benefit. The joy of new sensations and activity of the body and mind makes older people healthier and happier.

CITY OF LONG-LIVERS SAKU

V central japan known for the longevity of its citizens, and the city of Saku, especially famous for its health. In 2000, the municipal authorities proclaimed Saku the "City of Health and Longevity", various social programs for the elderly.

City officials are urging people to reduce their salt intake and keep their homes warm.
The city is located on a plain at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level, almost in the middle of Japan. The Tikuma River flows through the center of the city. Mount Asama rises nearby, and on the horizon you can see Mountain chain Yatsugatake. This countryside is beautifully decorated natural beauty. Winters here are cold - 15 or - 16 C. Until the 1960s, Saku had the highest death rate from cerebral strokes in Japan. It has been claimed that this is due to cold winters and excessive salt intake.

To reverse this trend, in 1971 the municipal authorities introduced local residents health advice system. Health consultants, mostly housewives, are hired for two years. Each of the supporters of a healthy lifestyle runs from 30 to 50 families. It was recommended to keep at least one room warm during the cold months and a low-salt diet was suggested. Now the death rate from cerebral strokes has fallen below the national average. Thanks to the joint efforts of citizens and municipal authorities, Saku has earned a reputation as a city where people live long and lead a healthy lifestyle.

A day in the life of a long-lived Japanese woman

Ichikawa Teko, who is 83 years old, is known throughout the city for her exceptional health and energy. She ran a stationery and office equipment store and then passed it on to her son. But even now she works at the cash register on weekdays from noon to 7 pm. She remembers the prices of almost all items in the store and quickly calculates how much the customer must pay. Every day she gets up before 7 am and immediately takes a bath. After that, she goes to her garden and has breakfast there, then goes for a morning swim in the local pool (she learned to swim with a butterfly relatively recently, and now a year later she can swim a whole kilometer in the local pool). She gets to work in a car that she drives herself. In the evening after work, she indulges in one of her hobbies. Classes are always different, depending on the day of the week, but the hobby schedule is fully planned: calligraphy, jazz dance, leather craft and karaoke.
She gets home after 9 pm. For lunch, she usually eats some fruit and milk, so in the evening she has a hearty dinner, the diet consists of vegetables and fresh fish. She then takes a second bath, writes a little, and goes to bed around midnight.
What she gets the most pleasure from is the company of close friends in circles of interest.
Elderly Japanese people are distinguished by sociability, proper diet and an optimistic outlook on life.

NUTRITION IS ONE OF THE MAIN SECRETS OF LONGEVITY

One of the secrets of the longevity of the Japanese is in their diet. The traditional diet in most cases is a recipe for a long life. What types of food and what combinations of ingredients allow people to live longer?
Traditional Japanese table, part national culture since ancient times, attracts more and more attention from abroad, especially from the West. Japanese-style eating is good for health, it provides people with many substances that prevent cell aging. Thanks to their diet, the Japanese slow down the aging process more than the rest of the people on the planet. Many of them, despite their age, look surprisingly young for their age.

DIET: rice, one soup, three-ingredient dishes
The Japanese diet is based on what we call ichi ju san sai- three-component dishes served with soup miso and the main dish, boiled rice. Three-component dishes consist of one main and two small dishes. This uniform was developed by the army during the Muromachi period (from the 14th to the 16th century) and has become the standard up to the present day.

The main part of the dish is non-vegetable protein, usually fish. The fish can be served raw, as sashimi, or lightly boiled or fried in one of a variety of recipes. One of two small meals, usually boiled and spiced, may include potatoes tarot, radish daikon, carrot, burdock root or seaweed kombu. The second small dish may contain natto (fermented soybeans), tofu, boiled beans, boiled vegetables soaked in soy broth, or ingredients seasoned with sweet vinegar. The meal is always served with pickled vegetables - vegetables in rice bran paste or pickled umeboshi Japanese plums.

Ingredients usually depend on the season. The Japanese love to eat seasonal food because fresh food tastes better and also because it's easier to convey the taste of food without complicating the recipe. Fresh food does not need seasoning or long cooking time, and most of the vital vitamins and nutrients are retained. Japanese cuisine is easy to prepare and full of natural nutrients.

A TREASURY of nutrition for longevity and vigor.
The main food, rice, contains lecithin, a well-known brain activator, an oligosaccharide that restores the intestines, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, which helps stabilize blood pressure. Japanese cuisine would not be what it is without soybeans and soy products: miso bean paste, tofu, abura-age (fried tofu), boiled nimame soybeans, and fermented natto. Soybeans are 35% protein, about the same as meat, which is why they are called "meat from the garden." They also contain certain types of polyphenols and isoflavones. This type of food receives the most attention in Japan because, similar to some female hormones, they not only prevent loss, but even increase bone mass. This good news for middle-aged women who are concerned about osteoporosis. It is also believed that soybeans slow down the aging of human cells. And the sticky, gooey substance in fermented natto soybeans is helpful in preventing blood clots from forming in blood vessels.

