Asian people secrets of longevity

Guangzhou, China—With all the stories from China about dangerous toys, environmental abuses, crowded and dirty cities and widespread poverty, it's hard to imagine how the Chinese can live to a ripe old age. But they do, with spectacular success, boasting of a life expectancy surprisingly close to that in the United States. China manages this feat while paying a fraction of the healthcare cost per capita spent in the United States, too. How do they do it?

It is always awe-inspiring - if not a little baffling - to see people who live to be a hundred years old because not many of us live long enough to reach this age. But in Bama, a small county located in Guangxi which is one of the five Longevity Villages identified by the United Nations worldwide, more than 80 people are at least years old; and in another village called Shuping, most people reach their 90s. Like Us on Facebook. While there have been several studies about actual, scientific immortality in the animal kingdom and what this could mean for humans, longevity is the closest that our species has gotten to it. In China, specifically, the average life expectancy at birth is 76 years old, according to research by the National Bureau of Statistics. Wu Liangfu, a year-old tailor in Shuping says that the key to a long life is working hard. A former soldier, Mr Liangfu adds that having good relations with everyone is also essential.

Her T-shirted charges trailing behind her, the young guide swept into Huang Puxin's home and flicked her tour flag towards the centenarian, who was waiting on the sofa beneath a giant bas-relief inscribed with the word "longevity". The tourists stuffed cash into piled-up red envelopes and moved in beside Huang, patting his knee as they handed him the money and posed for a picture. Huang has lived through wars, famines, the rise and fall of Maoism and much more.

Known better for gambling than helping you grow into your golden years — Macau unexpectedly holds the secret to a high life expectancy. The sprightly and wiry man dons an oversized white T-shirt, slips on his black leather shoes and takes a morning stroll along the Coloane waterfront. Chan attributes his long, happy life to this simple routine plus a steady diet of rice and garlic — and it seems this nonagenarian is far from an anomaly. Monaco topped the list at an average of Not only is Macau is the fourth-wealthiest territory in the world, but it also has the fastest-growing economy, reports the CIA World Fact Book.