The Authors

​

BRADLEY J. WILLCOX, M.D., M.Sc., is an internist and a geriatrics fellow in the Division on Aging at Harvard Medical School. He is also a resident scholar at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, and a co-investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study.

D. CRAIG WILLCOX, Ph.D., is a medical anthropologist and a gerontologist. He is an assistant professor at Okinawa Prefectural University–College of Nursing and a co-investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study. The Willcoxes are identical twins.

MAKOTO SUZUKI, M.D., Ph.D., is a cardiologist and a geriatrician. He is on the faculties of the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa International University. He is the principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study.

​

Summary 

​

The Okinawa Program, authored by a team of internationally renowned experts, is based on the landmark scientifically documented twenty-five-year Okinawa Centenarian Study, a Japanese Ministry of Health-sponsored study. This breakthrough book reveals the diet, exercise, and lifestyle practices that make the Okinawans the healthiest and longest-lived population in the world. 

​

Review

​

This book describes the results of an in-depth field study on the lifestyle habits of Okinawans, and in general of centenarians -- people over 100 years old. 

​

The book concludes that the reason for the good health and longevity seen in Okinawa is the result of lifestyle. Key findings include: 

​

Reliance on traditional diets that include vegetables, rice and fresh fish rich in omega-3; 

​

Moderate exercise, usually through walking, taking care of gardens, or martial arts such as aikido or karate; 

​

A strong social fabric, both with neighbours as well as relatives; 

​

Avoiding unhealthy habits such as stress or a western diet rich in saturated fats and cholesterol. 

​

The findings of the Study are very similar to those observed in the so-called Blue Zone areas such as certain Greek islands, where much the same diet and lifestyle exist. 

​

This is excellent reading for anyone wishing to learn more about the balance between lifestyle, health and wellness. It is also very encouraging in terms of preparing for retirement.