Okinawa's Secrets of Longevity (Part 1) - Not Just Living Longer, But Better

Ah Japan. I love the country. It's a running joke that I go to Japan more often than I go to Jurong (on the west side of Singapore). But one part of Japan has been extra special - the islands of Okinawa, and its wonderful people. Okinawa is special in the way it will change you, and leave an indelible mark. That's what travel should do. You come back with renewed insight and ideally greater wisdom for living.

During my first trip to Okinawa last year, I got first hand look at their diet and liked it very much - it was healthy food that was actually tasty. I started making changes at home to my family's diet too. More vegetables, less meat, more seaweed and tofu products.

Then this year, I got a chance to visit Okinawa again. I was very lucky the Okinawa Tourist Service invited me to join a trip specially tailored for a group of gerontology students from UniSIM who wanted to explore the longevity that Okinawans have become famous for. These students are such good souls, from all walks of life, who have dedicated their time or interest in helping the elderly live better lives.



Okinawa is designated as one of the Blue Zones, longevity hotspots identified and researched by journalist Dan Buettner in a partnership with National Geographic. Singapore is also one of the top 10 countries for life expectancy, so we are naturally interested in how other countries cope with similar elderly populations.



Dan has found that those who live long and healthy in the blue zones unanimously live low stress, happy lives enriched with strong family ties, a sense of purpose, and a healthy dose of spirituality, and plenty of sleep. He counts Okinawa as "ground zero" - the most impressive disability-free longevity in the world.

Okinawa has some of the highest number of centenarians in the world (about 50 per 100,000 population). Amazingly, dementia is rare, and other ailments like Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease are almost unheard of. Yes, sure, there are cases of stroke, heart attacks but these tend to happen very late in life. Like in their 90s.

The elderly folks there not only live long lives, but happy, active and fulfilling ones. They continue dancing well into their 80s and 90s.



Watch this endearing documentary about the active elders in Okinawa, and the factors contributing to their longevity.



Harvard researcher Dr Bradley Wilcox speaks at length about factors contributing Okinawan longevity, especially foodwise.

I've been reading up books and studies on the topic myself, and several things keep coming up:

Observations about Okinawa

Apart from the wonderful climate (subtropical island paradise?) that enable Okinawans to be active all year round, it's these lifestyle choices that keep them going well into the 100s.


1. Follow a healthy and largely plant-based diet
No surprise here. The Okinawan diet has gotten quite a lot of attention in the West recently. They eat grains, tubers, fresh vegetables (a lot of "goya" or bittergourd!) and herbs (many with health benefits), soy products, more tofu and seaweed than anyone else in the world. Citrus fruits (like "shikuwasa", akin to sweet limes) also figure strongly. Fish and pork are consumed but sparingly. Grandmothers still tend their own vegetable patches in the garden, growing food the organic way. They also don't overeat - they stop when they are 80 per cent full, following the "Hara hachi bu" adage.

2. Get quality sleep 
They do like to sleep, even in summer when daylight hours are long. Still, Okinawans don't necessarily sleep more than Japanese mainlanders, but they sleep better. There are less interruptions and sleep disorders. How do you get quality sleep? I guess that's where the rest of your life needs to be in order.

3. Be social involved
Okinawans have a social network or "moai", friends that you travel through life with. Often these are friends from neighbourhoods or primary school. They will take care of each other in times of trouble, and share in celebrations too. Like the Chinese, they also practice tontine. This support network allows a greater sense of security and less stress. Probably better than Facebook.

4. Keep strong family ties
Okinawa families remain tight-knit and close, even though they may not stay in the same home. The elders often stress that they want to be independent, and not rely on the youngsters. There is also a culture of respect for elderly, largely from Confucian influence brought over by the Chinese. This helps the elderly keep emotionally well as each advancing year is seen as gaining honour.

5. Stay active
Be continually involved in work that is meaningful. Many Okinawans choose to work til they are in their 60s and 70s. The word retirement does not exist in Okinawan language. When they do "retire", they continue being active in other forms like volunteerism or teaching. I checked with the NTUC what the situation is like for older workers in Singapore, as I know this is quite an issue here.

In Singapore, we can retire at 62, or be re-employed from 62 to 65 years of age. The Labour Movement through Mr. Heng Chee How is pushing this upper age limit to be extended to 67 years so that older staff can still remain active at work if they want to.

It’s also good that the unions are working closely with employers in Singapore to make workplaces age-friendly and jobs easier, smarter and safer. This allows older staff to continue performing their jobs in a safe and healthy environment, and if not, this is where the bargaining power of the union for its members comes in. Hmm, I wonder if I will still be writing at 65...I certainly hope so.

