THIS is why the Japanese Live So Long (even though they eat tons of rice)

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References
www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/10/...
academic.oup.com/biomedgeront...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17986...
diabetesjournals.org/care/art...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19117...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16910...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25866...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18042...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296...
Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Staples of the Japanese Diet
3:00 - Sex Hormones & DHEA
4:38 - Use Code THOMAS for 10% off Timeline Nutrition’s MitoPure!
6:10 - Sweet Potatoes
6:52 - Soy
8:56 - Goya
9:16 - Shiitake
11:37 - Gobo (Burdock)
12:09 - Seaweed

[@geeluedtke7262]

My mom is 95 years old. She eat rice 3x a day, Her primary diet are mostly rice, fish and lots of vegetables. She never take prescription medicine and she still wash her clothes manually. She lives in the Philippines.

[@Bushey4545]

What type of rice?

[@vidalskyociosen3326]

What’s the age of your Father when he died ?

[@vidalskyociosen3326]

That’s the most important data

[@sanjavukovic169]

Why do you speak so fast?

[@Abrahamos]

@@thomas3171 tw*t

[@kenchanwaki]

Here is another fact for you Thomas. We also live longer because we never stop working out our body. As people retires from work they tend to live a sedentary lifestyle. Not here in Japan. As we get older we keep working out , moving , walking etc.. that’s a big reason why. Cheers from Japan 🇯🇵

[@jsun3117]

Those are stereotypes not holding true in many instances. Some people literally can never stop working due to financial burdens their whole lives. I see old people in America do not only their own landscaping but public works as they settle for their own version of the American dream at their advancing age.

[@nvb455]

He actually mentioned that a few times...

[@frankiarmzbinetti1634]

When my father retired, he did a lot of sitting, it was what he believed was the reward for having worked for fifty years! He did not get fat and did not have health problems until his eighties. I’m 69 , have exercised or otherwise stayed active , but I will admit my diet and abundance of high calorie processed foods are a problem! Like they say at Weight Watchers, “ You can’t outrun your fork “!

[@arielc.9081]

@@jsun3117 be that has nothing to do with this, he said "as people retire" not everyone retires.

[@mig6728]

When i went to Osaka for judo training (for 4 months) i noticed that the rice portions were small anyways. American do eat way more carbs than Japanese people.

[@juliat1199]

I’m Japanese-American and visit Japan to see my grandparents frequently. One thing vastly different from the lifestyle in the US to Japan, is that they WALK. I’d say the majority of Japanese people I know walk over 10,000 steps a day, easily. Including my 80 year old grandma.

[@xenondoro8573]

Yes, this also is something all of my American friends have pointed out when they have visited me in Europe. We walk everywhere. Also the thing I've noticed in the States: the country is built for cars. Everything is located far from one other and you need a car to just do the essentials.

[@sl4983]

@@xenondoro8573 Or, as in before cars, horse and buggy 🙂

[@IaneHowe]

I know people here that would drive 2 blocks so yes they lack walking.

[@papiofisher]

@@Jay-eo3wl seems to me your the one with the dirty mind

[@kuroe-chan5190]

That is why so many people over I. The east are so much healthier than US south. When visiting Scotland we walked everywhere. I can only imagine the excercise I’d get in Japan

[@NK-nk3xe]

Been in Japan for 13 years now. The biggest takeaway is they eat VERY LOW SUGAR here. Carbs yes, but even their sweets (cake, snacks) in general use about the half the sugar as western countries. Tea is also the most popular drink, and the NEVER put sugar in it.

[@joedavola7762]

Asian Americans on a Western diet live longer than the Japanese.

[@wittymystic7361]

Yes, the sugar addiction here is insane. It's sad since the West didn't start that way. During European Medieval times, sugar was considered a spice, and the old recipes from that era list the quantities of its use in terms closer to tablespoons rather than the "cups" measurements that are now so common.

[@JJ38255]

Yes and way way less processed sugar. They may eat a meal full of many different things and just have a small bowl of mixed fruit for dessert. And I heard something like the average Japanese has over 100 different foods in a week compared to maybe only 20 in america. That huge variety of different fresh healthy foods helps people get the full nutrient spectrum to protect them from disease and give them good health

[@Dom4z]

Went on KETO. And cut out all of sugar entirely. For 2 weeks I've had headaches, nausea, constantly tired, dizziness, you name it. As soon as I got off the sugar addiction, I felt great. Now anything I eat that contains natural sugars are super sweet to me, sometimes too sweet. They weren't before when I was using sugar. Tried some chocolate bar not long ago, couldn't eat more than one bite. Just way too sweet and unatural.

[@maradall]

And their sweets and sweet treats are generally tiny, and not eaten regularly. But unfortunately, this is changing. I lived in Japan for almost 4 years, 30 years ago, and I remember going with a friend to a swimming pool with our kids. The adults all had lean, healthy bodies - but some of the kids were definitely chubby, and you could see why when their mothers kept indulging their requests for sweets. (Japanese mothers tend to be indulgent of their young children - which is not a problem when junk food is not readily available!)

[@mbuyiselo1]

My grandfather is turning 106 years on 17 January. He ate everything and smoked and drank. The only thing I remember about him was he was super active. Climbed a mountain at least once a week to go check his cattle. He also worked on the maize fields in summer. And also ate mostly once a day.

