It's no big secret that the developed world has a weight problem...
While America once lead the charge of the world's fattest people, countries across the world are catching up at an alarming speed — from China to Brazil and everywhere in between.
It's hard to argue that the Western diet of highly processed foods isn't to blame for our obesity, heart disease, and diabetes crisis: what follows can prove this point...
How long should we be living?
Steve Charter, in Eat More Raw: A guide for health and sustainability
, cites Dr Joel Wallach, who emphasises the scientifically accepted view that the genetic potential for longevity in humans suggests we should live to around 120 to 140 years old. Dr Wallach lists a few more cases to further support this, including Russian Georgians who commonly live to 120 and the Armenians and Ebkanians, where living to 140 is not uncommon.
Put into context, the average age for Americans was 75.5 years old in 1994. For doctors it was 58. Dr Wallach suggest that these figures suggest that there is great value in treating yourself (through nutritional and lifestyle changes), rather than putting your health in the hands of doctors. If you think about it logically, the reason there’s such a difference in our lifespan is that we are not eating our natural diet.
John Robbins, in Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World's Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples, describes the lifestyles and dietary patterns of the long-lived cultures of the Abkhasia of Southern Russia, the Vicalbamba Indians of the Ecuadorian Andes and the Hunza of North Pakistan.
He found that the percentage of calories they obtained daily was between 69-73% carbohydrates, 15-18% from fat and 10-13% from protein.
Overall daily calories ranged between 1,700 -1,800, while the Abkhasia ate 90% plant foods and the Vilcabamba and Hunza ate 99% plant foods.
All three ate low amounts of salt, zero sugar or processed food, and had no incidence of obesity and other common diseases.
He also discussed the Okinawa, who, though eating a more animal-based diet, had a similar lifestyle.
Lessons from the world’s longest-living societies
The longevity diet includes some common denominators. These are:
- Diet including whole mostly vegan, organic food with minimal animal products and fat.
- Vitamin D and exercise
- Strong community values
- Spirituality and a sense of purpose
One of the most striking characteristics of the longevity diet is that these long-living societies eat mostly vegan, whole organic and freshly-picked food. Though they include some animal products, they depend on locally-farmed, organic plant-based food for their survival (and apparent health).
The longevity diet is high in natural carbohydrates, low in protein and fat, and includes minimal amounts of fermented foods. Because it is largely raw, it contains lots of fibre, and is replete with nutrients and enzymes you get from fresh, raw food.
What’s more, there’s no such thing as processed food, pre-packaged or pre-cooked microwave meals, ever. They farm organically, using no pesticides, chemicals or fertilisers, and of course by not buying pre-made food you exclude GM foods, additives, colourings, preservatives, and high salt consumption. It’s also the most diet that does the most to save the earth, because there’s no packaging (thus no waste), no fossil fuels used for transportation and most often it’s eaten in it’s pure natural form (thus saving energy used on cooking).
So learn the valuable lesson these cultures teach us. If you want to live a long and healthy life, cut out the processed junk and eat as naturally as possible. Cut down on your meat and dairy consumption or go vegan, and ultimately try eating more fresh, raw food.
Each of these cultures has another thing in common and that is exercise and sunlight. Because they’re often outdoors, cultivating, harvesting, and hiking, they are getting ample Vitamin D, essential for health and energy. The Vicalbamba, Abkhasia, Hunza and Okinawa also share a fairly heavy workload (by modern standards). As a result they are always fit, athletic, trim and muscular, something we all aspire to.
So try and exercise consistently every day and if possible do so outdoors. Getting at least 20 minutes of sunlight every day is indispensable for health.
Longevity diet lesson 3: Strong community values
These tribes share a connection to nature and to the environment. They work closely with the land and frequently interact with each other. They have a strong sense of community and value the contributions of each and every person, no matter how young or old. Socially active, they form close bonds with neighbours, acquaintances and family members.
Our Western society is very different. We stick to our own, keep to ourselves, and most of us don’t even know (or acknowledge) our neighbours. Perhaps it’s time to question what we’re missing out on by living a typical urban lifestyle and embrace a stronger sense of community, even if just by joining some common-interest groups.
The Longevity diet lesson 4: Spirituality and a sense of purpose
Everyone in these communities is purposefully engaged, even at old age. Whether it be farming, healing (medicinal/herbal), or spiritual advancement, building, collecting water or harvesting food, everyone has a role to play that enriches the community. There is no such thing as greed or self-interest. What’s more, no matter what religion or spiritual practice they follow, they believe in something greater than themselves. They connect with the spiritual plane as well as the physical and this gives them faith to endure any hardships they may suffer, without complaint. They have a positive outlook and enjoy their simple lives, surrounding each other with love and laughter.
It’s clear that the diet of and lifestyle of these cultures makes them immune to the top killers in the West: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic pulmonary disease, pneumonia/flu, diabetes, liver disease/cirrhosis, suicide and Alzheimer’s.
What's more these groups’ healthful propensity for longevity isn’t just a win at the genetic lottery, as demonstrated by the Okinawans who grew up in other countries. During the 20th century, 100,000 Okinawans migrated to Brazil, where they adopted the typical (meat-based) Brazilian diet.
A study called the Impact of diet on the cardiovascular risk profile of Japanese immigrants living in Brazil revealed that Okinawan's average lifespan decreased by 17 years when exposed to a 'Western' lifestyle. As their youth adopted a Western diet (replete with fast food), obesity levels, cardiovascular disease and premature deaths reached record highs in Japan.
So if you really want to acheive long-lasting health and virality, try and incorporate some of the lessons of the longevity diet in your lifestyle. For your efforts you'll acheive the greatest reward - a life filled with joy, happiness and abundant health right up to your old age.
Sources: http://www.oprah.com/, http://www.eco-friendly-africa-travel.com/, http://www.myhealthwire.com/
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