Book: Ikigai - The Japanese Secret for a Long and Happy Life
The authors of the book did a study of the centenarians living in the northern village of Ogini, Okinawa known as the village of longevity. To find out how Okinawa has 24.55 people over the age of 100 for every 100,000 inhabitants.
Aside from diet and exercise, some of the principles they observed from people in Ogini were to treat everyone like a brother and the feeling of being part of the community.
Ikigai, roughly translated as the reason for being. Why you get up in the morning. The common ground of what you’re good at, what you love, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
Ikigai, roughly translated as the reason for being. Why you get up in the morning. The common ground of what you’re good at, what you love, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
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| Image courtesy of forbes.com |
Another interesting lesson we can learn from the Japanese is the "Hari Hachi-bu" philosophy. Filling your belly up to 80% of its capacity. Don’t eat until you are full. Eat until you are no longer hungry. Stop eating when you start to feel full.
Ikigai as depicted in Japanese characters comes from two characters:
(1) Life
(1) Life
(2) To be worthwhile
The second character can be broken down further to:
The second character can be broken down further to:
Armour + To be the first (taking initiative as a leader) + Beautiful
The book also mentioned the five blue zones or the regions of the world where a higher than the usual number of people live much longer than average and described what they were doing differently to achieve longevity.
1. Okinawa, Japan
The book also mentioned the five blue zones or the regions of the world where a higher than the usual number of people live much longer than average and described what they were doing differently to achieve longevity.
1. Okinawa, Japan
People here maintain a diet rich in vegetables and tofu served on small plates, close-knit of friends.
2. Sardinia, Italy
2. Sardinia, Italy
Locals consume plenty of vegetables and 1-2 glasses of wine daily. Their cohesive nature of community is directly related to their longevity.
3. Loma Linda, California
3. Loma Linda, California
Haven to Seventh-day Adventist congregation, sharing Protestant belief with emphasis to community and obedience to Sabbath - rest and reflection.
4. Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica
4. Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica
Residents rise early to work in the fields, avoid processed food, and mostly consume a plant-forward, nutrient-dense diet
5. Ikaria, Greece
5. Ikaria, Greece
Also known as the Island of Long Life. People here follow a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and olive oil
Three of these zones are islands where resources are scarce and communities have to help one another. Keys to longevity as highlighted were diet, exercise, finding a purpose in life(ikigai), and forming strong social ties. Manage time well to reduce stress, consume little meat or processed food and drink alcohol in moderation. They don’t do strenuous exercise but move everyday like taking walks and working in their gardens. People in the blue zone would rather walk than drive.
Three of these zones are islands where resources are scarce and communities have to help one another. Keys to longevity as highlighted were diet, exercise, finding a purpose in life(ikigai), and forming strong social ties. Manage time well to reduce stress, consume little meat or processed food and drink alcohol in moderation. They don’t do strenuous exercise but move everyday like taking walks and working in their gardens. People in the blue zone would rather walk than drive.
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