10 Reasons Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat

“A good, functional and healthy body is the ultimate fashion statement.” Kiyokazu Washida, fashion critic

Recently I came upon a small, but informative book by Naomi Moriyama entitled, Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat. Intrigued and a bit skeptical, although I follow a very similar style of diet, I found some delicious recipes to add to my daily repertoire of meals and gleaned some useful tidbits of information. Such as, for the past 25 years Japanese women have held the world record for living the longest, 86.4 years. Not just the women, Japanese men have the longest life expectancy among all men in the world’s 192 nations. Much of this distinction is attributed to eating a healthy diet.

In her book Moriyama takes the reader into her mother’s kitchen in Japan and reveals her secrets for living a long and healthy life. Not much you haven’t heard before, and yet taken altogether and practiced over a lifetime the results are impressive. Here’s the Japanese recipe for living to a ripe old age, while staying active and healthy.

1. The ingredients simmering in a Japanese kitchen are a simple variety of foods eaten on a consistent and daily basis:

Fish
Sea Vegetables
Land Vegetables
Soy
Rice
Fruit
Green Tea

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Lika S.

1:51AM PDT on Apr 20, 2012

Well, if fish weren't so expensive here in Wisconsin, I'd eat it more. But who can afford those high prices? It's like the inexpensive stuff is around $5.99/lb, and that's on sale.

send a green star

Mac C.

4:22PM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

I really liked your article and will try to find the book you read and mentioned on page 1. The quote from Kiyokazu Washida is the best. Thank you!

Sarah M.

1:09PM PDT on Apr 13, 2012

Thanks

Kathy P.

5:57PM PDT on Apr 11, 2012

loved this, thanks

Antony M.

7:10AM PDT on Apr 8, 2012

Yulan L. U CAN EAT FISH NOT DRINK IT

yana d.

4:24AM PDT on Apr 8, 2012

THANK YOU

Julimar C.

9:44PM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

If only I liked fish and those specific vegetables... sigh.

Yulan L.

4:56PM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

I do the green tea, fish and stuff

Melissa A.

12:44PM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

@ Bernie P. What's with the all-caps insult to the Japanese way of life? I think that was an ignorant comment, as there is no place where the author declared the Japanese way of life as the best way of life. Perhaps you are disapproving of Japan for other reasons, but this article basically covers anti-aging/diet techniques, nothing to provoke such a statement.

Patricia A.

8:59AM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

Obesity is a problem, but look at the fast food business. They seem to be trying to outdo each other with the biggest, most heart "unhealthy" burgers. Huge portions in restaurants, addiction to soft drinks, we have become a nation of gluttons. Think of all the hungry people who could be fed with our excess!