“By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.”

- Confucius

I’m sure you’ve heard stories of Asian centenarians who bounce through life with the same vitality as a twenty-something. You probably wondered what it is about the Orient that makes it a veritable fountain of youth. Is it the water? The air? Genetics?

Well, there is some genetics involved. For some reason that has yet to be understood, Asians are better equipped genetically to grow old; their cells contain some sort of age-delaying components.

But there’s good news. You don’t have to inject Japanese DNA into your cells to live a long and healthy life. Genes are only a fraction of the equation. Their lifestyle, diet and medicine, though still under research, have altogether been proven to give the body the good substance it needs to keep a 105-year-old healthy and kicking.

EASTERN LIFESTYLE

Asians engage in activities that keep the body and mind in prime condition. Here is a sampling of popular undertakings that boost strength and reduce stress:

1. Meditation
A mainstay of Eastern spirituality, meditation is often prescribed in the Occident when drugs don’t work. From high blood pressure to anxiety to attention deficit disorder, training the mind to relax has shown to rewire the brain to better deal with the pitfalls of life. And better mood equals better health.

2. Yoga
The explosion of this Indian exercise in the New World should be testament enough to its efficiency. The sweeping array of benefits yoga brings about include reduced blood pressure, respiratory and cardiovascular efficiency, flexibility, strength, resilience and endurance, sleep and endocrine normalization, improved moods and self-confidence. It’s even been shown to reduce cholesterol.

3. Martial arts
A popular import from the Far East, martial arts have been recommended to forty-year-olds as an effective workout and aging deterrent. Those who practice have less body fat, more strength and balance, and prime aerobic conditioning. It also boosts self-confidence and overall mood.

4. Family values
In the Western world, older people are often viewed as unimportant and put into retirement homes, whereas in Asia, elders are respected and esteemed. They are major figures in a family, consulted on everything from child-rearing to farming techniques. Many Asians also work well into old age, maintaining a constant level of vigorous activity. This gives them a sense of purpose in their community, which keeps them strong and alert in their later years.

5. Very little alcohol
Asian people avoid a lot of self-damaging behaviors, such as heavy drinking. Asia does have its fair share of fiery spirits, which many people enjoy daily, but we’re talking one glass, max. This kind of modest drinking has been shown by studies to be beneficial.

6. Easygoing attitude
Zen teaches its followers to keep a cool head in the face of a crisis. We see books about not sweating the small stuff, but in Asia, this is programmed into people since birth. This easygoing, positive attitude is one of the best weapons against stress, the ultimate health assaulter.

FOOD FROM THE ORIENT

You may think of General Tao or squirming eels when someone mentions Asian food. But there’s a whole empire of wholesome goodies from the old continent. Here are the most important ones:

7. Fresh vegetables
There’s a reason why you should have five servings of fruits and vegetables a day; most of the nutrients your body requires are found in them. In our world of McDonald’s foods, many nutrients are lost in processing; whereas Asian dishes are chock full of fresh vegetables.

8. Green & black tea
A staple of Japanese and Chinese cultures, the tea made form the Camellia sinensis tea plant is rich in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants also known as catechins. More potent than other known antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, catechins help lower blood pressure, blood sugar and prevent cancers. Researchers also found that black tea, green tea’s toasted variety, boosts the body’s immune system, prevents heart disease, and even wards off bad breath.

9. Ginger
No self-respecting kitchen in the East will have a shortage of ginger root. In Chinese alternative medicine, it’s used as a cure for flus and colds, as a tonic for the digestive system, and for the immune system. As a tea, it quells fevers. It’s also a potent anti-inflammatory.

10. Soy
A favorite protein source of vegetarians, soy comes in many forms, including tofu, texturized soy protein, miso, which is popular in Japanese soups, and soy milk, which is a popular substitute for dairy products. Soy has all the essential amino acids the body needs, minus the fat found in meat. And with its power to decrease the risk of heart disease and wipe out bad cholesterol — thanks to flavonoids — it keeps your arteries clean.

11. Seafood
Notorious for scarfing down fish, the Japanese reap many benefits from their love of seafood. Some fish are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, known to protect the heart. Case in point: Okinawans, who eat mostly salmon and tuna, have 1/5 as many heart attacks as North Americans.

12. Unrefined Sugar
Unlike the brown sugar we eat in the Occident, which is akin to white sugar with molasses, the Asian sweetener is the real raw stuff. The reduced processing keeps more of the nutrients from the sugar cane.

13. Smaller portions
The Okinawans say you should eat until you’re “eight parts out of ten full.” Studies have shown that eating between half and three-quarters of the 2,100 recommended calories boosts health and of course, reduces overeating.

EASTERN MEDICINE

While the world of Eastern medicine remains largely unregulated, many people are turning to some of these time-tested methods as natural alternatives to Western pharmaceuticals. For example:

14. Treat the body as a whole
Whereas Western medicine tries to zero in on an illness, Asians see the body as an organic whole with complex interactions. For example, a rash could mean a problem with the liver, and not just the skin. And so Eastern medicine focuses on overall maintenance, as opposed to individual ailments.

15. The Qi to good health
The vital energy qi (pronounced chee) is the cornerstone of Chinese traditional medicine, the guardian against illness, the force that makes blood flow. Qi is manifested in a state of complete relaxation, such as those achieved by yoga, meditation and Tai Chi. When in balance, it raises metabolism, lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and slows brain waves. Much of Asian medicine aims to keep qi flowing smoothly.

16. Acupuncture
At last the art of sticking some needles into the body has shed its shadow of mysticism and is even recommended by the World Health Organization as an effective treatment for more than a one hundred ailments. These include back pain, constipation, asthma, and even as a cure for addictions.

17. Herbal medication
There’s a lot of phony witch doctoring in herbal medicine, but studies on alternative medicine are picking up quickly, and the results look encouraging. Take artemisinin, the extract from Chinese wormwood. This little plant has become the most powerful anti-malaria drug, and may be effective against leukemia and other cancers. Volumes of plants and extracts have been used loyally over thousands of years in China, and the rest of the world is catching on. In fact, billions of dollars are spent annually on Asian medications as a complement to Western treatments.

18. Homeopathic medicine
A holistic philosophy of healing developed in Germany in the 17th century, homeopathy became popular in Asia, while India leads the world in homeopathic research. Derived from natural sources, homeopathy is effective for both acute and chronic conditions, leaving no side effects.

19. Concoctions
Strange brews that seem to come out straight out of witchcraft abound in Eastern world. Many Chinese swear that bear bile is the ideal treatment for inflammations, gall stones, fevers and liver problems. A blend from Singapore called Bak Foong contains such outlandish ingredients as flying squirrel feces, deer antler, and essence of white-feathered chicken. It claims to build resistance to colds, increase blood and vital life force and settle extreme emotions. Balms, like the notoriously tingly Tiger Oil, help soothe body aches and bruises.

They may not be as affluent and comfortable as Europeans and North Americans, but what many Asians lack in modern-life amenities they make up for with a way of life that breeds satisfaction, health, purpose, and longevity — good things to learn and emulate.

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