The Longevity Solution

by Jason Fung

  The Health Benefits of Krill Oil66

  Krill oil is better absorbed and less likely to be oxidized than fish oil.

  The omega-3s in krill are bound to phospholipids (which they aren’t in fish oil). They can readily cross the blood-brain and blood-retinal barrier and deliver omega-3s into lipid bilayers to get to the sites that need them.

  Krill oil provides phosphatidylcholine, which may help prevent fatty liver disease and improve cognition.

  Astaxanthin penetrates skin cells to help prevent ultraviolet damage from sunlight.

  Krill oil has greater antioxidant capabilities compared to fish oil.

  It has an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value that is

  378 times greater than vitamin A and E

  47 times greater than fish oil

  34 times greater than CoQ10

  6.5 times greater than lycopene

  Krill has a singlet oxygen quenching capacity that is

  6,000 times greater than vitamin C

  800 times greater than CoQ10

  550 times greater than vitamin E

  40 times greater than beta-carotene

  Unlike fish oil, krill oil has no fishy burp or aftertaste.

  It improves stiffness due to osteoarthritis.

  Krill oil decreases

  C-reactive protein (CRP) by 30 percent

  Triglycerides by 28 percent

  LDL cholesterol up to 40 percent

  It increases HDL cholesterol by 44 to 60 percent.

  It significantly decreases fasting blood glucose levels by 6 percent.

  Whereas fish oil decreased pericardial fat (fat around the heart) in rats by 6 percent, krill oil reduced it by 42 percent!

  In rats, krill oil decreased liver fat by 60 percent, whereas fish oil decreased it only 38 percent.

  Making Good Choices About Fats

  The current classification of fats as saturated, monounsaturated (MUFA), or polyunsaturated (PUFA) is completely useless for understanding fats’ effects on human health. This classification belongs in a chemistry book, not a book on health and longevity. Some fats are healthy (fats contained in whole foods), and some fats are unhealthy (industrially produced trans fats and vegetable oils). Saturated fats can be healthy, such as those found naturally in dairy and coconut oil. Polyunsaturated fats can be healthy (marine omega-3s) or unhealthy (industrial seed oils too high in omega-6 oils). More and more studies are finding the health benefits of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, and meat. But artificial monounsaturated trans fats are extremely unhealthy. Knowing whether a fat is saturated or not does not help us understand whether we should eat them.

  Instead, we can get a good idea of whether a fat is healthy by asking one simple question: Is it a natural fat? Those fats we find in nature, the ones we’ve been consuming as part of the human species for thousands of years, are not likely to be dangerous to our health. There are natural saturated fats (in dairy and coconut), natural monounsaturated fats (in olive oil), and natural polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6). Research is now confirming the seemingly obvious notion that eating foods as close to their natural state as possible is healthy.

  On the flip side are highly processed oils and fats. Trans fats are artificial unsaturated fats that we must avoid at all costs. This is almost universally understood. But avoiding highly processed, highly unnatural vegetable oils is just as important. Were our caveman ancestors opening a jar of sunflower oil to cook with? Or were they eating animal fat? It is the ultimate hubris to believe that humans can cook up an artificial, man-made fat such as vegetable oil that will be healthier than the fats that Mother Nature has made available for us to eat. Corn, for example, is not particularly oily. So, corn may be a natural food, but corn oil is not.

  It’s important to make sure that you consume healthy fats. These healthy fats, and foods that contain them, include extra-virgin olive oil, long-chain omega-3s, such as EPA and DHA, which are in seafood as well as fish, algal, and krill oil supplements, and the parent omega-3 fat, ALA, which is in flax and chia seeds. (Organic Traditions has a great variety of these seeds.) Even animal fats, such as butter, cheese, and milk seem harmless, especially when they come from pastured sources. You should avoid harmful fats, such as industrial trans fats and industrial omega-6 seed oils, at all costs.

  In 2005, National Geographic writer Dan Buettner used the term Blue Zones to describe certain areas of the world where people lived longer, healthier lives. The list of Blue Zones includes

  • Okinawa, Japan

  • Sardinia, Italy

  • Loma Linda, California

  • Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

  • Ikaria, Greece

  People living in these Blue Zone locations reach ages in their nineties, and even live past 100 (to become centenarians), with relatively little age-related disease. Although these people live throughout the world, with seemingly widely divergent diets and lifestyles, they all share certain characteristics that might help them live longer, fuller lives. These people often smoke less, move more (and at a moderate level), and prioritize family and socializing above all else. Their diet is often, but not always, plant-based, with relatively low protein intake, especially from animals. It is instructive to look a little more closely at the diets of these longevity superstars to learn their secrets.

