Author: Peter Eadon-Clarke

Advisor, Conceptasia Inc.
Peter Eadon-Clarke is a specialist in J-Wellness, product and technique trends, wellness tourism and the Stress Check Program. Peter has extensive experience managing complex multicultural teams; roles held during 14 years at Macquarie Capital Securities (Japan) limited included branch manager, global head of economics and Tokyo head of research. Previously, positions included UBS Trust and Banking in Tokyo as chief investment officer, CIO at Sumitomo Life Investment and CIO for the Pacific Basin at GT (now Invesco).

Categories
Wellness

Sleep Quality and Aromatherapy

The use of essential oils to improve sleep quality is pervasive, from spa resorts to the home use market. A variety of essential oils are recommended, for example, lavender, vanilla, cedarwood. chamomile, bergamot, ylang-ylang, jasmine, peppermint, and geranium. (1)

Looking for rigorous scientific support, we prefer randomized clinical trials (RCT), we recommend a review study. (2) The study by Jihoo Her and Mi Kyoung Cho found 30 studies that met their criteria. They concluded that aromatherapy’s overall effect on sleep quality was positive, and statistically significant. “Moreover, significant combined effects of aromatherapy were observed with other variables such as stress, pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.” They also found that aroma massage therapy produced a greater effect than aroma inhalation. One caveat: “Currently, no standard protocol exists for the method, frequency, or period of aromatherapy application for improving sleep quality, which makes consistent application difficult.”

A randomized controlled study examined inhaled aromatherapy. (3) Lavender oil inhalation was administered half an hour before sleep each day for a month. The study concluded that aromatherapy administration improved sleep quality and decreased fatigue severity.

The Jihoo Her and Mi Kyoung Cho study also reminds readers of the importance of sleep: Sleep is an essential process that provides rest, stability, maintenance of human health by facilitating recovery from musculoskeletal or mental fatigue, and stress relief. (4) The lack of sleep causes fatigue, depression, stress, and cognitive impairment. (5) Thus, the risk of suicidal ideation, (6) traffic accidents, and unemployment rates due to impaired optimal job performance increase, resulting in personal and social problems. (7)

For home use, we recommend an aroma diffuser.

References:

  1. 9 Essential Oils for Restful Sleep In & Out of the Treatment Room, 23 December 2022, by WellSpa360, Marisa Sobotka
  2. Effect of aromatherapy on sleep quality of adults and elderly people: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis, by Jihoo Her, Mi Kyoung Cho, 2021
  3. The Effect of Aromatherapy on Sleep Quality and Fatigue Level of the Elderly, A Randomized Controlled Study, by Fatma Genc, Songul Karada, Nazan Kılıc Akca, Mehtap Tan, Derya Cerit, 2020
  4. Nursing standard-of-practice protocol: sleep disturbances in elderly patients: alterations in the sleep-wake cycle call for immediate assessment and intervention, by Foreman MD, Wykle FM., 1995
  5. Relationships between sleep quality, fatigue and depression on health promoting behavior by shift-work patterns in university hospital nurses, by Son YJ, Park YR, 2011
  6. The association between total sleep time and suicidal ideation in adults over the age of 20, by Hwang EH, Park MH., 2016
  7. Effects of chronic insufficient sleep on society, by Lee HJ, Kim L, 2003
Categories
Wellness

Meditation and Medication

Our book “Meditation and Wellness: Perspectives from Japan” examined the scientific underpinnings and practical problems of building mental resiliency.

The book presented both the academic support for taking up meditation, and the stumbling experiences of the author.

Recent research (1) has investigated the relative benefits in treating anxiety disorders with a) mindfulness-based stress reduction methods and b) the common antidepressant drug escitalopram.

The study concludes that meditation is as effective as medication.

Neuroscience news interviewed the authors. To quote from that article:

Anxiety disorders can be highly distressing; they include generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder and fear of certain places or situations, including crowds and public transportation, all of which can lead to an increased risk for suicide, disability and distress and therefore are commonly treated in psychiatric clinics.

Mindfulness increases the options that sufferers can access.

References:

  1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Escitalopram for the Treatment of Adults with Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial, by Elizabeth A Hoge, Eric Bui, Mihriye Mete, Mary Ann Dutton, Amanda W Baker, Naomi M Simon, JAMA Psychiatry, November 2022
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Wellness

Nutrition and Tofu

Tofu is the result of a process that combines soybeans (in most cases) with a coagulant, curing agent.

Soybean is a bean providing vegetable protein. It contains all the amino acids that the body needs. The coagulant contributes minerals. Calcium Sulfate, for example, is a naturally occurring calcium salt.

Soy foods such as tofu are well known for their cholesterol-lowering effects. The evidence is so strong that regulators in the United States and Canada have approved health claims linking soy protein to a lower risk of heart disease. (1, 2)

Tofu contains isoflavones, which is a compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The isoflavones in tofu are also believed to reduce the risks of diabetes (3, 4) and cancer. (5, 6) Whilst research is supportive, more studies are needed to make strong statements.

For more details, please see the four page background paper here.

