7 Golden Keys to Longevity and A More Productive Life

I’m a huge fan of Dr. Hiromi Shinya. According to the seasoned Japanese surgeon, the ultimate key to longer and healthier life is enzyme. He also emphasizes the importance of balanced life style and mostly vegan diet type.  Read on to learn more about his 7 keys to longevity and a more productive life.

Key 1: 85% vegan diet 

Dr. Shinya adores vegan diets a lot. His diet is plant based most of the time but it doesn’t mean he avoids eating living moving creatures at all. His daily menus are composed of 85-90% plant-based fresh  foods and the rest (15-90%) is animal based foods (fish is highly recommended).

He elaborates, the vegan diet comprises 50% whole seeds, legumes, beans, whole wheats, lentils, etc. Another 30% is of green and yellow veggies and plant tubers (potatoes, carrots, bits, sea plants). And the rest 5-10% is fruits and seeds and nuts.

The animal-based diet should not exceed 115 grams a day. Shinya suggests any kind of fish will do but try to pick smaller fish because bigger ones tend to contain higher level of mercury. Poultry should be limited. Beef or lamb or sheep is avoided just to be safe. Eggs may also be part of the diet but is not a must in everyday menu.

Any plant-based ‘milks’ like soybean milk, rice milk soybean cheese, almond milk must also be consumed with care and in a limited amount.

Shinya recommends some supplementary foods to our daily diets such as herbal tea, kelp, bee pollen, honey propolis, enzyme supplement, mineral and multivitamin supplements. But once again, they’re supplements, instead of replacements.

What NOT to eat or drink according to Shinya:

• dairy products and the derivations
• Japanese green tea, Chinese tea, English black tea (limit the consumption to only 1-2 cups a day)
• coffee
• sweets and sugary foods
• nicotine
• alcohol
• chocolate
• grease and fats
• table salt (shift to sea salt with mineral)

Here are some other suggestions from the doctor:

• stop eating and drinking 4- 5 hours before going to bed
• chew every spoon of your meal 30-50 times to ensure it is well mixed with saliva
• don’t eat anything but fruits between every meal time (fruits can be consumed 1 hour before bed time if you feel badly hungry because fruits can be digested faster)
• eat fruits and drink juice 30-60 minutes before bed time
• whole wheat, cereals, and other unhusked grains
• consume more raw foods or foods stewed for a few minutes at temperature not more than 48 degrees centigrade.
• never eat or drink oxidized foods like milk sold at various stores, fried foods having contacted with open air for hours, or white rice that is left unprotected
• consume fermented foods (like Korean and Japan dishes? Nato or kimchi? Or our Indonesian iconic staple food: tempeh?)
• Be dsiciplined. You’re what you eat.

Key 2: Great water

High quality foods are useless without the presence of water to transport the nutrients around the body. Choose water with high reduction power. Great water containing minerals like calcium and magnesium, maintaining the body optimum alkali level. This alkali inclination is good because most diseases thrive in acid environment.

Adults as Shinya puts it, should drink at least 6-10 glasses of great water on a daily basis. Drink 1-3 glasses after waking up in the morning and drink 2-3 glasses around 1 hour before meal time.

Key 3: Regular secretion

Regularly get rid of the waste out of the system. Stay out of laxative. Consider using coffee enema. It cleanses the colon from the free radicals and residue of digestion processes.

Key 4: Measured, sufficient amount of workout

Good things stay good as long as they’re done in moderation. That even holds true to physical exercises. Shinya points out that too much working out may cause more free radicals and put the body in danger. Shinya says some great workouts are muscle strengthening, walking (4 kms), swimming, tennis, cycling, golf, yoga (I told ya), martial arts (not my thing though), aerobics.

Key 5: Proper rest

 Sleep at night for 6-8 hours without interruption. Like he said before, never eat anything that stuffs your stomach 4-5 hours before bed time (with fruits as exception) . Take a nap (brief siesta) for about 30 minutes after lunch.

Key 6: Breathing and meditation

Meditation is great regardless of your faith. Think positively, he advises. Deep breathing 4 or 5 times every hour to get rid of free radicals and toxics. Wear decent outfits that don’t hamper your breathing. Hear your own body more carefully and treat yourself well.

Key 7: Happiness and love

Happiness and love will boost bodily enzyme factors, often times considered as miraculous stuff. Appreciate what you have every time. Laugh a lot and dance and sing along with friends. It keeps us alive and whole as a human being. Live the life to its fullest with passion and whole-hearted attitude.