Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Having a long and healthy life even in old age is the dream of many people. Apparently, this can be achieved because in Japan there are many centenarians, namely people who are more than 100 years old.

The average life expectancy of the Japanese population is 83.89 years, with many even reaching 100 years. As for The most centenarians in Japan live on Okinawa Island, an island that is often called the island of longevity.

Of course, healthy living and longevity are not achieved without effort. There are several secrets behind the longevity of the Japanese population.

The following are the secrets of longevity shared by the Japanese by University of Hawaii geriatrician and Director of the Kuakini Aging Research Center, Bradley Willcox, quoted from World Economic Forum.

1. Be positive

All centenarians have a positive attitude. They are generally optimistic, and have a carefree, fun-loving approach to life.

Okinawans also have something called ‘ikigai‘, which in Japanese means life goal. Everyone has their own ikigai that makes them excited to wake up in the morning.

A 102 year old man said that ikigaiHis are two bulls that he cares for every day.

2. Never retire

There is no word for retirement in Okinawan. Because they don’t know the term retirement, the people on this island always do what they have always done. If they are farmers, they will keep going to the fields until they can no longer move.

Because they continue to be active, this helps them have life satisfaction and reduces health care costs. Because, people who remain physically and mentally active throughout their lives turn out to be healthy people.

3. Join the ‘moai’ social group

Okinawans have large families and strong social support networks. Their community is very close-knit and everyone knows each other.

They held social gatherings in groups called ‘moai’. The women chatted about light things, they drank green tea, and enjoyed dessert. In general, they like to gather.

Okinawa has the lowest healthcare costs in all of Japan due to its healthy population. It turns out, people who have social contact are happier and healthier

4. Rarely stressed

Okinawan people have a stress-resistant personality. Not long ago, researchers in Hawaii discovered a stress resistance gene, called FOXO3A, that is linked to human longevity.

The general concept is to protect you from the adverse effects of disease and possibly other stresses on the body. Okinawans have a higher percentage of this gene.

5. Practice spirituality

Okinawans are a very spiritual people in religion. Every year, they visit the graves of their ancestors and talk to them as if they were still there.

Okinawans maintain this relationship from generation to generation. They have their own native religion and believe that there is spiritual energy in everything.

There are sacred forests around Okinawa, where women come to meditate and pray for peace and health.

6. Practice ‘hara hachi bu’, eating for health and exercise

Okinawans believe that the body is a temple and you should not pollute it. Because of this, Okinawan people are very careful about what goes into their bodies.

They drink alcohol in moderation and generally do not smoke. Okinawans are very active people. Calorie intake with physical activity is almost balanced so they burn a lot of fat.

Most Okinawans also eat plant-based foods that are not calorie dense.

Their main source of carbohydrates is sweet potatoes, which have a low glycemic content and contain flavonoid compounds that can help overall health.

They eat more than a kilogram of vegetables and fruits and nuts in a day. Not only that, they also practice Hara Hachi ma’am and only eat until you are 80% full.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(Linda Hasibuan/hsy)