[@yellowjoe.2000]

you hit it on the nose. being active and exercising is the key

[@bellakim9404]

My ethnic origin is Korean and I reside in the United States. I eat a lot of vegetables, legumes, minimal meat & more potatoes than rice. I have never been seditary. Unlike my friends who are not Asian (for the purpose of this video) I am always on the go or doing something. I think one of the biggest difference between the States and Asia is the amount of movement people do. I would rather cook, clean, organize, excercise, go for walk and socialize., while my bf is just fine sitting in front of the TV for hours/all day. & i think the environment that people reside in, regardless in a building or grounded in a house makes a huge difference to one's overall health too.

[@carmenross1077]

Most Americans are lazy like that and I absolutely know what you mean. They don’t like to cook Whole Foods,no cuttings like Asians they’re spoiled and grew up in the conveniences of like ,just microwave the food eat out,and just order ready made foods. I’m not saying all of them but I hardly find one that’s not .

[@southerngrandma4353]

I 100% agree with you! There are many reasons for people living a long life and Not being sedentary is certainly one of them. We also need to socialize and eat a lot of veggies, beans and some meat and starches, imo

[@brwils3378]

That’s why the West is dying, poor eating habits, non-relationships and laziness.

[@IceHibiscus]

It's really complex. The more we learn, the more we confirm that a single behavior often exerts influence on several downstream healthspan effects. Movement is life, and it exposes anyone to many physiological benefits. Thank you for sharing your anecdotes.

[@KennethGoh]

You make fair comments. Walking a lot in Asia is common. 👍👍

[@nvb455]

SOLID DATA!!! More on Japan please! Low rates of cancer, obesity, diabetes. They have great hair and skin and maintain the same weight. Rice, fish, vegetables....the diet is so clean. I love it

[@Skybluewindcool]

Are you always hungry... ?

[@footit]

Look beyond the food, I've lived there and understand the culture. Japan has one of the highest rates of smoking and drinking in the world and today's longevity rates are not much more than the west. Comparing today's mainland Japan to lets say Okinawa 50-100 years ago is what everyone seems to be doing and its totally incorrect, it can't be done. Not only that Okinawa is now the fattest prefecture in all of Japan thanks to the US base and all its Western fast food outlets, its a completely different culture. Did you know Okinawans are not Japanese? IMO movement has a bigger role to play. Japanese stand twice as much as in the west, they move twice as much as in the west. Combine that with less processed food and and your going to live longer. The research on longevity is misleading when it comes to Japan and Okinawa. Once the current generation of centernarians in Okinawa die, generations from there will not match the same longevity. The answer to longevity is actually cliché, move more and don't eat processed food.

[@elephantintheroom5678]

@@Skybluewindcool Potatoes have been proven to be theist satiating of all foods, as has fish. Far more so than red meat.

[@elephantintheroom5678]

@@footit When researchers study the Okinawa diet, they actually study the old people on the traditional diet. That's what they do when they study any Ble Zone diet. So, no - the researchers haven't got their research wrong, and it is not misleading.

[@JoshuaHancock-zk2tx]

​@@Skybluewindcool eating vegetables stops you from being hungry

[@Kumulmeskis]

My Japanese friend constantly puts on facebook what she eats for lunch. The portions look small, I always think to myself, how can it be enough for an adult… Always some broth with a little bit of meat and vegetables, nothing crazy. A small piece of cake or fruit occasionally… But the calories look moderate, never high. That’s their secret 😅

[@Ja5pr33t]

Exactly, calorie restriction is the key. In west people eat as if it's their last meal lol. But jokes apart the sugar and calorie intake is high is US.

[@sl4983]

Does your friend do a parasite dewormer? I heard Japanese people do and i think it's very smart

[@IsaacS1]

OMEGA 3 should be everyone priority for a healthier, longer life!

[@andyf5992]

Hi, I've lived in Tokyo for over 15 years. There are long queues of senior citizens (65~90) outside most local gyms every morning including weekends; 30 minutes before opening time. I am sure it's not just in Tokyo but in most major cities in Japan. Whilst clearly not all senior citizen are there queuing, it's a general reflection of how Japanese senior citizens like to stay active; well into their late 80's and beyond. Some walk for a few hours every morning; maybe as a retired-couple, or with neighborhood friends. Others like to go hiking and trekking up medium sized mountain a few times a week (Japan is over 70%+ mountainous!) And all this activity gives them a really good appetite, having 3 square but (probably unconsciously) well balanced meals a day. And Japanese seem to love to eat, with lots of variety. I hope I can be one of them too, when I hit the same period in my life!

[@captainahab9174]

My wife is Filipino and we eat a lot of these things also. One amazing thing she has introduced me to is Moringa. It is amazing! So many amino, nutrients and fiber. I make a tea everyday and am growing some now in the yard

[@JACKPOTTT777]

Filipinos eat everything from rodents to birds

[@longjohnny]

Does she intake meat?

[@mikan2300]

I was born in raised in Japan. Now I live in California. I miss my mom’s every morning miso soup:) I still eat Natto, miso, seaweed, Japanese sweet potatoes here but not as much as I used to.. also walking!! I walked a lot when I used to commute in both like Tokyo. I’m glad Thomas post this video. THANK YOU:) I’m so proud to be Japanese.

[@mariaelenabartesaghi6322]

You are right to be proud!

[@franksindoneii5410]

Natto is disgusting

[@sl4983]

Do you know if the Japanese take a parasite med for tapeworm regularly? That's what I heard.

[@GuiltyNoticer]

And why can't you walk a lot in CA? An honest answer would land you a racist reputation.