Miso soup is made from miso, a fermented soybean paste rich in amino acids. Essentially, it's an amino acid soup! It has been bringing longevity to the Japanese for centuries. Ingredients added to the soup include vegetables, tofu, and seaweed, excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. Fish contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is important for improving memory and learning abilities. It also contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), well known as a blood circulation enhancer. IN Japanese cuisine includes many more healthy, nutritious ingredients. Here are three of them: black sesame seeds, which stimulate brain activity, pickled Japanese umeboshi plums, which purify the blood, and green tea, which helps prevent cell aging. Traditional Japanese recipes are a true treasure trove full of secrets of longevity and eternal youth.

Green tea

The Japanese, especially the older generations, drink green tea many times a day. Catechin, an astringent ingredient in green tea, helps prevent cell oxidation, cancer, and age-related diseases. Studies have shown that the death rate from cancer in Shizuoka Prefecture, where green tea is grown in huge quantities, is 20% lower than in the country as a whole.

Natto

Soybeans are boiled and then fermented with the natto fungus that grows in the beans. The result is a sticky, viscous substance containing the vital enzyme nattokinase, which prevents blood clots from forming in blood vessels. During the fermentation process, the bean protein is converted into an amino acid, which makes the protein easier to digest.

Two of the many ways to eat sesame seeds are to sprinkle them on rice balls, or to grind them up and use them as a seasoning for vegetables. The shell of the black sesame seed contains a pigment called anthocyanin, which can slow down the aging process of cells.

Hearty and cheap sardines are popular on the Japanese table. The best way provide a diet with calcium - dry the sardines in the sun, fry, and then eat them whole, with the head and everything. They contain DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and a large amount of nucleic acid, all of which prevent memory loss and dementia.

Japanese ume plums are pickled with salt, dried, mixed with liver leaves, and then pickled again. They are hidden inside rice balls (one for each ball) or eaten as a tea snack. Umeboshi are quite acidic, so when you chew them, salivation increases in your mouth. Human saliva contains large amounts of a hormone called parotin, which is thought to slow down the aging process.

Kombu Seaweed Tsukudani

Tsukudani is seaweed, fish and shellfish seasoned with soy sauce and boiled in sweet mirin sake with sugar. Tsukudani keeps well. It has a distinct flavor, so it goes well with regular rice. When kombu seaweed is soaked in water, it releases a sticky substance. This substance contains not only fucoidan, which strengthens the immune system and lowers cholesterol levels, but also alginic acid, which removes toxic substances from the intestines.

Eat Fish and Live Longer: Research from SIGA University of Health Sciences
Health studies conducted from 1980 to 1999 showed that people who eat fish at least once every two days are 30% less likely to die from a disease such as heart disease or paralysis compared to people who eat fish less often. once a week.

Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world, but the reasons for this, according to research, along with the food system, are to the same extent the relative homogeneity of the population and the health care system.

The life expectancy of a girl born today in Japan is 86 years, a boy is about 80. But this was not always the case. Life expectancy has increased by 30 years since 1947, according to the Lancet Japan Health Report. The dramatic improvement in the health of the Japanese nation began with rapid economic growth in the late 1950s and 60s. The government invested heavily in public health, creating a universal health insurance system in 1961, introducing free treatment for tuberculosis, and reducing child mortality through vaccinations and measures against the spread of intestinal and respiratory infections.

Following the control of infectious diseases, Japan has managed to reduce the death rate by reducing the number of strokes through campaigns to reduce salt intake and the use of drugs to control blood pressure.

However, as noted in an article by a professor at the University of Tokyo, Department of Global Health Policy, Kenji Shibuya and his colleagues, in addition to government measures, the cultural characteristics of the Japanese themselves made a significant contribution.

“Firstly, the Japanese pay attention to hygiene in all areas of daily life,” the scientists write. “This attitude may be due in part to the complex interplay of culture, education, climate (high humidity and temperature), environment (e.g. lack of scarcity fresh water) and ancient Shinto traditions of cleansing the body and soul before meeting other people.

Secondly, the Japanese take care of their health. In Japan, regular medical examinations are the norm. Clinical examinations are carried out en masse in schools and workplaces. Systematic medical examinations of the whole body, the so-called "dry docks for people" - another type of testing, which is popular mainly in business circles. Business representatives stay in the clinic for several days and undergo a thorough examination.

Thirdly, Japanese food is well balanced and the food system has improved along with the economic recovery over the past five decades.”

The reverse side of Japan's success in maintaining the health of the population is age heterogeneity, which is increasing all the time. On this moment 23 percent of the population is over 65 years old, but by 2050 the proportion will increase to 40 percent of the total population, which in turn will decline from 127 million to 95 million. Other problems are drinking and smoking among hardworking company workers, and a high rate of suicide, partly due to rising unemployment.

If these issues are not addressed, Japan, as the Lancet report suggests, could lose its top position in the life expectancy rankings.

(according to the Guardian newspaper)