What can we learn about health and longevity from James Sisnett, age 111, his 11 children and the people of Barbados?
A Lot to Be Learnt from the Elderly
The Barbados Advocate
23 Feb 2011
.... Barbados is said to have the second highest percentage of centenarians in the world....
'Our centenarians can teach us a lot. We have a rich heritage based on the contributions and sacrifices their generation have made to help Barbados develop to a nation we can be proud of. Many of them will tell you that they have reached the ripe age of 100 through a diet of ground provisions, hard work and faith in God... May that be food for thought.' -- Steven Blackett, Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development.
Centenarians honouredhttp://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/centenarians-honoured/"Nearly 30 Barbadian centenarians were recognised today, including the world’s second oldest man 110-year-old James Sisnett."
Bajan Secrets To Living Longhttp://barbadostravel.squarespace.com/journal/2005/9/7/bajan-secrets-to-living-long.html.... How come Barbados? Ever since Japan and Barbados were placed at the top of global rankings of nations with most centenarians per capita, people have been asking that question.
After all, while it is understandable that Okinawa in Japan with its sophisticated medical care, vast resources, and enviable lifestyle can be number one the answers to why an upper middle income Caribbean country with a population of 270,000 people would have about 108 centenarians, giving it a per capita rate of one for every 2,500 –people seem elusive.
What makes the issue so compelling is that the two wealthy North American nations, the United States and Canada, have a per capita rate of one centenarian per 10,000 people.
Now a leading Canadian newspaper, the National Post, has come up with some possible answers.
"A good start might be Bajan water," suggested the Post in an article headlined: Many Rivers To Cross, Why So Many Barbadians Live For More Than 100 years?
The paper stated, "the only volcanic island in the Caribbean, Barbados' coral limestone filters water to a healthy state of 'hard' calcium rich drinking water similar to that of Okinawa."
Next, it may be the fish Barbadians like to eat, "a plentiful harvest of fresh fish". ....
