Seeking longevity ?

I read an article today that the main causes of long life in Hong Kong people is attributed to  work, mahjong and tea.  It is not suprisingly as it was known that these factors have many positive effects.

Engaing in work as long as we can, lets us keep a healthy body and mind and we remain useful.  The being of been useful is very important, otherwise, our mind will slip into complacency and prepare ourself to die. If our body condition is in this state, then our body function will gradually follow our thoughts and our feelings about living. 

In this aspect, the Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew have this wisdom that retirement for him is preparing to die and he remained active in his work  and still remained a  healthy man and still in his official position.  Many people would have felt that he has over stayed but I think he is just keeping him healhty and useful. He has actually remained in a supportive position.  This arrangement is personal and he has the wisdom that working is good for keeping him alive.

As for mahjung, it is a game for the Chinese people who have for thousand of years use this game to keep an active mind and spend a healthy time socializing with family members and friends.  To keep an active mind keeps away dimentia and alzehmier disease.  A study on this habit have proven that the game will keep our mind active and it is  a good past time., But , abit of caution that this game can some times use for excessive gambling for some.

As for tea drinking, it is another good habit where certain tea have good detoxing qualities as well as a means to cut the consumption of excess oil in our food.  It has been found that when we eat oily food and drink tea, the sharpness in the tea can neutralize the oil in the food  and will be less harmful to our body. It is abit of Chinese people to drinkk tea daily as part of their lifestyle  and for the Japanese people they drink green tea for the anti-oxident qualities which is proven to strengthen our immune system and prevent cancer and enhance long life.

For the Hong Kong poeple, they are very hard working and often they work three jobs to increase their earnings  and they play majhung for their past time oir during their rest days with their family ties to improve their family or friendly ties  and drink alot of tea in their daily life, They also drink tea during their working time and mahjong time. So, a combination of these three factors  is positive for longivity.

However, now the young generation fo Chinese is following the habit of the West and have gone into an internet world , making virtual friends instead of  promoting people contact in mahjung and their life style is also following the west ,drinking Starbuck and Coffee Bean coffee,  Taiwan's blackball tea and KFC's cola and pepsi.  The impact of these changes is yet to know.

We should learn from the past and follow what is good for us and enjoy these pastime and habits.

Namaste.