6. Stay active physically 
Interestingly, the Okinawans don't specifically exercise. But they do keep busy. There's minimal furniture at home, and they get up from the tatami mats many times a day - this builds lower body strength. Many of them keep a herb and vegetable garden, which gives them physical exercise and sunlight exposure for Vitamin D.

7. Have an "ikigai" 

That means the reason for waking up every morning. Yes, that critical sense of purpose that propels you in life.

8. Maintain a spiritual anchor 

Many Okinawans practice ancestor veneration. They lay their worries at the ancestor altars, and pray for guidance. It's not so much about religion but a healthy dose of spirituality.

9. Be psychologically resilient 
Life isn't about having it easy but how you respond to tough times. Okinawa is the site of many gruelling battles, and many of the elderly have been through the horrors of war. But the survivors not only are able to keep going despite an impoverished life, hardship and loss. On top of that, many have been able to practise forgiveness and look forward to peace instead.

10. Stay positive and relaxed! 
Okinawans embrace a positive outlook in life. They love the saying "Nan kuru nai sa" 難来る無いさ- no hardship will come. It will all be okay!




Ultimately, it's about taking care of the body, mind and soul.

In part 2, I will explore the various places and facilities we visited on the trip.

Ogimi Village and Emi no Mise
Kariyushi Longevity University
Churayuntanza Nursing Home and Utopia
Prefectural Karate Museum
Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum


Many thanks to Dennis Tortona from the Okinawa Tourist Service for making this trip possible. If you are keen on including such special interest aspects in a tour, please feel free to contact them for assistance. Call +81 98-859-8887 or email dennis@okinawatourist.com  

StarHub Hubalicious at Pasarbella (2-3 Nov 2013)

StarHub's annual foodie event Hubalicious is back for the fourth time. But unlike ticketed events in the previous years, this time members of the public can get free entry to the two-day event at PasarBella @ The Grandstand.

Come get up close with your favourite chefs and food personalities like Willin Low (Asian Food Channel), Eric Lanlard (BBC Lifestyle), The Fabulous Baker Brothers (TLC), George Young (DIVA Universal) and the chefs of Chef Corner Junior (now TV on Demand). Pick up some tips through interactive hands-on participation and ‘live’ demonstrations together with these culinary stars.

Hubalicious 2013 will be held at PasarBella, 2–3 November. Entry is free, from 10am to 6.30pm, so bring friends, bring family and tell your foodie friends!

The event schedules are here, and you can check how to get to PasarBella here. The Grandstand location may seem a bit out of the way, but hey, it's actually walkable from the main road.

Cafe Melba Halloween Menu and Movie Nights with FIJI Water

Oh what a lovely discovery so near where I stay.

Cafe Melba at the Goodman Arts Centre is a casually chic place with an industrial edge, but in a verdant setting. Natural light must be abundant here in the day with extra tall glass windows at this building with the roof slanting down. There's an open patio shaded by ancient Angsana trees, and a huge grass field where kids can run about and play. Yes, this place is kid-friendly, and pet-friendly too.

The Melba does not refer to the peach melba dessert (in fact, peach melba was not even on the menu until recently). Melba here is an amalgamation of the words Melbourne (MELB) and Asia (A). They serve interpretations of Australian cuisine, and it's all-day casual dining here with a laid-back vibe.



Oooh, look, crispy pizza bread, with three kinds of dips.

Group Executive Chef Kacey Whaitiri-Roberts previously worked for Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's and Emmanuel Stroobant's Saint Pierre group of restaurants. Now at Tadcaster Hospitality, the native Kiwi takes a very hands-on approach with the teams at all five of the eateries under it - The Exchange, Café Melba, BQ Bar, Molly Malone's and Bull and Bear.

Keropokman and I came here to check out the Halloween set dinner (S$45). This is available all throughout October, and there are even free outdoor movie screenings on Thursdays. Movie listing at the end of the post.

It's three courses with options for starter and mains. Oh, they all look so good, I would have had a hard time choosing. Well, the great thing about having foodie friends is - we will all pick one of each, and share! Many of these are also on the regular menu, so I'm glad we can come back for more, after the October promotion is done.



Wild Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil
Chef uses four kinds of mushrooms for this - shiitake, ceps, button and portobello. It's beautifully balanced and tastes just right.



Saku Tuna Carpaccio with Guacamole and Bloody Mary
Oh this is not aesthetically arresting, but tastes amazing too. I love how it all came together - the tuna, creamy avocado, salty caviar and tomato. Oh please put this on the menu!



