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How Okinawa's Lifestyle Promotes Longevity

A resident of Columbia, Missouri, David Forrest Atkins leads Alexander Forrest Investments, LLC, and pursues the renovation and rehabilitation of multifamily properties. Among David Forrest Atkins’ interests is healthy living that promotes longevity. The region with the highest concentration of centenarians worldwide, Okinawa, Japan, is regarded by many researchers as a leader in longevity promotion.

The Okinawan lifestyle focuses on a diet that traditionally incorporates locally-grown fruits and vegetables, including the bitter goya. This dark green summer vegetable is similar in shape to a zucchini and contains significantly more vitamin C than citrus fruits. At the same time, it is rich in momordicin, which has been shown to improve digestive capacities. Other staples include the purple sweet potato, which is rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin, and taro, which contains high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.

Other key contributors to the longevity of Okinawans are the community’s strong social support networks and low-stress lifestyle. In addition, a deep connection with nature is interwoven into many aspects of Okinawan society. The rest of Japan has a term, “Uchinaa time,” which refers to the relaxed sense of time shared by those who live in Okinawa and the country’s other southern islands.