In a message dated 7/25/02 10:57:05 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< t's also paradoxical, isn't it, that the longest-lived people on
> earth are the rice-eating Okinawans.
<<And, the Okinawans do eat rice, but not otherwise the
typical japanese diet. They eat large amounts of pork, sea
vegetables, fruit, a large variety of foods typical of
pacific islanders. In spite of being the poorest area of
Japan, they enjoy the longest, healthyest lives on average. >>

But not far behind them eating very a different diet are French women,
Swedes, Swiss, etc. An Italian study of centenaurians who were still mentally
and physically fit revealed that they had 3 things in common -- low fasting
insulin levels, low serum triglycerides and high HDL. Generally high carb/low
fat diets take these values in the opposite direction.
There is not a great deal of consistency about what the Okinawans eat. Sally
Falon and Barry Sears both say they eat a lot of protein (way more than the
typical Japanese) though Sally says they eat about 200 grams of fish and meat
a day and Sears says they eat about 120 g of protein mainly in the form of
soy. The Okinawan Program claims they eat little protein. Perhaps they live a
long time for non-food factors -- low stress; strong family bonds. Coral
calcium??






Namaste, Liz
<A HREF="http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html">
http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html</A>