Oven Baked Sea Bass with Smoked Tomato and FIJI Water Consomme
A lot of us liked this one, which kinda reminded me of the daurade at db. Yes, it's a good-sized slab of sea bass, but seared and salted just a tad too much on the skinside. Rest of it was still tender though.

The consomme is where it gets interesting. Apparently chefs are starting to cook with FIJI Water, because of its taste and mineral qualities. Here, they smoked the tomato and then used FIJI Water as the base for the consomme. It was light, smooth (FIJI Water always has that smoother mouthfeel thanks to the presence of silica), and had a distinct Japanese signature to it (konbu, dashi?) apart from the subtle smokiness.



Beef Rendang with Shoe-String Fries and Pizza Bread
This photo does not do the dish any justice. Wow, this rendang is actually pretty impressive. We learned that the Managing Director Tony Coughlan has an Indonesian mother-in-law, and he got her to teach his crew how to cook her fabulous rendang.

The funny thing is, instead of rice, he preferred to eat it with fries. So that's how it's served here too. You know what - I never thought of eating it this way, but it really works! Like steak and fries. Beef and potatoes just go together. And the fries are super crisp and addictive! There's also pizza bread for you to mop up the awesome rendang gravy.




Peach Melba with vanilla ice cream, raspberry puree and toasted almonds for a sweet end to the meal.

The menu options appear quite balanced. Something light, something heavy. You can go all the way light or heavy, or a bit of both. So big eaters and small appetites can tailor their own meal.

Well, if you'd like to explore beyond the menu, here are some other dishes they have. We also got to try some of their signature pizzas and pastas.



Three Little Pigs Pizza
What a cute name for a pizza featuring three pork ingredients - home-cured bacon, honey ham and pepperoni. Lovely thin crust and chewy mozzarella. Tastes as good as it looks.




Tandoori Chicken Pizza
Interesting rendition, with yoghurt as a sauce base. Tandoori chicken, onions, coriander make this come together well. I was half-worried it might taste dry, but it was not at all.




Crayfish Linguini with roasted crayfish, red peppers, rocket with crayfish bisque

This is one you'll be gulping down in savoury slurps. I really liked this one, although I wish they used a lighter hand with the oil for the pasta.




Seared Tuna Salad with fine beans, baby potatoes and kalamata olives

I did not get to eat much of this, but it sure looked good.




Mini doughnuts with chocolate sauce
These are a bit more like dense doughballs. I like that they were not sweet (I suppose the chocolate sauce takes care of the sweet aspect).


Here's the movie listing. There are two movie slots at 7pm (kid-friendly movies) and 9pm (something more grown-up).

And you can opt to have a Gourmet Picnic Basket, which gives you a floormat, mini fish & chips or mini sliders, potato chips or nachos, popcorn or kachang puteh, and two bottles of FIJI Water or soft drinks. Please call (6440-6068) two days ahead to reserve your basket.




Follow them on Facebook for more updates.

Meanwhile, I'm making plans to come for the weekend brunch. They have a bouncy castle for kids! Nadine and Jolie will go nuts for a few hours and perhaps let me eat in peace.


CAFE MELBA
90 Goodman Road
Goodman Arts Centre
Block N #01-56
Singapore 439053

Tel: +65 6440-6068

Open daily
Weekdays - 10.00am - 10.00pm
Weekends & Public Holidays - 8:30am - 10:00pm

Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodles Near Boat Quay

It was the morning of the old school coffee training (I swear, the city looks very different at 7am in the mornings). TheHungryCow and I already had breakfast of eggs, kaya toast and coffee/tea at Good Morning Nanyang Cafe. But as we were walking to the MRT, this corner shop beckoned to us from across the road. Mmmh, Whitley Road big prawn noodles? Can we eat some more? Hey, we are food bloggers. Eating is what we live for! Plus the camera needs feeding.

So we plonked ourselves down at the tiny tables. It wasn't that crowded but we still had to wait a while.

Oh the dry noodles (S$5.50) were pretty good. I'd asked a mix of yellow noodles and coarse beehoon (rice vermicelli), which were done just right (good bite, not soggy). The spicy dry chili mix really perks things up.

Decently sweet prawns, although they're not really that big. You only get four halved pieces, essentially making up two prawns. Hmm, pricey.




But sad to say, the soup version (also S$5.50) was lacklustre. The broth came across as pretty bland, which is puzzling given the Whitley Road prawn noodles reputation and popularity. I should have asked for the red chili powder that the Traveling Hungryboy mentioned here.

