In many countries around the world, people are living longer then before. People have healthier lifestyles, and healthcare is better, too.
Okinawa is an island of the coast of Japan. The people on okinawa, the okinawans, may have the longest lives and healthiest lifestyles in the world.
Researchers did a study. They started by looking at city and town birth records from 1879. They didn't expect to find many centenarians(hundred-year-olds) in the records, so they people living in Okinawa. The United States, for example, has ten centenarians per 100,000 people. In Okinawa, there are 34 centenarians per 100,000 people!
What is the Okinawa' secret? First, they eat a healthy diet that includes fresh and tofu and dink plenty of water and green tea. But researchers think that the Okinawa have other healthy habits as well. They don't do hard exercise such as weightlifting or jigging. Instead, they prefer relaxing activities like gardening and walking. They sit quiething and relax their minds by breathing deeply. They also spend time with family members and friends.