Longest lives

IN the island of Okinawa, a Japanese prefecture, it’s not uncommon to hear of people growing old to be a hundred. What’s their secret?

To the natives of the province, the traditional Hara Hachi Bu diet is no secret at all. The so-called Okinawa Diet is a model for healthy eating and healthy aging. Its emphasis is on eating a good amount of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, soy foods and fish.

Okinawadiet.com says such a diet reduces cardiovascular disease, minimize free radicals production composed of cell damaging molecules.

The principle is simple. One must eat until he is 80 percent full.

Other tips from the same Hara Buchi Diet: Stay away from obesity.

Based on a study of 100,000 Okinawans who moved to Bra­zil and later on adopted local eating habits, it showed a life expectancy that is 17 years lower as compared to eating habits in Okinawa.

Low-calorie, plant based diet is best. Then there’s regular, life-long exercise.

Simple walking and garden­ing are common forms of ex­ercise.

Stay lean and fit.

TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): Goiter, or enlarged thyroid, is a very obvious symp­tom of severe iodine deficiency in one’s diet.

Did you know that there is such a thing called ice cream headache? According to the British Medical Journal, ice cream is the most common cause of head pain. Eating or drinking very cold food can cause a stabbing pain.

Send your questions on any­thing and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter ac­count @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.