What can we learn from the traditional Japanese Diet?

Did you know that the average life expectancy of a Japanese woman is 86 compared to 8O for those from countries like the UK and USA and that on average they live 75 years of those healthy and free of disabilities.

Japan also has the lowest rate of obesity in the developed world. This isn't simply down to their genes its mainly down to their diet.

The big thing with the Japanese diet is that they eat with their eyes meaning they like their dishes presented well in decorative small dishes arranged for optimum attractiveness. Eating this way encourages you to eat less as you savour what you are eating thus you eat slower which gives your brain time to realise your full.

The Japanese also tend to eat a lot of rice - 6x more than the UK. Rice is low fat and filling so eating a lot of it ensures that you eat less of other more fat based foods.

Another staple of the Japanese diet is vegetables. They often have 4 or 5 different vegetables witha meal. Not only are they good for your health as they are high in vitamins and minerals, they are also great for healthy hair, skin and nails.

Fish is very popular in Japan, in fact they consume 10% of the worlds fish. Particularly those fishes high in omega acids like salmon and tuna. Omega acids are well known for helping you achieve a healthy heart. Eating lots of fish also means they consume less red meat. Eating vast quantities of red meat can block your arteries and cause heart disease.

Then we come to soy which is in tofu and edamame beans. Its eaten a lot in Japan and its high in protein and very low in saturated fat so its very good for your health as we all know saturated fat is bad for your health.

Japanese food is brimming with beauty and taste and of course is supremely healthy. Its a good way to eat and of course Japanese food is delicious and gaining in popularity almost everywhere. I would recommend it for any of you who want to live longer and healthier lives. It is of course also good for staying slim but to me the health properties is the most important aspect.

Too Skinny? Does Japan have a problem?

While the average weight of women in western nations is growing Japanese women are getting slimmer. Although that might sound like a good thing in some cases its definitely not.  The average BMI of Japanese women under 60 is 16 - 20 while doctors say a healthy BMI is 22.

 

According to a lot of experts social pressure is the main reason for young women's obsession with weight. Japanese women can be ever critical of each other. A lot of japanese magazines also pile on the pressure with magazine diet plans featuring women that are already very slim.

Some Japanese women have trouble buying clothes outside of Japan as they are too slim to fit into size 0 clothing. This is an issue i feel quite strongly that it is wrong.

Japanese health experts are showing a lot of concern and state that younger women in Japan have probably become too slim and common health problems for this group is slowing down of their metabolisms, declining birth weights of babies and their fatality risk in case of serious illness is rapidly rising.

Diet pills are getting lower in price and many women are taking them without considering the consequences and risk to their health. Its long been shown that Japanese citizens live longer than their western counterparts due to their pace of life and their healthy diet. The next generation of Japanese women are building up a portfolio of health problems due to their weight obsession and many will probably not live as long as the older generation Japanese.

Whereas Japanese men are heading in the opposite direction. 20 years ago 20% of Japanese men under 50 were overweight and now its risen to 32%.

Although some think men can be part of the problem when it comes to women's weight obsession.

The claim is Japanese men like slim women and fashionable clothes are sized for slim women. But i think the real reason why women want to be thin is so they can compare themselves to other women.

Research has shown that Japanese women in urbanised areas of Japan  are a lot thinner than those in countryside areas. And many women's weight drops when they start university.

When women are surrounded by a lot of other women their weight drops because they are constantly comparing themselves and competing to be the thinnest.

Surprising still is the fact that Japan has some of the lowest rates of Anorexia and Bulimia which is astounding considering the lengths some of them go to lose weight.

Some may have found this post a little controversial and everyone is of course entitled to their opinion.

What are your thoughts? agree? disagree? comment and let me know!

Japanese beauty!!!! Diet, skincare and treatments

Japanese women are known for their perfect grooming, with their flawless skin and silky, hair in their humid environment. But achieving such perfection takes a lot of maintenance Did you know JAL (Japanese airline) cabin crew get specialist makeup tutoring).



So I'm gonna take a look at various Japanese beauty trends and treatments that Japanese women use. Some are extreme at least to the western world and others not so extreme.

Dashi Diet

The average Japanese woman eats roughly 2700 calories per day, versus 3700 for an American and about 3,000 for a brit and Fat. Portion size is much smaller in Japan, but everything is placed on smaller plates to make the amount seem bigger. And despite the abundance of junk food, most Japanese women still eat a fairly traditional diet with one ever popular ingredient: dashi.
Dashi is a stock made from boiled kombu kelp or dried fish, it is the backbone of a lot of dishes, from soups to boiled vegetables. Full of umami, which is usually associated with meat or fat, dashi gives foods richness without the extra calories. Every meal, even breakfast is fortified with dashi-based miso soup. And as it is packed with probiotics, miso naturally helps aid digestion.
 

Blood Baths

This doesn't mean they bathe in blood lol its when a Japanese woman bathes in hot spring spa’s to boost their metabolism. Traditionally, hot-spring soaks are recommended to warm the body and increase circulation. To maintain warmth, dieters avoid cold food like salads and will instead consume steamed foods.

Being petite!

For Japanese women, the pressure to be petite is immense.One way they go about achieving this is with the unique J-Body resculpting massage technique that apparently shifts bones into a smaller shape,  The treatment feels like pleasantly painful kneading, similar to when you rub a sore spot.Its claimed that regular treatments will make your waist look as tiny as if you’d had a rib removed. It can also relieve chronic knee pain, and give you a lifted butt and better posture.
Japanese women also focus on shrinking their faces with a face mask in the drugstore's body-shrinking section.
 
 

Shiseido

The Japanese beauty giant's latest skincare line, Future Solution LX, has an Extra Rich Cleansing Foam, Concentrated Balancing Softener, and Total Regenerating Cream, all designed to keep the skin's surface in peak condition .Apparently, a healthy outer layer prevents problems like dryness, environmental damage, inflammation, wrinkles, and other signs of aging. To maintain perfection, Japanese women religiously wear sunscreen and foundation every day. Smudge-, sweat-, and humidity-proof, the formulas here are heavy duty, but the payoff is flawlessness.

Artificial extensions

In the past decade lash, hair, and gel nail extensions have become increasingly popular in Japan. Lash extensions typically cost about $100, but people get them because they look so beautiful and get rid of the need for false lashes,they last roughly twice as long as western style lash extensions hence the higher price tag (i want!!)

Beauty rules!

STRICT BEAUTY RULES are what really set Japan apart from the western world.

Hot pink cotton buds

While the practical use is just the same, they’re so damn pretty that i just had to show you
You can get black cotton buds in every Family Mart in Tokyo, these over-the-top pink ones are available at Tokyo Hands department store in Shinjuku.

Pantene Black Sesame Shampoo and Conditioner

 The black sesame gives dark hair extra shine. Not great for light hair but really good for brunettes
 
Fuyume
 
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