[@jamestrebilcock8310]

Living in Japan and have been for a long time. The biggest attribute of the Japanese diet is that everything is focused on quality. When you buy food in Japan it is the highest quality in nutrients, taste and freshness. That makes it more expensive for less food. Your portion sizes are inherently smaller and you steer towards Fish and Vegetables. Also almost all meals are made at home. Breakfast lunch and dinner and all of Japanese cooking in the house hold is made from scratch. Even to the point where my wife pickles the vegetables that we are going to eat the next day.

[@carmenross1077]

Tom the reason that Japan has longer life span is their food are whole food,their veges and animals are not gmo poisoned, their cows eats grass no antibiotics they’re not so greedy of profits to make animals get fat be heavy and make people sick.ok thanks

[@pinkqueenscookie]

But that’s most of Europe too…

[@Hippy2021]

@@pinkqueenscookie yep in Europe markets do not have organic labels. Because all products are not pesticides spray and the soil is clean

[@m.l.4350]

@@pinkqueenscookie That's just untrue. I live in Europe, Germany to be precise.

[@pinkqueenscookie]

@@m.l.4350 uh come taste our produce and you’ll see. I have been to Germany and your food is still superior.

[@climate-civilizations]

Yeah, right. What about the wagyu steaks? Why do you think it has so much veins (fat) in it?

[@ScentualP]

I’m Bulgarian and live in London and have always cooked from scratch and eaten Eastern European diet - not British fast food garbage. Regular in my menu is kefir , sour kraut , goats cheese and milk, eggs etc What my grandparents have survived on

[@boink800]

Nice, no fake food for you.

[@aliyamaryiwska]

YESS kefir and goat cheese are so underrated

[@eoinbrennan3949]

I read the "Okinawa way" when I was 18 and adopted the okinawians diet. Its yielded amazing results in my life. Don't forget though there is one crucial aspect not discussed here and that the spiritual component. This is probably more important than any of the other factors.

[@MrFilipFabulous]

For how long have you adopted the okaniwa diet? ( politely asking for your age 😆)

[@eoinbrennan3949]

@@MrFilipFabulous Its been over 20 years. And its taken me that long to truly process and adopt what its says in that book. I mean its actually really simple: When it comes to food and drink, stay away from what man makes and stick to what nature makes. Thats the essence of the okinawa way. But also to prioritize the spiritual

[@MrFilipFabulous]

@@eoinbrennan3949 Thanks for the reply. I will definitely look more into it and try to implement it in my diet

[@Allmighty_Tapio]

Hello; do you eat Rice ? Iam concerned about the Arsenic cotent. Thx

[@eoinbrennan3949]

@@Allmighty_Tapio I do eat rice and I don't worry about it

[@yokkabai]

So happy that you are taking a look at Japan. I have lived here in Japan over a decade now so I’ll give my two cents. Portion sizes are generally smaller than western portions. Their traditional diet is moderate to high carb, with low fat animal protein. (However there is pizza and hamburger fast food here like western countries.) You can lose weight on either high fat or high carb- so their diet leans towards high carb, low fat and it works. (.8 times body weight in kg = Japan recommended daily protein consumption.) There is less dependency on cars for commute. So more walking, and bicycling. Traditional Japanese meals do not have fructose and seed oils in them (or at least not too much). (My understanding is that fructose increases hunger and seed oils break fat cells. Because the fructose is not there in the meal in high quantities it decreases overconsumption.) More fiber in a meal which prevents overconsumption. This explains why people are thin - however I believe there are still problems with high blood pressure and cancer in the population. My guess is that cancer is somehow linked to vegetable or excessive fiber consumption (carcinogens in vegetables) and high blood pressure due to adding salt to carbs. Actually I gained weight here at first when eating the standard “bento” lunch boxes which looked traditional and healthy - but actually had way too much carbs and way too small protein - and any protein usually had sugar and seed oils on top of it. (I am male and under 14 % body fat now.) It turns out that you can turn an otherwise healthy meal to unhealthy just by adding fructose and seed oils to it. It is more of a hybrid western/Japanese eating style nowadays and therefore not easy to extrapolate the cause of longevity from the current eating patterns anymore. That being said, I think eating raw fish at least once every week, if eating vegetables - eating fermented, moving more, and not eating fructose and seed oils as much as possible are some good practices we can apply to ourselves.

[@datsuntoyy]

I was stationed in Japan for 14 months. The food there was the best I've ever had. Fell in love with Donbury. I would go to restarunts and just point to something on the menu as I didn't read Japaneese, I was never disapointed. I also miss the beer vending machines infront of stores. Do they still have those. Overall Miyajima is my favorite place on the planet. I was stationed in Iwakuni.

[@yokkabai]

@@datsuntoyy Yep I see the beer vending machines from time to time. I was also stationed at Iwakuni (many years ago). ^_^ Having access to both U.S. and Japan food so easily was cool.

[@inbedduringcovid3005]

You are so spot on. Either high fat or low carb. I think about that a lot with channels like high carb Hanna who lost a lot of weight with just carbs. My guess was always you could do either or but not both. I was doing high fat high carb all my life without knowing this and it shows. But when I try either high fat or low carb I feel a difference immediately. I just prefer high fat but I store for low carb survival food. Lots of fish. High fat is just easier for me to store and use right now. Its like vegan and carnivore is really fridge vs freezer

[@codniggh1139]

I have seen in studies that japanese no longer eat as they used to, so they have become more westernized. Nevertheless, the ones that had the best records were Okinawans, and mostly because fish and fatty fish. But as they said, that is no longer the case, so may be we are seeing that they had decades eating well and now older they are becoming I'll because this slow shift to more carbs and westernized ingredients and food.

