The Longevity Secret of Yiwu Centenarians
Tip 1: Eat Sweet Potatoes and Meat
Aizhu Zhu is 106 years old, but still looks energetic and quick minded. Over the years, Granny Zhu has very regular meals. According to her daughter-in-law, she has good appetite: she likes fat meat, porridge, fruit and milk everyday. “My mother sometimes has four or five meals a day. In addition to three meals a day, she prefers to eat some snack,” said the daughter-in-law. Similar to Aizhu Zhu, centenarian Guiyu Gong likes eating fat meat very much. Apart from meat, sweet potatoes, porridge etc. are also her favorite food.
Health Comments: It’s found that eating sweet potato is most long-lived people’s preference. “Sweet potatoes are helpful to the recycling of blood and also helpful to the ventilation of intestines and stomach because the sweet potato contains dietary fiber which can promote gastrointestinal motility, conducive to defecation and enhance immunity. In addition, sweet potatoes contain anti-cancer substances that can prevent cancer and aging, ” said Dr. Chen, senior nutritionist of Yiwu city, “porridge is good for one’s stomach and milk will help prevent osteoporosis, both are beneficial to the elderly.”
Tip 2: Do What They Can Do by Themselves
Every day early in the morning, centenarian Shuiguan Song will dress herself spick and span and keep on clearing up her own beds and room. Besides, in summer, she also insists on carrying water to wash clothes and bathe by herself. Although she’s over a hundred years old, she can still do sewing work. Zhang Hai Luo, another 101 years old centenarian, is very fond of bag packaged soya-bean milk. Every day in the moring he will go to the opposite market to buy soya-bean milk on his own.
Health Comments: Yiwu City Mental Health Center psychiatrist Renfeng Ding said, “The old people love to do housework to show their independence. In fact, housework is one of the best sports, from which they not only exercise the body, but can also achieve psychological satisfaction. Therefore, if physical conditions permit, it’s good for elders to do housework by themselves.”
Tip 3: Read Newspapers and Think More
To Zhanghai Luo, reading “reference information” from the beginning to the end is a good habit that he insists on for decades. In his view, reading newspapers can not only kill time but also learn news and current affairs at home and abroad so as keep pace with the changing society.
Health Comments: When one becomes older, physiological and mental decline is a trend. However, the aging degree is different due to the difference of educational level and brain working degree. Reading newspapers and watching television are benign brain stimulation, which can not only delay aging, reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, but also help to prevent the elderly from being “derailed” from society. “If physical conditions permit, elders should be advocated to participate in various activities as much as possible and develop a wide range of interest,” Renfeng Ding recommended.