  Okinawa, Japan

  Across the world, the average number of people who live to be older than 100 is only 6.2 per 100,000. According to their 2017 census, Japan boasted the world’s highest proportion of centenarians at 34.85 per 100,000. However, in 1990, the tiny Japanese prefecture of Okinawa crushed even that number with an astounding 39.5 per 100,000.1 Okinawan men typically live to the age of 84, whereas the women live to an average age of 90 years, even though Okinawa is Japan’s poorest prefecture and has the lowest number of physicians per capita. Citizens suffer small fractions of the rates of diseases that typically kill Westerners: 20 percent the rate of heart disease, breast cancer, and prostate cancer, and less than 50 percent the rate of Alzheimer’s disease.2 Tellingly, the diet in Okinawa has changed significantly in recent years to become more Westernized. By the year 2000, the Okinawan longevity advantage had largely vanished. Nevertheless, good data about the traditional diet of Okinawa can give us clues to their former longevity.

  The traditional Okinawan diet contained some meat, particularly pork, along with plenty of plants. The oldest existing record of Japanese diets, which is from 1880, shows that Okinawans got an astounding 93 percent of their calories from the sweet potato.3 They ate just under 40 grams of protein per day—a habit that persisted at least until 1949. Meals consisted of sweet potato, miso soup, and plenty of vegetables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

  The traditional diet of Okinawans was about 80 percent carbohydrates, consisting of sweet potatoes, vegetables, and some grains. Just after World War II, Okinawans got nearly 70 percent of their calories from low-protein, nutrient- and fiber-dense sweet potatoes.4 This diet is virtually the opposite of the Standard American Diet, which is low in nutrients (particularly potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and carotenoids) and fiber.5 Along with the ubiquitous sweet potato, other vegetables and legumes made up about 10 percent of the Okinawans’ diet, and rice and other grains were responsible for nearly 20 percent. In 1988, the daily intake of pulses (beans) was 30 percent above Japan’s national average, and the intake of green and yellow vegetables was 50 percent higher.

  The Okinawan sweet potato ranges from red to deep yellow due to the high levels of anthocyanin. Both types of sweet potatoes are very high in polyphenols and antioxidants. Okinawa, which is a relatively isolated string of subtropical islands, has two growing seasons, which is favorable for the production of sweet potatoes and fresh vegetables. Rice grew poorly and was supplanted as the staple crop by the sweet potato in the 1600s.

  Once a month, Okinawans held various festivals where they consumed meat, particularly fish and pork. Historically, meat and fish combined mad
e up just a paltry 1 percent of calories, and dairy products and eggs were rare. The Okinawans’ diet was nearly a vegan diet, and it supplied only about 1,800 calories a day6 (compared to the 2,500 calories the average American consumes).

  Over time, meat consumption increased. Residents of the coastal areas commonly ate fish; pork was the other common meat. Pigs were “free range,” so they consumed wild plants, but people also fed them leftover vegetables rather than the grains farmers fed to pigs on feedlots in the West. Consequently, the meat from the free-range pigs was higher in omega-3 fatty acids and lower in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

  Sodium intake in the Okinawan diet is high, which is characteristic of all Japanese cuisine. The high levels of sodium come from the common use of soy sauce, miso, salted fish, and pickled vegetables.

  One unique facet of Okinawan cuisine is the high consumption of the seaweed kombu. Although Japanese cuisine makes use of kombu for flavoring soups, the Okinawans eat large amounts of the seaweed directly. Kombu, which grows in seawater, is high in fiber, minerals, the marine omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, and salt; kombu contains a whopping 840 milligrams of sodium per ounce!

  The low amount of protein was not detrimental to Okinawans’ health or longevity. Their smaller stature and lower overall muscle mass mean we can’t extrapolate this data to a muscular weight-lifting American, but it suggests that maybe we don’t need as much protein as we once thought, especially if we’re not doing intense resistance exercise.

  Meat intake in Okinawa rose steadily in the post-World War II years, and by 1988, it had surpassed the Japanese average. Meat intake averaged 90 grams per person per day with an equal amount of pulses. Thus, the Okinawans did well with both a diet that was very low in protein and one that was relatively high in protein. Most Western cultures have a daily meat intake of more than 200 grams per day. (Note: A gram of meat is not the same as a gram of protein because meat might contain significant fat, depending upon the specific type of meat and cut.)

  There were other changes in the modern Okinawan diet, too. The intake of pulses and green and yellow vegetables declined to the national average of Japan. The percent of calories from fat rose higher than 30 percent. The group of residents that have westernized their diet the most are younger residents, especially young men. They tend to avoid the traditional champuru dish, which contains meat (typically pork) or tofu that’s stir-fried with vegetables. They also eat less fish than older generations.

  Residents of Okinawa, like those in most parts of Japan and East Asia, drink copious amounts of tea. The most popular drinks are green tea and kohencha, a semi-fermented tea. In Okinawa, green tea is often scented with jasmine flowers and turmeric in a tea they call shan-pien, which loosely translates to tea with a bit of scent. The average Okinawan drinks at least 2 cups of tea daily.

