Okinawa, a group of islands lying between Japan and Taiwan, averages 34 centenarians (people who live to be 100 years or more) per 100,000, compared with North American cultures that have between 5 and 10 per 100,000. Even into their late 90's, Okinawans have lower dementia rates than comparable populations in Canada and elsewhere.

Why this difference? There are very strong indications that the difference is almost entirely due to lifestyle - especially diet - rather than genetic factors. Indeed, when Okinawans change their lifestyle, they are at just as much risk as North Americans to all the diseases of aging. Beyond diet, they have deep-rooted spiritual and social practices that make them a model for all that science is teaching us about brain health.

The culture has been extremely well documented and studied for 25 years by the Japanese and by two Canadians - Bradley and Craig Willcox. The findings of the studies reinforce advice that is now widely accepted in the area of brain health, and the resulting program they developed shows how the lessons of the Okinawans can be translated into western lifestyles.

For further reading we recommend The Okinawa Program - Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki. 2001.

Click here for our review of this educational book. You can also visit the Okinawa Centarian Study website at okinawaprogram.com.