[@chivomartinez]

Hey Thomas, I want to congratulate you for keeping an open mind and dig into research, theories and ideas that challenge what you have previously presented. This talks great about your principles and your cientific oriented mind. You don't just close your ears, neither your channel to ideas that may be considered conflicting with previously topics you covered. Good on you! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@johnnypenso9574]

My gf is a Filipino. Her Dad lived to 96, still strong and healthy into his 90s & still living at home. He ate rice every day, lots of vegetables & meat, mostly pork. His undoing was a fall that caused vascular dementia. IMO his good health can be chalked up to avoiding junk food, being a healthy weight & being active. Good genetics probably had something to do with it as well.

[@southerngrandma4353]

I believe genetics is one of many things that determines how long we will live

[@frankenz66]

Epigenetics is important. Triggered genes. You can have terrible genetic markers that will lie dormant and un-triggered if your environment and lifestyle never triggers. Like they say, genetics are like a loaded gun, but lifestyle and in some cases, environment, is the action that pulls the trigger to set them off. You can prevent genes from going in motion.

[@jicalzad]

@@frankenz66yeah I believe this as well. Obviously some stressors, like smoking, junk food, drugs, may be triggering event, but hard to know what other stressors could also serve as a trigger

[@davothegreat9990]

@Frank Taylor can't always prevent bad genes from being triggered. Look at young kids who die from horrible diseases. Sadly, some never stood a chance..

[@IceHibiscus]

@@southerngrandma4353 People overestimate the genome. Some people do get shortchanged by things like SNPs or rare variants of whole genes, but this is not what is killing the majority of people. Frank Taylor has a more proactive line of thinking. Epigenetics is the thing that separates people from each other, and these epigenomes come about because of lifestyle and significant life events. Most people can change the biggest risks in their future outlook if you intervene sooner rather than later. It sure beats doing nothing and just saying "my death clock is in my nucleuses." If you watch Thomas much, I am shocked you don't buy into the epigenome more. He talks about modulating gene expression in most videos now.

[@suziehartwright]

Excellent video Thomas, thanks so much for sharing this information. I agree we have a lot to learn from other people across the world. We really appreciate your great content.

[@jeffharp4644]

Several years ago I read an article that said the difference between the Asian countries and the US in the effects of soy was that almost all the soy eaten in the Asian countries is fermented which brakes down the protein that causes the problem and in the US almost no soy products are fermented. I believe that's why the Japanese don't have problems with soy.

[@eviep2]

@@it_butters_the_bean2343 oh nice to know. I'll keep an eye for Japanese brands. Any brand suggestion?

[@nickhutcheson8580]

Tempeh is a femented soy. I don't knownif its as good as Asian brand fermented stuff though.

[@hiromiB1971]

I love fermented soybeans 😄

[@river6449]

My very spritely Japanese mum is 92 and 88 year old Aussie dad constantly amaze others much younger with their great memory, mental acuity, sense of humour, interest in world events and she still drives confidently and safely. She has lived in Australia for 65 years, during the early years she ate SAD and we grew up eating SAD. But I think those years of eating SAD led her to have osteoporosis, high cholesterol and a horrific menopause, the later apparently unknown in Japan for her age group. Unfortunately, her Aussie dr has her on prolia and statins. However over the past 30 years she has created a huge garden growing many things she eats, mostly pickled along with fish miso, tofu, green tea, natto and white rice. About 10 years ago, in her 80s, she was having issues getting up from the floor due to stiffness. I suggested collagen, which my dad also takes daily (1 tbspn in morning coffees), he continues 10 000 steps daily. PS.. she smoked like a chimney from 30 to 60 years old and both drank daily (beer and more recently white wine).

[@JasonSchaeferGF]

This is great! Thanks for this Thomas. Lots to learn from the Japanese.

[@aellingham2742]

Yes the japanese consume a lot of pickled and fermented roots and veggies daily and mostly eat the purple sweet potato or ube-which has huge healt benefits in regard to insulin. Much of the suishi rice is cold. Plus you have the seaweed.

[@srum4966]

I live in Tokyo, and in my area loads of people grow goya plants in front of their windows in the summer to shade them from the sun and reduce the effect of the sun heating their rooms. In fact, the local community centres give the plants to people for free if they attend the free workshop on how to grow them. When the goya are big enough they can obviously be eaten.

[@KPlyf]

In india it is called 'karela' aka bitter gourd

[@breazfreind402]

@@KPlyf same , we eat it a lot (ethnically bangladesh)

[@Archieconan]

I’m a Canadian living in South Korea for 22 years. And it’s very similar to Japan here when speaking of healthy lifestyles. If I go for a hike, I’d guess the average age of the Koreans I see on the mountain is 70+ They simply eat a more natural well-balanced diet and become more increasingly active as they get older. It’s as simple as that!

[@user-sr8mf2vg9p]

I love Korean food.

[@boink800]

Meaning ... they eat far less fake food in Korea, than in North America. That is the key -- what they do not eat.

[@deemack341]

Japanese eat a lot kimchi, too. It's a staple in the grocery store. This has been attributed to the long life of Koreans in a major study.

[@boink800]

@@deemack341 Though, the Japanese eat a very spiced down version of kimchi compared to Korean kimchi.

[@ClayTallStories]

Excellent science-based health information Thomas. Well done son

[@thetradersam6157]

Tom, you are wealth of health knowledge, thank for the great insights in dietary nutrition...

