Women in other countries are healthier, and now, we know their secrets! Photo: Cavan Images, Flickr

We get a bad rap here in America, and with some of our unhealthy habits, it's at least somewhat well-deserved. Our portions are big, we drive everywhere and most of us do lots of things that don't help our waistlines (or our overall health).

Women's Health magazine took a look at some of the healthy things women in other countries do and came up with great, easy ways for us to incorporate some of those habits into our lives. No, we're probably not all going to suddenly become faux-Norwegians, eating vegetable soup with a bit of fresh fish for the majority of our meals or walking for our main mode of transportation. (There's a reason Norway is approximately 20 years behind the States on the obesity curve.)

But, taking a few tips from foreign lands could make a big difference.

The Japanese love their fad diets, and a new one has taken the country by storm. The Morning Banana Diet has become so popular due to recent publicity that grocery stores across Japan are sold out of bananas, according to recent reports from banana importers. What's all the hype about? Here's a run-down of the diet:

• You eat a raw, unfrozen banana for breakfast.
• You can eat whatever you want for lunch and dinner, even fried foods. However, dessert is prohibited. You must eat dinner before 8 pm.
• At 3 pm, you can have a sweet snack, like chocolates or cookies. You can have something healthier, but if you want chocolate, don't deny yourself.

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Little girls born in Japan in 2007 have the longest life expectancy of any other people on the planet... 86 years. Though life expectancy is a complicated issue, experts say that Japanese women live so long in part because of their healthy diet and unique social structure, as well as advancements made in medical care. Boys born in Japan last year can expect to live 79.2 years, while residents of Iceland and Hong Kong aren't far behind.

The flip side of this is that Japan's birth rate is also very low, which leaves the Japanese government in a unique position -- how to run a country with an aging population without a younger population to back them up?

Still, the Japanese are definitely doing something right. About.com digs a little deeper into the hows and whys of the long life spans of Japan.

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What Buettner and his team have done is studied how people live in these blue zones to try and discover why they live up to a decade or more longer than the rest of us. What it boils down to, if their theories are correct, at least, is fairly simple. The people in those communities eat less and eat mostly plant-based foods. They have less stress, they indulge in a glass or two of red wine, and they incorporate physical activity into every day. Essentially, less is more.

It's difficult to make changes like this sometimes in our Western culture, but it's clear that these communities are doing something right, as far as longevity goes anyway. To learn more about what makes the blue zones special, check out Forbes gallery on the subject.

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Say goodbye to the Zamboni ... Mitsubishi plastics has developed a new rink without the ice. Japan has seen a growing interest in ice skating, yet -- due to the high costs -- not many ice rinks are operated. This new skating surface is made up of panels of resin-based plastic coated with a thick layer of special wax. The surface is nearly as slippery as real ice and be skated on using regular ice skates.

The plastic surface would allow more skating rinks to operate -- the reduced air conditioning and water costs can save rinks up to $190,000 each year.

One amateur skater who's tried out the surface stated that it was fine for turns and other basic figure skating moves, but more complicated moves would be better performed on real ice.

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The health benefits of pet ownership are well-documented -- lower blood pressure and less stress among them. But not everyone is able to keep a pet. Allergies, lifestyle, and restrictions on pet ownership in living spaces can prevent animal lovers from having a pet of their own.

In Tokyo, it's especially hard to keep a pet. The market for apartments is competitive, and landlords are increasingly banning pets from their properties. But a new cafe allows people to reap the benefits that pets can offer, without all the hassles that pet ownership can bring. At the Calico Cafe, customers can drink coffee, order snacks, and shop for a variety of goodies, all while enjoying a cuddle and a purr from the stores many cats.

Would a similar business be popular in the U.S? What do you think?

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If your workout for the day calls for both weight training and cardio, you're better off saving the cardio for last. This popular approach came to be when people began stressing the importance of resistance training. Basically, holding off on the cardio until the second half of this workout ensures that you will have plenty of energy for the first half, which is when you're lifting. But, it turns out that there is another health reason to support why you should continue to workout in this order, and it has less to do with abs and more do with blood pressure.

A study at Kinki Welfare University in Hyogo, Japan revealed that jogging can counteract the spike in blood pressure caused by weight training. Researchers found that people who ran for twenty minutes after resistance training increased the elasticity of their arteries by 2 percent over those who performed their workout in reverse (i.e. cardio first, then resistance training).

