Many want to find the secret to living longer and the Japanese have it. This is the Hara Hachi Bu. A Confucian teaching practiced by the people of Okinawa, one of the oldest populations in the world. This is believed to be the reason they live so many years, many of them over a hundred. The good thing is that this lifestyle has spread throughout the world and now many people are practicing Hara Hachi Bu.
Why is it believed that Okinawa has the secret to living longer?
Due to the longevity of the people of Okinawa, in southern Japan, for many years scientists from all over the world have been interested in the secret to living longer of the Japanese. Their interest has focused on their diet, since this is the factor that differs the most from the lifestyle of the rest of the world.
The Okinawa Centenarian Study has conducted research in the region since 1975. This centre has been studying the evolution and customs of the Okinawans. Makoto Suzuki was the first scientist to realize that what was happening in this area was not common. It was a peculiar situation even though longevity in Japan is already quite high.
The most curious thing was not only that the people of Okinawa had the highest life expectancy in the world, but also that they were in excellent health. The vast majority are slim, youthful in appearance, and possess a lot of energy. Furthermore, they have a very low rate of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Thanks to the work of Dr. Suzuki, “The Okinawa Program” emerged. This is a book that seeks to bring the Japanese island diet to the western world. Dr. Craig Willcox, one of its authors, recently explained the benefits of the Okinawan diet. They eat, on average, three servings of fish a week. They eat a lot of whole grains, vegetables and soy, plus tofu and kombu seaweed than anyone else in the world. In addition to squid and octopus, which are rich in taurine, which would explain their low levels of cholesterol and blood pressure.
Hara Hachi Bu, a Japanese philosophy
The Hara Hachi Bu is a teaching of the Japanese philosopher Confucius. This has been put into practice and it is a self-imposed calorie reduction in the daily diet. It consists of a simple formula, “eat until you are 80% full”.
Although it has not been explained in detail how much you have to eat to meet that 80% satiety. If you know how we should eat guided by the Japanese Hara Hachi Bu method, which promises us longevity. Pay attention to what you must do to practice it, what foods you should include in your diet, and how you should do it.
How to practice Hara Hachi Bu?
The Okinawa Centenarian Study explains that, according to the Hara Hachi Bu theory, stopping at 80% capacity is actually a very good strategy to avoid obesity, without starving. This is because it takes about 20 minutes for the stretch receptors in the stomach to tell the body how full it is. So 20 minutes after you stop eating is when you will feel really full.
Also, supported by this teaching, the Japanese believe that when we eat only that 80% we reach an optimal point. This is, we do not need to eat more than that. But what happens is that we continue to eat only for pleasure. And it is that extra 20% that hurts us. Forcing our organs to work excessively.
There are certain key factors in putting Hara Hachi Bu into practice. Basically, it is about what and how we eat it. Besides the quantity, obviously. Let’s see what we must know to apply this Japanese teaching in our diet.
Eat seasonal foods
One of the pillars of Hara Hachi Bu is the choice of food. It is useless to strive to eat healthy, if you do not choose correctly. There are three main fundamentals: food must be natural, locally grown and in season. This will help what we eat to fill us up without indigestible.
Vegetables are essential
These are always the central axis of all healthy eating. But, we must remember that there are some better than others. For the Japanese the ideal are broccoli, spinach, pepper, onion and seaweed. The latter are best eaten in moderation, because they can contain large amounts of sodium.
Likewise, the presence of legumes, fruits and whole grains is important. It is important to eat in small portions and in low calorie combinations.
The meat, neither too much nor too little
The relationship of the Japanese with meat has its role in history. And, this food is related to the “virtue” that the Japanese live longer. In the 7th century, meat was banned in Japan and was only taken as medicine. It was after the mid-nineteenth century that the ban was lifted and it was introduced into the daily diet of the population.
However, the people continued to think that eating meat contaminated the blood. Until the second half of the 60s, meat consumption became popular. This increase in their consumption coincided with a significant drop in the number of strokes
Today, Japan eats more fish than meat. So, to adapt to the Hara Hachi Bu guidelines, the meat intake must be cut almost in half. Its consumption should not be eliminated, but it should be eaten as little as possible.
Sugar free and less fat
Okinawans go for soups, fermented soy products, sweet potatoes, and brown rice. Also the carbohydrates they consume are whole and always unrefined. The fish is consumed fresh, in small quantities and never canned.
Pay attention to how you eat
According to Hara Hachi Bu you should eat slowly and carefully. It should also be done only when you are hungry, avoiding doing it when you are too hungry. Also, you must take care of the portions. For Japanese centenarians, eating calmly and chewing food well gives us years of life. In addition, by chewing correctly we achieve that the stomach has less work during the digestion process and we are more satisfied, so we eat less.
Maintain healthy habits
It is not just about eating; it is also necessary to maintain other healthy habits in our daily life. For the oldest in Japan, one of their essential keys is to stay active. Do some kind of sport or sports practice, in addition to a good sleep routine (sleep 8 hours), go to bed and get up at the same time every day, put aside vices, receive sunlight in moderation and take baths in hot springs they are essential to be healthy.
As you will see, it is very easy to put Hara Hachi Bu into practice to have a long life, being healthy.
ALFA