[@stranger_unfamiliar]

It was also interesting for anyone who watched the World Cup how fit the Japanese team were, it wasn’t uncommon for to see them sprinting the same at the end of the game as the start which is quite rare

[@brando7266]

Yeah,but they r mediocre at ⚽️, their best sport is baseball,

[@YvetteArby]

I am amazed at how much the Japanese National team is improving! Their fans are awesome too: cosplay, enthusiasm, and how they clean up their section of the stadium afterwards. The team and their fans make fantastic ambassadors to the world.

[@jillnelson8746]

I enjoy learning-I w would like you to include a summary of the key points after you’ve given a talk. It would help me remember the main points thank you for all your hard work and research I I appreciate it.

[@EricHebting]

Very interesting and powerful informations that I am implementing in my nutrition. Love the way that you conclude that we have to be more open minded about that. Thank You !

[@Marisoldelrio]

Awesome! I loved this video! Thanks!

[@1wingedauron]

It's almost like your quality of your life is determined by a number of factors and not just avoiding a single food group.

[@christersmith5470]

Japanese: exercise occurs every morning at work. It’s an island of mountains, and their city bicycles are steel-framed and often includes a pedal-powered light. They need those carbs. Yet their portions are a whole lot smaller than the US. In the US we eat like we are hired labor on the farm yet we sit around all day.

[@Nenainefable]

Excellent video! A lot of useful info.

[@frankmmiii]

Thank You Thomas. Great information to look into.

[@RedCapWoodpecker]

Thank you for this great video! I spent 21 years in Japan and I completely agree with you. They eat shiitake, tofu, green tea, Japanese version of kimuchi, fresh natural tofu, everyday without thinking about healthfood. For them, it's just natural and freely available like chips and cookies here. Although they eat beef and pork, they also eat lots of veg at the same time. They are not vegan but veg is never just a side dish. Veg is crucial in their donburi, ramen, and their version of curries. So their intake of fiber and vitamins are probably higher. Anyway, you pointed out all this. I totally agree with you. Thank you for your other insights as well!

[@franklynmanuel]

My understading is that Japanese are so healthy because if the continuous movement and the quality of goods they consume. I have seen farmers in my country (Sri lanka ) they eat tons of carbs but still they move intensely during farming and eatsminimum food but healthy. They have a strong physique and some are naturally with their abs visible and they don't even know it's called Six abs but stronger than most of the power lifters and body buildiders sometimes.

[@valereleray2903]

Nice Thomas, good explanations

[@peggieamer]

Thank u . U r very clear to follow

[@villesanti1]

They eat less processed foods, they don't binge eat like we do in the US, and they also walk a lot.

[@SkyRunner21]

Just as a calorie isn't a calorie, a grain of rice isn't a grain of rice! The soil and the type of rice matters a lot. Carnivor and keto and IF have worked the best for me and my family.

[@knife_gun_axe272]

Respect, Thomas. Most people that have channels like yours get stuck in one specific narrative, and refused to open their mind to possibilities. Great episode.

[@charlenecausey105]

Thank you, Thomas! I love your info, and as a science aficionado, appreciate the deep dive into specifics. I have an anecdotal query that I want to share privately. Is there an email I can sent it to?

[@mariejones7136]

Last year I had cancer so after all the research I did I started eating lots of cruciferous veggies and sauerkraut..I'm taking medicinal mushrooms..lowering carbs..drinking green tea ..I eat seaweed sometimes..I eat cooked mushrooms..I walk a lot....I'm 68 and getting better everyday. I noticed an Asian vlogger who eats a ton of veggies at every meal..seaweed and kimchi and rice ..she is always moving around. watch David Sinclair for anti aging .

[@geno5169]

Not for everyone .

[@Ally-oi6lm]

This diet change should help you reduce cancer cells in your body. Also be sure to have enough vitamin d by getting some morning sun n eating pasture raised eggs n fatty fish like wild caught salmon. Wishing you better health!

[@mariejones7136]

@@Ally-oi6lm thank you ..yes I take vitamin d and eat wild caught fish and pasture raised eggs .I get sun ..I just wonder how many eggs a week can I eat ?

[@Gianniz27]

@@mariejones7136 3-4 per day.

[@mariejones7136]

@@Gianniz27 that many eggs even though I had cancer?

[@louisedwards5851]

I also heard Japan's food regulation is so strict that a McDonald's hamburger is equivalent to a Grade A steak, while ours is Grade D.

[@hollistonealdaniels2213]

Thanks for all of this good information.

[@FreedomandRights4US]

Finally answering the big questions

[@wck2150]

You focused on the food but there is more to it than that. Culture plays a major role. It influences how people eat as well as what people eat. In Japan if you are working you are checked yearly to see if are basically lean enough. You might get special help when you are aren't lean enough, or you just get a lot of attention. Breakfast in Japan is typically very light or just leftovers from the day before, maybe with some rice and fresh miso soup. While Japanese eat a LOT of carbs, even by American standards, you can easily get smaller portions of rice when you eat out. Everyone knows that too much rice is fattening. Oh and a lot of plain rice is eaten, without much toppings. Also, you can easily get junk food in Japan, but typically it is more expensive than eating healthier foods. Some Japanese foods are very fattening, but probably the walking and smaller portions helps with that. Instead of ice cream trucks, kids are delighted with bakery trucks. Maybe not much better, but different. Health education starts in early in Japan. Typically kids have to eat school lunches at least until high school. The school lunches are designed to be healthy and teach kids how eat. They work hard to use a large variety of healthy foods. My kids sure complained about it a lot, for example having tiny chopped up fish in the salads. (My daughter complained that she saw an fish eye looking at her from her salad.) Kids are taught how to cook and even have to prepare meals sometimes and take pictures of what the cooked and write up something about why they choose the dishes to cook. Also at schools doctors and dentists often visit can for various checkups of all children. When there is a concern, you get a letter from the school and have to take the child for more checkups and have the doctor sign the letter and return it to the school. You get bugged by the school until you do this. The schools almost always have a nurse on staff, who at least in my son managed to keep busy sometimes. Also schools have a lot of physical education, and children are taught a lot of skills. There are also health tests both knowledge and phyiscal. Some of the tests are even done at the national level. The physical education continues all they way through high school. Also many clubs, even into college are based around sports. The reason why Japanese are heathier is because they care about it a lot.