  The Okinawans traditionally follow an ancient Confucian tradition called Hari Hachi Bu. They stop eating before they are full; they only eat until they are no longer hungry. There’s a profound difference between those two states. They deliberately stop eating when they are 80 percent full, a practice that has the same effect as a methodical 20 percent calorie reduction. To be able to stop eating before reaching fullness, Okinawans must practice what people often call mindfulness eating. If you are going to practice Hari Hachi Bu as the Okinawans do, you must constantly think about whether you are full.

  You can follow some guidelines to make this deliberate calorie restriction easier:

  • Remember that when you are eating, eat well.

  • When you are not eating, don’t eat. Never eat mindlessly. Don’t eat in front of the TV. Don’t eat and read. Don’t eat in front of the computer. Concentrate upon what you are eating and enjoy it.

  • When you are no longer hungry, stop eating.

  • Eat slowly. Satiety signals in our stomachs take some time to register. If you eat until you are full, you can easily overshoot. Think about the last time you went to a buffet dinner. As you were eating, everything was fine. But after 10 or 15 minutes later, as all the satiety signals start to hit, you feel like you are going to explode. You might even be slightly nauseous.

  • Use smaller plates or dishes to force yourself to get less food. We tend to eat everything on our plates because that habit has been ingrained into us since childhood. We clean our plates whether we have a lot of food or a little food. If we overfill our plates, we tend to keep eating until we finish everything, regardless of whether we are full. If we instead deliberately underfill our plates, then we can empty our plates without overeating, and we’re forced to question whether we’re still hungry before reaching for more food.

  Unfortunately, the longevity advantage of Okinawans is quickly disappearing. After World War II, white bread and white rice started to replace the beloved sweet potato. Younger Okinawans are now eating more American-style fast food than ever, and many have become overweight. Intake of meat increased, and intake of green and yellow vegetables decreased. In fact, the obesity rate in the prefecture has become the highest in all of Japan.

  It’s likely that the traditional diet has played far more of a role in the Okinawans’ long lives than anything in their lifestyle and environment.

  Longevity Checklist: Okinawa

  Calorie restriction/fasting: Okinawans practice deliberate calorie restriction with Hari Hachi Bu.

  mTOR: The diets are low in animal protein.

  Tea/coffee/wine: Okinawans, like other Japanese, drink lots of tea.

  Salt: The meals are generally high in salt because of miso, kombu, and soy sauce.

  Fat: Fish is a staple of the diet, which is not high in fat, but low grains means a proper omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. No vegetable oils.

  Sardinia, Italy

  On the other side of the world from Okinawa is the Italian gem of Sardinia, which was the first Blue Zone to be identified. Sardinia lies in the Western Mediterranean basin 75 miles off the coast of Italy. Because of its mountainous terrain, residents have mostly lived in extreme isolation and relative poverty. Most of its centenarians reside in tiny villages dotted throughout the isolated inland of the island. At one point, one out of every 200 people in the small town of Ogliastra had made it past the century mark.7 That’s about fifty times the rate at which people in the United States reach 100 years old. Of further interest, the rate of centenarians has an unusually low female-to-male ratio of 2:1 rather than the typical 5:1 of other Blue Zones.8 In Sardinia, the men were living past 100 years of age at a far greater rate than anywhere else in the world.

  The first reliable accounts of the Sardinian diet come from French geographer Maurice Le Lannou, who described the diet as “remarkably frugal,”9 which was likely due to the poverty of the region. One staple was vegetable soup (minestrone) that included copious amounts of fresh, locally grown vegetables. Cooks often added pulses to these soups, which people often ate with sourdough bread. Chestnuts and walnuts provided a substantial source of calories and monounsaturated fatty acids. Residents ate meat infrequently, as you might expect in an impoverished region. Reports from the mid-nineteenth century suggest that Sardinians ate meat only two to four times per month, although this rate has steadily increased over the years. Nevertheless, an estimated 70 to 83 percent of dietary protein came from vegetables even until the mid-twentieth century. Dairy consumption, however, was much higher than meat consumption, especially among the shepherds on the island. They mostly drank goat and sheep milk, and they ate ricotta cheese. Only people in the coastal regions ate fish.

  The Sardinians, like their Italian cousins, drank a reasonable amount of wine, mostly red, averaging about 0.5 liters per person per week (or about one glass per day). The Cannonau grapes native to that region produce more red pigment, which contributes to the battle against harsh UV rays. During wine production, the grapes are allowed to macerate longer than for other wines. The pigment and the maceration time result in two to three times greater levels of flavonoids than other wines.

  The Sardi
nian diet, which includes a fair amount of cheese and some meat, looks nothing like the traditional Okinawan one, which is centered around sweet potatoes. Still, they make the cheese with milk from grass-fed sheep, and they often reserved the meat only for special occasions; hence, the overall diet is fairly low in meat. In general, meals are accompanied by plenty of whole-grain bread, beans, vegetables, and (almost always) a glass of red wine. These are, of course, the hallmarks of the oft-exalted Mediterranean diet.

  Longevity Checklist: Sardinia

  Calorie restriction/fasting: Sardinians have “frugal” diets.

  mTOR: The diets are low in animal protein with emphasis on vegetables and legumes.