Inspiration... From a 104-year-old Doctor...

My friend Jean recently sent me an interesting article about a Japanese doctor who was still going strong at the age of 97.

Is he still alive? I wondered and googled his name... Shigeaki Hinohara. (Here is a link to an article about him written two years ago.)

Born in 1911, he turns 104 years old this year... From online articles, it appears he is still active doing many of the things he did in his younger years. Years ago, he established a Japanese hospital and is still involved in that. He lectures frequently - and has written over 150 books.

After reading these articles, I have been reflecting on some of his "secrets" to living a strong, healthy life, even in old age. Here are a few...

1. It's important to be enthusiastic about work, whatever your age. Dr. Hinohara mentions that he still sometimes forgets to eat or sleep when he is doing something he enjoys. He still works into the wee hours of the morning when he is gets caught up in writing.

2. Keep a list of things to do - to have something to look forward to. Even now, he keeps an active "to do" list - and still plans speaking engagements a year or two down the road.

3. He didn't have time for much exercise when he was younger, so he walked as much as he could - taking the stairs rather than the escalator, often walking up two stairs at a time. He liked to stand rather than sit.

4. People often ask him what he eats. His diet is simple and light... and somewhat unconventional (though it reminds me of the way I ate when I was in my 20s and didn't give much thought to "healthy eating"). Breakfast is a cup of coffee, a glass of juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it, a glass of milk with lentil powder added, and a banana. Lunch consists of milk and three cookies. For supper he eats vegetables and fish, occasionally meat. For many years, he has followed the principle that one should eat only until one's stomach is 70% full.

5. Not surprisingly, Dr. Hinohara doesn't believe in retirement! Setting 65 as a mandatory retirement age is an old-fashioned practice, in his opinion - a tradition begun when people rarely lived to be 70. If one does retire from a job, he says, one should keep busy doing new things.

(The man is an inspiration! I'd like to find an English translation of his bestselling Japanese book, Living Strong, Living Good. I wonder if it's ever been translated - or if it's still in print.)