[@MoneyStrategiesSOULutions]

interesting!

[@3rdStoneObliterum]

true but they fell hook line & sinker for the mRNA clot shots and their cases are still skyrocketing

[@wck2150]

The spread of Omicron variants in Japan isn't caused by the vaccines, but the fact that few people get seriously ill is due to the vaccines. I'm due for my 5th shot and I'm happy to take it.

[@3rdStoneObliterum]

@@wck2150 you drank all the Kool-Aid

[@wck2150]

@@3rdStoneObliterum No Kool-Aid in Japan. Lots of teas, green tea and hoji cha. You should try, good for mental health.

[@terrybu]

Thanks Thomas for a great breakdown. I've always wondered about the Okinawan diet myself as I spent a lot of time in japan. The Goya, bitter melon, bitter gourd is truly a fascinating vegetable that seems to have a huge benefit on blood sugar so I'm trying to master the stir-fry recipe of it, which Okinawans often include in goya-champuru. Your mentioning of tofu, sweet potatoes, shitake and seaweed are all spot on, and like you mentioned, I've often wondered that the western/american concerns over soybeans being estrogenic (although its phyoestrogen does not really act like estrogen in male bodies and instead help to remove extra estrogen from the body) is really unfounded and most health issues are coming from GMO-soybeans which are prevalent in the U.S and overseas. I'm curious to learn more if or how complex carbs like sweet potatoes and their benefits on gut microbe and fiber outweigh the benefits of say keto diet... recently digging deeper into how Ayurveda indian teachings actually highly praise fruits to include in your diet, sadhguru recently saying we should aim for 30% of our diet on fresh fruits for similar reasons like gut microbe health and dietary fiber ... lots of food for thought 🙌

[@0ptimal]

Just as I was reading the words sweet potatoes a commercial on TV said sweet potatoes. And, I for the first time in probably over a year, have sweet potatoes in my fridge.. What the heck! The universe trying to tell me to eat sweet potatoes or what, maybe I will they're yummy

[@indranidasgupta8982]

Bittermelon is very popular in Bengal, a state in India.

[@terrybu]

@@0ptimal 😆 i completely agree the universe is looking out for us and sweet potato 🍠 is the answer

[@terrybu]

@@indranidasgupta8982 🙌 yes i hear its indigenous to india … indigenous, no pun intended!

[@indranidasgupta8982]

@@terrybu good pun lol... my mom used to make a fried bittermelon recipe that tasted wonderful... she used eggplant with it and salt and pepper and a touch of turmeric. But being a diabetic, I just boil half of it and eat it as a vegetable at least once a day. I think it helps with my blood sugar.

[@wread1982]

You make great videos sir!! Purple japanese sweet potatoes reduce inflammation more than yellow sweet potatoes, they taste amazing, Whole Foods carry’s them

[@tigerslick1111]

It is lifestyle. Stay active, don’t over eat, and love life.

[@MrPeaceandLiberty]

I remember Jason Fung recently taking about a study that showed that when carbs are consumed with something sour, the insulin spikes tend to be much lower. I wonder if this is why the Japanese (and Asian cultures in general) tend to be healthier and have longer lives, yet still consume a lot of white rice, because they consume a lot of fermented foods (pickles), presumably with the rice-based meal.

[@sunlight5106]

We eat fermented fish evryday in our diet

[@sl4983]

@@sunlight5106 fermented fish? Do you eat pickles also?

[@sunlight5106]

@@sl4983 yh we put fermented fish as a base in our diet

[@sunlight5106]

Also a lot of fermented items like bamboo shoot fermented and natoo also

[@c.bastien8437]

@@sunlight5106 what is fermented fish? I never heard of it

[@mackenzie305]

When I was living in Japan, I felt OK eating the standard Japanese diet, but I had to increase my red meat consumption and lower my carbs. Luckily it is pretty easy to get zero carb noodles made with konnyaku. Also, it is very common to get a side of cabbage instead of rice with meals

[@jeremiahagnew5260]

A lot of people in Japan do that. That's interesting.

[@rebella5769]

Oh darn, just when I though this info was giving me permission to enjoy my white rice again, lol

[@mobilemonster7681]

@@jeremiahagnew5260 no they don't.

[@theresa8697]

Mackenzie, how do you order a side of cabbage instead of rice in Japanese? I am T1D and eat very low carb but will soon be visiting Japan. I have been stressing about how to order in restaurants.

[@mackenzie305]

@@theresa8697what I used to do when eating out in japan is ask for an English menu. The phrase is eigo no menu wa arimasu ka? to say no rice, the phrase is Gohan wa nashi de onegaiishimasu. Some of the best foods to order that are low carb are Oden, shabu shabu, yakiniku and yakitori. Tonkatsu is usually served with a side of cabbage, but tonkatsu is a fried pork chop. If you go to an izakaya, you can get many low carb side dishes like tsukemono (pickles) hiyayakko (tofu with toppings) Daikon sarada (radish salad) yamitsuki kyabetsu (seasoned cabbage) and sashimi. My favorite izakaya is torikizoku. If you need something fast, you can always go to Sukiya. They have an English menu and a beef bowl with tofu and cabbage instead of rice. 7/11 also has really good soups and salads

[@matthewtanner7511]

This guy puts so much information in each video

[@am7442]

Excellent Thomas.

