Okinawa Way of Life

I remember seeing a documentary around 2007 on the Okinawa elders living in the mountains who’s diet was mainly vegetarian, the foods they farmed, and some fish. Many of them were in their late 90’s and early 100’s and what struck me was their energy and ease of movements.

Haru Miyagi, a widow whose husband died during World War II, is 100 years old and has a son who works in Tokyo

The documentary then showed their grandchildren in their late 40’s and early 50’s who were living in Tokyo and had adopted a Western style diet, many of whom were suffering from heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Coincidence? Possible… but nah! Fascinated by this I have every so often checked up on this phenomenon and I’m heartened to see that the Okinawa Diet has grown into a quiet movement.

Diet apart, the Okinawans also attribute their longevity to the concepts of Moai and Ikigai which they practice:
Moai means “A group of lifelong friends” or a social support groups that start in childhood and extend into their 100s.
Ikigai is a sense of life purpose or a reason for being”.

Written on a small stone marker in Ogimi, north of Okinawa’s main island:

“At 80, you are merely a youth. At 90, if your ancestors invite you into heaven, ask them to wait until you are 100—then, you might consider it.”

I haven’t been able to find the documentary I saw so many years ago but there’s a lot online now about the Okinawa Diet, here are a few links:

The Land of Immortals - CNN
Why Okinawans live so long - BBC
Alive and kicking at 100 - YouTube
Blue Zones

This one’s on my bucket list!