Well, I never had the chance to try the noodles while the stall was still under the Whitley Road flyover in the early days. All the soot and exhaust fumes would probably have Bourdain truly excited (he believes street food has to have all the atmospheric effects)!

I'd come back for the dry noodles, but not the soup one.

WHITLEY ROAD BIG PRAWN MEE
#01-01
18 Lorong Telok
Singapore 049030
(two other outlets at Old Airport Food Centre & Thomson Road)

Tel: 6254-4258

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri: 7am - 9pm
Sat: 7am - 5pm
Closed on Sundays

The FIJI Water Expedition 2013 - Six Gourmet Restaurants Place Their Dishes on Permanent Menu

Last month, FIJI Water organised this helluva fun gourmet food trail all for the benefit of the Children's Cancer Foundation. The FIJI Water Signature Creations Expedition took 80 diners on a chauffeured tour of six excellent dining establishments. Each of these featured a dish singled out by key food critics in the media. And I'm very happy to learn that these dishes are now on the permanent menu.

Here's what the dishes were like. All photos taken with my iPhone 4S, as we were all busy Instagramming that day! (They amazingly gave away S$600 worth of dining vouchers to a winner with best photos)

Our first stop was Absinthe, which has moved to 72 Boat Quay. Chef Francois Mermilliod's Foie Gras Terrine with Warm Brioche (above) kicked off the journey with class. The generous slab of foie gras is luxuriously smooth! Dipped with the accompanying sea salt and spices, the terrine makes a fine companion for the soft warm brioche. Talk about a starter bread.

Each course was also paired with a wine - in this case, it was the Konrad Gewurztraminer 2010.

And then off we went to the next stop! 

Which was Hashi.

At 48 Bukit Pasoh Road.

Chef Tadashi Takahashi headed Nobu in London and Australia, but for Hashi, he's chosen to go back to his roots and offer traditional Kyoto-style kaiseki and sushi.

Fresh Live Prawn, Hokkaido Scallop and Mixed Vegetables with Japanese Jelly

The beautiful smoked dashi flavours in the cold jelly tie the seafood and vegetables together. The chef had grilled some eggplant over naked fire and peeled away the charred skin before serving it inside the dish. Paired with Evolución Chardonnay 2011.

The tour then brought us to the Tippling Club at 8D Dempsey Road.

Ryan Clift had something pretty special waiting for us.

Pigeon, Celery, Quinoa, Goats Curd

Oh my. This was almost too pretty to eat. But eat we did, and it's a party of flavours, with the goats curd lending a tangy hit to the rich gamey bird. I liked the fried bits of vegetables best though - something's really savoury and umami in them.

Served with Mount Fishtail Pinot Noir 2008

Next up - The Pelican at One Fullerton. It's a maritime themed seafood bar and grill, which manages to be fancy enough and yet cosily laidback at the same time.

Head Chef Isaac Tan was previously from Bedrock Bar and Grill.

Lobster Thermidor

The rich cream and Parmesan cheese in this sings along with the succulently sweet lobster. The Bomba rice is cooked slightly al dente but has soaked up all the seafood stock and brandy.

Served with Konrad Gruner Veltliner 2011.

The fifth stop was Fat Cow (1 Orchard Boulevard, #01-01 Camden Medical Centre). Oh, this wagyu specialist is one of my favourite places. See my previous review here. Oh the memories.

Here, Chef Dan Segall had prepared a Wagyu No Kakuni. Kakuni is normally prepared with pork, but here they've used wagyu instead. Does it work? Oh yeah.

The ginger, soy, dashi, mirin broth spiked with yuzu is intense, but I drank it all (slow sips). The beef has absorbed all the flavours in its simmer, but it retains a certain bite still. So as you chew, the meaty sweetness of the beef comes out and mingles with the savoury aspects.

Served with Chateau Timberlay Rouge 2008.

And it looks like they have started serving lunch (Mon-Sat, noon to 3pm)!
Click pic to see bigger version. Set lunches mostly sushi, sashimi and rice dishes.


And for our last stop, a great spot with a nice view of the Marina at Keppel Bay.

It's Privé Grill!

With a powerful Josper grill oven imported from Spain, Privé serves steaks, seafood and vegetables beautifully smoky from the intense charcoal heat.

Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends!

It was nice to see Chef Robin Ho again.

Hokkaido Corn and Shrimp Fritter with Lime Aioli - the very addictive final dish on the phenomenal trail. The huge prawns were cooked in the Josper grill for that nicely smoky charcoal touch. Interestingly, the lime aioli really livened up the crisp tempura-like battered corn. And the presentation is cute - the round slices of radish and the dots of aioli added a touch of whimsy.