[@bribradt3450]

It's hilarious that some of these keto people act like rice and sweet potatoes are going to ruin their life. It'll probably make you live longer

[@surendarvijay2520]

It's a lot to do with fermentation

[@scottylovell6476]

Every video is a super slick slide into a sales pitch. And it's so masterfully done lol

[@wendygilhula2144]

Great video!!

[@neurotraveller]

Eat your ancestral diet minus seed oils and even if it includes carbs.

[@Tom-ld9hp]

pasta

[@dan-chanschannel9122]

As an American who has been living in Japan for the past 11 years, I can say that the difference between our diets is profound. The portion sizes in the US are gigantic. The amount of sugar added to seemingly everything is amazing. The frequency and amount of soft drinks consumed is astonishing. The amount of deep fried and processed foods is breathtaking. The typical American diet and its norms are so skewed and normalized that I don't even think it can be recognized clearly until you leave it for a while.

[@VKat]

So true! I now make it a habit of only eating HALF my plate when dining out, and try to monitor any added sugar ingredients in what I buy. Have completely cut out soft drinks too and don’t miss it at all!

[@Dentoz15]

I think Onsen (Hot springs) aka heat exposure is totally worth mentioning on top of all this!

[@sethpawlik]

The problem is in the US if you walk to the store people look at the like you’re weird or to poor to have a car.🤔

[@nvb455]

With the dementia I think omega 3 also plays a big role. They eat a LOT of fatty fish. Like A LOT.

[@carbonthoughtproject6037]

I have a lot of respect for my Japanese brothers and sisters great food health and moral’s shout out to yall

[@dennisb7930]

Wow Thomas that was a load of good information thanks so much I was diagnosed with CAA so I’m doing all I can to keep this sticky protein deists to a minimum Thanks so much 👍

[@Oldguard_8]

Great content! I keep looking for concise summaries/take aways, as the in-depty bio talk goes past me.

[@massimo7219]

It’s pretty simple. Eat as much natural wholesome food from the ground as you can. I find that nature has its own way of modulating calories according to demand that way. When I go home to Italy, I instantly drop weight while still eating plenty of pasta, pizza, and gelato because the food is much more natural and fresh.

[@ilyabibik588]

IMHO secret of Japanese longevity is more simple - no sugar , no gluten, less processed food, different types of oils, fermented food., more physically active.

[@alansawesomeketoworld4612]

Interesting stuff

[@Gloria68]

There are substitute mushrooms for shiitake: portobello, porcini, oyster, crimini, maitake, lobster. Also tempeh. Even dried shiitake.

[@consistenc51]

My aunt in Japan finally retired from work. She just turned 80.

[@Roozy_Persepolis]

Thomas, if there are different types of edible seaweeds that we can buy and eat, can you make a video about them?

[@BB-gd9mx]

Regarding shiitake mushrooms, is the nutritional value/benefit similar in fresh vs dried? My local stores usually do not have fresh shiitake available but will carry dried.

[@lulumoon6942]

I'm always amazed at your ability to synthesize and deliver such complex topics with clarity, thank you! 👍😎💪

[@MrThune]

Lots of plant-based MDs talk about the Japanese diet, but no one breaks it down like this. Very impressed. But I guess the fast food industry will manage to even things out also in Japan in a decade or two.

[@eck0wns]

We gotta get rid of Bill Gates and McDonald’s lol.

[@dewitubeX1]

@@eck0wns agreed

[@FeFeronkaMetallica]

They eat less, slower, minimally processed and they move much more.

[@ACE2015]

Really enjoyed this video! I’ve always wondered why Japanese people have such a long life expectancy 😊

[@HairyKnees1]

I had a really delicious seaweed in Japan, it was purple seaweed with some type of what I think was protein (small pieces, I couldn’t tell what it was). Anyway, it was so tasty! I’d love to recreate that dish at home.

[@geno5169]

I pretty much do my after my 20 hr fast everyday.I eat a high protein diet .low carb. I eat 4 to 5 eggs with avocado 🥑 . I try to save my carbs for dinner I eat blueberries with my eggs

[@errolm8313]

Japanese also have a very high stress lifestyle and have higher percentages of suicide. It's all in perspective... Live longer but mostly depressed or unhappy? Vs live shorter more fulfilled?

[@batoulalhasan8182]

Hello Thomas.. Can you please make a video about yerba mate, the drink that lots of footballers drink.. I drink it every single day but wanna know the benefits and the studies

[@neogenesus]

The amount of walking the Japanese do in a day is wayyyyyyyy more than let say people in the USA. Went there several years ago and just to get to the train station took average 15-20 minutes if you live in the suburb. When they walk, they walk really fast too. The soy product Japanese people eat are mostly fermented. Also, Asian has been eating soy for a long time so their body is adapted to it. Same can be said for milk which most Asians are allergic to it.

[@jacklan4103]

Depends where in the US. People walk all the time in NYC.

[@momomimi6915]

They forgot Natto. Supper high in Vitamin K2 MK7 and MK9

[@Awakened_1111]

Hey Thomas, thanks for the great video 👌 I think another great point and a large part of Japanese culture that I think is keeping them strong and healthy for years is they eat almost all of their meats RAW. Peace man takes care.

