If you Google countries with the longest lifespan or the highest longevity rate it is actually somewhat erroneous data that comes up on the search engine. Many countries don’t report the death rate among unborn babies, babies that die in child birth or people that die in rural areas from malaria, and other diseases usually eradicated in developed nations. But we can take a lesson from some of these nations. If you look at for example; Japan with its high longevity rate you can deduce that red meat is very expensive and hard to acquire in Japan so they eat a high consumption of fish, also raw fish in sushi. Fish oil fights bipolar disease, depression, heart disease and cholesterol issues. Many people in Asia also bike, walk and travel from day to day differently than we do in the west. High consumption of seaweed with the chlorophyll also seems to contribute to longevity in Japan and other Asian nations.
Your brain is a thinking organ that learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action. Mental stimulation improves brain function and actually protects against cognitive decline, as does physical exercise. Crossword puzzles, card games, writing, reading and friendship are all beneficial throughout our entire lifespan. The human brain is able to continually adapt and renew itself. Even in old age, it can grow new neurons.
This is the one of the greatest discoveries ever. I discovered that turmeric (found in curry powder) seems to be active against Alzheimer’s disease since the incidence in India is lower than in the U. S. I love Indian food so I have no problem eating spicy curries twice to three times per week but you can do other things with turmeric as well. You can spice up your scrambled eggs, you can add curry to chicken salad for your lunch time sandwich. Eating spicy Indian curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to a US-based researcher of Indian origin. “Curcumin, a component of turmeric, appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques, which are suspected to cause dementia,”Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University, North Carolina, said. Amyloid plaques, along with tangles of nerve fibres, are suspected to contribute to the degradation of the wiring in brain cells, eventually leading to symptoms of dementia. Doraiswamy, at the ongoing annual meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Liverpool, England “said there was evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week had a lower risk of dementia, and added that researchers were testing the impact of higher doses to see if they could maximize the effect.” Doraiswamy told the meeting: “There is very solid evidence that curcumin binds to plaques, and basic research on animals engineered to produce human amyloid plaques has shown benefits.”
Now lets look at another culture.-A look at the Eskimo Diet from Alaska;
Obesity and diabetes used to be virtually unknown among the Eskimos of Alaska. Their traditional diet reflects their hunter lifestyle: it consists mostly of meat, fish, berries, and a limited selection of greens and vegetables that grow wild on the tundra. The Eskimos eat a lot of raw foods and a diet very high in protein and fat. The infiltration of Western culture into this region has brought many changes, most of them good. Medical care is now available; infant mortality rate and death from infectious disease are greatly reduced. Transportation and communication are much faster and easier. Availability of goods and services from outside the region is greatly improved. The arrival of the Western diet, however, has had disastrous effects on the health status of the Eskimos. The arrival of our current day western diet has been detrimental to many cultures and we should all take heed. I don’t know how many of you have read the book “French Women Don’t get Fat” but it is an easy and funny read and it discusses the infiltration of the western diet to a thin French Woman in New York City.
Western presence on diet was the addition of flour, sugar, and margarine, available from the white traders. Bread, either fried or baked, thickly spread with margarine and topped with sugar became the usual breakfast of many Eskimos after the western diet was introduced. The other effect of too much sugar in the diet is obesity. It has practically exploded as an epidemic in the Eskimo population in the last twenty years. Of course, sugar is not the only culprit. Pasta, rice and Crisco have also become staples of the Alaskan diet.
Activity levels in daily life have also changed with the advance of Western culture. Snow machines and four-wheelers have decreased the amount of walking that most people do, and there are far fewer dog teams to care for because of them. There is less need for chopping wood and hauling water with the advent of oil-burning stoves and indoor plumbing. Children’s entertainment more often involves television and video games than active physical activity.
In Summary
If you choose to eat green/clean, and exercise you will probably live longer. If you choose to cut out the diet drinks,diet foods, and the artificial sweeteners and substitute with natural stevia including the Truvia brand you will probably be healthier. Don’t eat processed food, indulge on your super foods blueberries, tomatoes, and curry spice. Have fish at least once a week, lower your fatty red meat consumption and your caloric intake if you are overweight. Indulge on organic fruits and vegetables preferably from your own garden. And lastly make sure to laugh and enjoy life, this is the key to longevity.
