In Okinawa, purple potatoes called beni imo are a staple in the diet of older women. The island of Japan, for National Geographic researcher Dan Buettner, is one of the concentration points for long-lived populations. What do they do to stay healthy and live so long? He asks himself in the Netflix documentary series “Live 100 Years”, where he travels to different blue zones of the world in four episodes to discover the secret to a long, healthy life without diseases or disabilities.
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Umeto Yamashito, 101, stands, smiles, and dances around her friends, who watch as she waves her arms and balances a large bottle on her head. “If I wanted to be your age, what would you recommend?” Budner asks the old woman. “Always have fun. Don’t get angry. Be happy with everyone and please everyone. “I never get angry,” he replied. However, in this documentary, the secrets to longevity in health go beyond the Japanese aristocrat’s advice.
In each episode, Buettner talks to older people in five locations around the world: Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Loma Linda in California, the island of Ikaria in Greece, and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. With the support of public health researchers and senior officials such as former Foreign Minister Chan Heng Chee or former Costa Rican President José María Figueres, find out what the local cuisine is and learn more about relationships between friends and couples. Local people recognize physical activities such as cooking in the field or climbing stairs, how important it is to have a reason for later life, among other aspects, the basics for an elderly person to feel a part of. place or a tribe.
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What is aging in Peru?
Latin America does not have a great life expectancy. Collected according to United Nations data up to 2021 Bloomberg Tax, Chile has the highest life expectancy at 78.9 years. Although the National Center for Strategic Planning, Peru’s age is 72.4.Ceplan) is more optimistic given the projection that by 2050 the Peruvian elderly will be 83 years old.
If we talk about potatoes, as is the case in Okinawa, Peruvians will get many points for being the blue zone in a country with many varieties of these tubers. However, as we’ve seen in documentaries, the emphasis on holistic aging includes mental health and daily habits as much as diet.
“In Peru, we often treat the elderly like children,” said the psychologist Almudena Perez Tello. “We no longer allow them to do things that cripple them, because what is not used is atrophy. Some people treat the elderly like children, ‘with good intentions’, and do not allow them to do many of the things they are capable of. Putting them aside at work makes them old. In many cultures, the elderly are considered wise, And they themselves take the most important decisions.
‘Ikiki’ and rest
“I would ask centenarians: What is your ikikai?” says an elderly Japanese man in the documentary series. “It’s a kind of mission. A sense of purpose. I believe it’s a key factor in the spiritual health of the elderly. If we lose it, we’ll die,” says a member of a civilization that doesn’t value retirement because, after reaching 60 or 70 years of age, they’re still mentally and physically active. They also keep the body busy.
“I have long studied the psychological aspects of people as they retire,” says Peruvian psychogerontologist Carlos Orozco. “This change in the role that the elderly can play in a society is a big difficulty. At the beginning of the documentary, it is seen when the old woman is surrounded by her family. This must be reinforced, otherwise there may be a gap in the relationships with each other. The other thing is that they have a life plan, where they feel a responsibility.
We tell grandparents: “Don’t worry,” and people don’t know it’s wrong. Orozco cautions against stereotypes about older adults such as retirement. “We misunderstand what relaxation means. We think of doing nothing. In the documentary, all people are active and want to do different things that belong to their interests. In Peru and many other areas, we prevent the elderly from being overstimulated,” he commented.
Tips for adults
In more than 15 key points of the Netflix documentary series “Living 100 years”, Almudena Pérez Tello and Carlos Orosco praise the following lifestyle habits of the elderly and offer some advice so that the elderly at home can live a better life. And physically.
- Eat smart: Plant-based foods and moderate diets.
- Sustained nature movement: Manual activity, gardening, walks etc.
- Having an Adequate View of the World: The Development of Purpose, Spirituality, and How They Rest.
- Beware of stereotypes: Phrases like “don’t worry” invalidate older people’s feelings.
- Engage in social activities, for example, you can exercise or do art.
- If you know or have elderly people at home, others should recognize their wisdom and speak to them with respect.