[@hiroyopoetker]

This is true! Raw fish, raw beef, raw horse and even raw chicken! But raw pork, no no!

[@Hippy2021]

@@hiroyopoetker their meat was created different than the way the US do. Their animal raised in the field with no antibiotics injected, no hormones and fed with grass, not corn. Our meat at grocery stores mostly poisonous in some ways

[@hiroyopoetker]

@@Hippy2021 I live in Japan and have for 20 years! They way they make wagyu is by feeding corn and rice, the cows get fatty liver and plump up! But yes just south of here there are cow pastures that raise grass fed cows! As for hormones I have no idea about that but Im eating a fat steak for lunch today but its USDA imported, ahahhahahhahha So in Japan I usually can buy US or Aus beef more than japanese beef! crazy world!

[@mausumigoddessenergycoach]

Indians too consume a lot of Goya or Karela or ucchey. Especially people in the east and south of India. Our diet is full of veggies and fish

[@janedawson7630]

This was fascinating! Can you do more videos on other healthy cultures?

[@gorjansimovski8596]

I think what it comes down to over and over again is food quallity. You can eat all the vegatables you want, but if they are soaking in agrochemicals like in the us, youre not gonna have a good time. All the bluezones have way higher food quallity and have better relationships.

[@pinkqueenscookie]

People who aren’t Japanese themselves are always trying to say walking, yes many people walk. But the largest factor is social stigma. Fatness is treated as a disability or mental illness. You do not want to be a fat Japanese there (tho that’s slowly changing). The fact that you can find healthy options at a convenience store, try finding something decent at 7-Eleven…. And lastly they have better health care and believe in prevention much more than we do. Lol my family there (Japanese) also always laughs and says Americans are fat because they eat too much cheese 😂

[@pinkqueenscookie]

@@stevet5549 oh yes..they are the ones who started the cheese on sushi trend not us. And corn!! They have an obsession with that too. But the point is they said ‘too much.’

[@liltreehoe]

We do love our cheese.... it's just so darn irresistible!! But yes, moderation is key.

[@jeffreyjohnson7359]

Uh, sumo??

[@kaa8923]

Great video! Can you please do a future similar video about the French?

[@jsun3117]

Do you want to clarify that cholesterol isn't bad without the inflammation that cause it to clump and plaque a certain way as it has COQ10 and K2 ?

[@brachiosaurus6541]

The only way I can handle a high carb diet is moving a lot all day long. And even doing this, I still suffer from sleep disturbances, lack of confidence, mental instability and all kinds of weird pains everywhere. When I was younger I worked as a builder and ate a very high carb/calorie diet without problem. Problems always started when I ate the same and my jobs and lifestyle became more sedentary. All the people surrounding me get disease and become disabled when they quit their physical jobs. Many others, still having a physical job, get disease because of the foods and become disabled.

[@0ptimal]

You sound like me. Yes carbs and processed foods do the same to my mental state. It's amazing actually, to know that "normal" food has such an impact on your mind, emotions. (And the pains, same happens to me). The diet that keeps me locked in mentally, where I feel best is mostly veggies, with some meats and some fruits. And nothing else. That diet makes me feel like I've taken a secret super drug that unlocks mind.

[@MNkno]

I agree, diet and lifestyle have to match. Eggs and bacon and hash browns with coffee for breakfast works just fine if you've mucked out the barn, fed and milked 40 cows before you sat down to eat. If you eat it within 20 min of waking up before you drive to an office job, it will kill you.

[@ladeacarr4245]

much research shows having a purpose in their lives, called ikigai ... contributes to long life in japan as well, non diet factor... just being happy with life, having a purpose you are passionate about

[@brwils3378]

Very true too.

[@frankenz66]

Some folk have sedentary passions however.

[@yyynnn5907]

Carbohydrates are sugars, so if you eat too many, you'll gain weight. Naturally, not for people worried about diabetes. The Japanese do not gain weight because they do not overeat and they walk moderately every day. Protein, both vegetable and animal, must be balanced or you won't grow taller. The Japanese were short because they did not consume animal protein for a long time. These days, the average height of Japanese people has become much taller. Anyway, the secret of health is to eat a well-balanced diet of various foods without likes and dislikes.

[@PostcardsFromJapan]

All great points. Okra is also a very nutritional vegetable and often consumed here. In Japan, there is thinking that any vegetable that is sticky is basically a very nutritional super food (such as natto, okra, yamaimo...).

[@Music_Head]

The more I learn about fermented foods, the more I realize how healthy they are. Just remember - if you buy fermented foods from the store (such as kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles) it must be the kind that has to be always refrigerated even before opening it otherwise there are no probiotics in it. It took me a month to find that out. Shop only for refrigerated fermented foods at the store not those sitting on the shelf. Ideally, ferment your own vegetables.

[@t.c.s.7724]

I'm half Japanese. The Japanese culture is incredibly high stress and competitive. Much higher rates of suicide, especially for kids who are competing for school placement. Please look into METABO-LAW, perhaps this contributes to life expectancy.

[@callummcmac4079]

Read about something called "glycation", it's what ages us the most, they literally avoid all foods that cause a high glycation effect, especially because they eat raw meat and aren't heavy meat eaters. (Cooked meat causes the highest glycation/aging effect)

[@Ironman4u]

The type of food.....how it's prepared.....time of day eaten......portion size.....frequency of meals......lifestyle.......sleep.....stress management.......exercise &..... " Positive Attitude "!!!