Our six hour epic journey ended with satisfied tastebuds, 

a few new friends made, and interesting new dining venues encountered. 

Thanks, FIJI Water, for doing this. 

All proceeds went to charity, with FIJI Water paying for the ingredients, 

and the restaurants donating time and expertise.  

So it wasn't just tummies that felt good, our hearts did too. 

FoodLantrophy - Buy a Korean Bento Set from Sarang and Contribute 25 Meals for the Needy!

Food Bank Singapore has launched FoodLanthropy - something that taps into Singaporeans love of eating with raising 180,000 meals for the needy.

The organisation lives to help reduce food wastage and channel food donations to those who need it. It hopes that this initiative will help spread the message about these issues too.

"FoodLanthropy is a series of monthly dine-outs where people can join us for a meal where part of the proceeds will go to Food Bank Singapore to purchase meal packs under the Stop Hunger Now initiative. Simply put, it’s about doing good with eating and food,” said Nichol Ng, Co-Founder of Food Bank Singapore.

Every meal purchased will contribute 25 meal packets to the Stop Hunger Now programme,
which hopes to end world hunger in our lifetime by coordinating the distribution of food and
other life-saving aid and helping to mobilise the necessary resources to the world's most
vulnerable people.

Capable of feeding six persons, each meal packet comprises highly nutritious dehydrated
rice, soy, vegetables, flavouring, and 21 essential vitamins and minerals. These meal
packets can be easily transported to crisis-burdened areas or supplied to school feeding
programmes around the world.

Under the FoodLanthropy initiative, the donated meals will be distributed to the needy in
Singapore and across the region.

World Food Day is on October 16. Food Bank Singapore is targeting to sell 1,200 Korean bentos to cover the cost for 30,000 meal packets.

You can get involved two ways:

1. Pre-order your Korean Bento. Collect your Korean Bento on 18 October 2013, or collect a Sarang Voucher to dine at Sarang Restaurant (Valid until 30 November 2013)

2. Volunteer for the packing activity of the meal packets at Orchard Central (requires minimum 1 hour commitment). About 200 volunteers are needed for the five hour event.

Or do both!?

Register your interest here.
http://foodbank.sg/foodlanthropy.html

Staycation at The Sentosa Resort & Spa; Plus A Peek at Suites, Villas, and Spa Botanica

UPDATE: The Sentosa Resort is now the Sofitel Sentosa Resort.

The five star Sentosa Resort & Spa (or The Sentosa, for short) is luxury set in one of the most lush and tranquil parts of Singapore. Situated atop a cliff, the 215-room hotel is nestled among tropical woodlands. It is a beautiful complex of landscaped water gardens and elegant low-rise buildings designed by Ed Tuttle. This gives it such a different feel from the rest of the crowded, busy island.

We were very fortunate the hotel arranged a staycation for the family in the Premier Suite (formerly known as the family suite). We also got a peek at the Beaufort Suite, a Garden Villa as well as the award-winning Spa Botanica.

Oh, I have so much to show you!

The Secrets of Chatterbox Chicken Rice...And the German Chef Who Helped Put It On The Menu!

Oh we all know Chatterbox chicken rice. Did you know it was a German chef who led the team that put this on the menu when Mandarin Singapore opened in 1971?

We had the great fortune of meeting Chef Peter Gehrmann, as the hotel tracked him down all the way from Hawaii where he enjoys giving classes. They brought him back to Singapore - he left in the 1970s, and hadn't been back since.

He shared with us how the Mandarin chicken rice came about, and some of the little culinary secrets behind it.

It's all in my Yahoo Makanation story:
http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/secrets-chatterbox-chicken-rice-014150594.html

Zalora Hari Raya Haji Sale - Get Extra 20% Off on Baju Kurung!

This is for all Muslim readers (yes, I have posts on Hari Raya, and halal food). Actually, this is for anyone interested in getting a lovely baju kurung. Zalora is offering an extra 20% off designs from Jovian Mandagie, Rizalman, and I.C by Inner Circle, valid until 15 Oct 2013 (2359hrs). Just use the code: AIDILADHA20 on this page - http://www.zalora.sg/hari-raya/. You'll get a voucher which is valid on top of sale items! GTMS - good things must share!

I've always thought the baju kurung selection at the pasar malam or bazaars sometimes come across as a bit dated or gaudy, so I was quite surprised to see some pretty nice designs on Zalora. Check it out.