How do you mend a broken heart? One Japanese company hopes that by giving their employees a day or two off, they can help those bruised hearts and egos mend it just a little faster. Interestingly, younger women only get a day off (only women work at the company), while older women get two. If you're over 30, you get three days off. Apparently, they believe younger women bounce back faster, I guess.

Not only does Hime & Company allow employees time to recover from a bad breakup, they also let their employees have two mornings a year to head out and hit the sales. Now that's a company policy I can get behind.

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The ultimate in lazy health devices: a machine that doesn't even require you to stand or sit up in order to measure your body fat. Tanita Corporation has invented what it's calling "a world first" (I have no idea if that's true) in the form of a machine that can measure a person's body fat from a completely reclined position. It's designed for the morbidly obese and people with disabilities or limitations that make it difficult to reposition -- and in those cases it really is a good thing. Plus for the rest of us it's a nice option to have instead of, say, the water tank method of calculating body fat.

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Three months ago, government officials in the city of Ise in Japan embarked on a Samurai diet in order to win a vicious war -- against obesity and metabolic syndrome, according to this article. Unfortunately, the program took an unexpected turn -- one government official had a heart attack while jogging and died in August. However, the 'Samurais' motored on and the program recently ended and results were promising, with the city's mayor shedding 12 lbs. Way to set a good example, Mr. Mayor!

I think this is a great idea and one that every municipal government should adopt. Encouraging healthy habits is especially effective when people in the public eye and in positions of authority get the ball rolling, don't you think?

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The Japanese always seem to be at the forefront of technology, so it's no surprise that they've devised some ways to incorporate fitness into gadgets we use every day. Take the Japanese Fitness Phone, for example -- it's a phone that can measure your heart rate, act as a pedometer by counting your steps, and dish out fitness and nutrition advice.Guess what else it can do? I can tell you if you have bad breath. Just breath into it and it will tell you whether you're a-ok for that business meeting or whether you need gum or a mint pronto.

The fitness phone is aimed at the middle-aged working men of Japan -- and it's sure to be a hit since men in Japan have been getting larger over the last few years.

What do you think of weight loss and technology -- A good combination or no?

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The world as a whole seems to get bigger and bigger, and people in Japan are no exception. Well, half of them are anyway. The male half.

That's right -- studies are showing that as men in Japan get heavier and become closer to obesity, the women of Japan are staying slim and even getting slimmer on average as the years go by. In the past few decade, women on average have lost 2 kg (4.4 lb), while men have gained 4 kg (8.8 lb.)

The reason behind these changes? Women are becoming more aware of the benefits of exercise, while men are working longer hours and socializing for work more.

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The world is a big place and it seems like we get news items and magazine articles all the time about which nations are the healthiest or most-fulfilled. If you've ever wondered about how people in different locations around the globe stay fit and happy, this piece is pretty fun and interesting.

It includes tips and secrets from people as near and far as Florida, Mexico, South Africa, Ireland, Japan, England and France on how to maintain a healthy mind and body. I don't imagine these people are experts or anything but sometimes it's nice to take advice from people based on personal experience.

Some of the secrets doled out include doing a water fast once every couple of weeks (Japan), get ting outside and walking as much as possible (Ireland) and breathing to lower stress (South Africa). If you're interested in all of the tips and the perceived benefits then read the piece in full.

Have you got any health or wellness tips you can share?

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We all want good skin, and we've all heard of countless different ways to go about getting it, but sitting in an enormous bowl of Ramen noodle soup? That's a new one.

A Japanese spa is offering just that: the opportunity to dip yourself in noodles to get a healthier glow. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it!) it's not real noodles (just noodle-shaped spa treatments) but it is real broth. The pork-based broth contains collagen, hence the skin-enhancing benefits.

The treatment costs about $29 -- would you do it? I think I'll pass, and save my Ramen noodles for meals only.


Via Luxury Launches

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Japan has some of the longest lifespans in the world. And while this is a sign that they are healthier on average than the rest of the world, longer lifespans are putting a strain on the healthcare system in Japan.

New studies are showing that spending on healthcare in Japan is lower than in US, and there just aren't enough resources to keep up with the needs of patients, so many of whom are elderly. And the result? Doctors and other healthcare professionals are cutting corners where ever they can -- yikes! Apparently longevity isn't always a good thing, at least as far as the healthcare system is concerned. Still, a country whose patients are just too healthy is far better off than one in which people would rather die young than eat healthy.

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