I READ Dr Yik Keng Yeong's letter with interest ("Less may be more for good health"; yesterday), especially the part where he said that his healthiest patients who are octogenarians and nonagenarians had never done a single day's dedicated exercise before.
He wrote: "Instead, they keep an early-to-bed, early-to-rise routine with nary a minute of seated inactivity in between. They also naturally have a calorie-restricted diet that is mainly vegetarian in nature."
There is truth in the last statement, as evidenced by Japanese people's longevity, especially those living in Okinawa.
Their Japanese longevity diet includes doufu, seaweed, goya (bittergourd) and brown rice. They are known to be early risers and are habitual green-tea drinkers. They skip fast food and prefer home-cooked meals.
My friend, who visited some relatives in China last December, commented on how fit their seniors, aged 60 to 80, were. Their diet was mainly sweet potatoes, with little red meat.
They strolled leisurely or walked briskly in the parks and countryside. My friend marvelled at how straight their postures were.
Whatever one's age, one should choose suitable exercises that one really enjoys, according to one's current fitness and stamina levels.
Physical activity need not be interpreted as being actively engaged only in sports. It can be recreational activities like dancing, outdoor photography, brisk walking, or even routine domestic work like mopping or scrubbing floors.
If one embarks on aerobic, high-intensity exercise - such as jogging at more than 8kmh, or regularly running long distances - one has to be mindful not to overexert oneself, as it can hurt one's joints and ligaments, leading to arthritis.
Ada Chan Siew Foen (Ms)
He wrote: "Instead, they keep an early-to-bed, early-to-rise routine with nary a minute of seated inactivity in between. They also naturally have a calorie-restricted diet that is mainly vegetarian in nature."
There is truth in the last statement, as evidenced by Japanese people's longevity, especially those living in Okinawa.
Their Japanese longevity diet includes doufu, seaweed, goya (bittergourd) and brown rice. They are known to be early risers and are habitual green-tea drinkers. They skip fast food and prefer home-cooked meals.
My friend, who visited some relatives in China last December, commented on how fit their seniors, aged 60 to 80, were. Their diet was mainly sweet potatoes, with little red meat.
They strolled leisurely or walked briskly in the parks and countryside. My friend marvelled at how straight their postures were.
Whatever one's age, one should choose suitable exercises that one really enjoys, according to one's current fitness and stamina levels.
Physical activity need not be interpreted as being actively engaged only in sports. It can be recreational activities like dancing, outdoor photography, brisk walking, or even routine domestic work like mopping or scrubbing floors.
If one embarks on aerobic, high-intensity exercise - such as jogging at more than 8kmh, or regularly running long distances - one has to be mindful not to overexert oneself, as it can hurt one's joints and ligaments, leading to arthritis.
Ada Chan Siew Foen (Ms)
