In 2000, National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner traveled to Okinawa to investigate the extraordinary longevity of its residents.
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These Places Have Figured Out the Secret to a Longer, Happier Life

In 2000, National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner traveled to Okinawa to investigate the extraordinary longevity of its residents.

He found that people in this subtropical archipelago, located about 400 miles south of the rest of Japan, are roughly three times more likely to see their 100th birthday than the average American. Not only that, elders remained vital members of their communities and active in pursuits such as gardening, cooking, and socializing. This lifelong social network, what the Japanese call a moai, along with a strong sense of purpose in life, called ikigai, is likely key to their longevity. But it is also the diet of Okinawans — plant-based and focused on vegetables, tofu, sweet potatoes, and herbs and aromatics like mugwort, ginger, and turmeric. Even the fact that residents sit on mats on the floor — forcing them to sit, squat, and stand up several times a day — benefits their overall fitness.

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