References:

  1. Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-tofu
  2. Beyond the Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Soy Protein: A Review of the Effects of Dietary Soy and Its Constituents on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease, by D. Dan Ramdath, Emily M. T. Padhi, Sidra Sarfaraz, Simone Renwick, and Alison M. Duncan, 2017
  3. Legume and soy intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, by Jun Tang, Yi Wan, Minjie Zhao, Hao Zhong, Ju-Sheng Zheng, Fengqin Fen, 2020
  4. The Effect of Soy Intake on Metabolic Profiles of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, by Mehri Jamilian, Zatollah Asemi, 2015
  5. Soy, Soy Isoflavones, and Protein Intake in Relation to Mortality from All Causes, Cancers, and cardiovascular diseases: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies, by Seyed Mostafa Nachvak, Shima Moradi, Javad Anjom-Shoae, Jamal Rahmani, Morteza Nasiri, Vahid Maleki, Omid Sadeghi, 2019
  6. Soy and isoflavones consumption and breast cancer survival and recurrence: a systematic review and meta-analysis, by Shumin Qiu, Chongmin Jiang, 2018
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Wellness

Nutrition & Japanese Beef

Matsuzaka Beef

Beef is contentious, as it is a red meat (pork, lamb, veal, beef) and the scientific recommendation is to limit red meats. For example, the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic recommends limiting red meat to one to two meals a week, to about 170 grams in total (1) The World Cancer Research Fund International is more lenient, recommending per week a limit of three (larger) portions, to about 350 to 500 grams in total (2) The U.K. NHS recommends a daily limit of 70 grams (equivalent to 490 grams a week). (3)

If you are eating red meat, this still leaves room for choices. Beef is essentially protein with varying quantities of fat. We recommend considering Japanese beef for its relatively superior fat profile.

Wagyu is a Japanese word that means “Japanese beef”. However, the word has passed into more global usage, and is now also used as follows. Wagyu cattle includes four Japanese breeds; Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled. Today, the renowned brand name Wagyu includes not only cattle produced in Japan, but also cattle produced in countries such as Australia and the United States. (4)

Importantly, the Wagyu breed produces carcass lipids containing relatively higher concentrations of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). (5, 6, 7) These are otherwise known as “good” fat and act to lower cholesterol. (8, 9, 10) The human body uses MUFA for energy and cell growth.

Fat has been reported as having fewer adverse effects on health than carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates. (4, 11)

For more details please see the paper here.

References

  1. Is Red Meat Bad for You? by Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-red-meat-bad-for-you/
  2. Limit Red and Processed Meat, by The World Cancer Research Fund International: https://www.wcrf.org/diet-activity-and-cancer/cancer-prevention-recommendations/limit-red-and-processed-meat/#:~:text=Dietary%20goal,%2C%20if%20any%2C%20processed%20meat.
  3. Meat in your Diet, by the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/meat-nutrition/
  4. The Japanese Wagyu Beef Industry: current situation and future prospects — A review, by Takafumi Gotoh, Takanori Nishimura,Keigo Kuchida, and Hideyuki Mannen, June 2018
  5. Effect of breed type and sex on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous and intramuscular lipids of finishing steers and heifers, by Zembayashi M, Nishimura K, Lunt DK, Smith SB., 1995
  6. Fatty acid composition of subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissues and M. longissimus dorsi of Wagyu cattle, by Sturdivant CA, Lunt DK, Smith GC, Smith SB., 1992
  7. Relationship between myofiber type and fatty acid composition in skeletal muscles of Wagyu (Japanese Black) and Holstein cattle, by Gotoh T, Olavanh S, Shiota M, et al., 2011
  8. Role of beef and beef tallow, an enriched source of stearic acid, in a cholesterol-lowering diet, by M A Denke, 1994
  9. Incorporation of lean red meat into a National Cholesterol Education Program Step I diet: a long-term, randomized clinical trial in free-living persons with hypercholesterolemia, by D B Hunninghake 1, K C Maki, P O Kwiterovich Jr, M H Davidson, M R Dicklin, S D Kafonek, 2000
  10. Cholesterol-lowering effect of a low-fat diet containing lean beef is reversed by the addition of beef fat, by K O’Dea 1, K Traianedes, K Chisholm, H Leyden, A J Sinclair, 1990
  11. Effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight adolescents, by Sondik SB, Copperman N, Jacobson MS., 2003
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Wellness

Young Japanese Adults Start to Sleep More

Zenkoji, Takayama, Temple stay

There is some evidence that young Japanese adults are sleeping longer. The health benefits from sleep are detailed in the linked paper: Sleep Health

A survey undertaken by Video Research Ltd. and Dentsu Inc., (1) of Japanese 20–34-year-olds, found that average sleep per day for men in 2019 of 7 hours 55 minutes was substantially higher than their 2009 survey (7 hours 11 minutes). Average sleep time also increased for women, to 7 hours 59 minutes in 2019 from 7 hours 19 minutes in 2009.

There has been a slow and steady trend to shorten Japan’s infamous long work hours. This allows both increased time for leisure, and for sleeping.

Perhaps the trend to longer sleep amongst young Japanese adults reflects the emergence of new knowledge-based industries and related flexible work practices, which those in their twenties and early thirties have been attracted to.

References:

  1. Japanese 20-somethings sleep eight hours a day – longer than 10 years ago, The Japan Times, 12 July 2020
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Wellness

Hydration and Heat

Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

In general, we drink adequately to maintain our body water balance, that is, fluid replacement to offset losses. However, a sudden change in the weather to intense heat requires new habits, and these can lag.

In preperation for this, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment now releases Heat Stress Index and Heat Stroke Alert maps. Examples are included in the supporting 6-page hydration paper here.

In 2022, Japan saw a record high number of June heatsroke cases: 15,657. The previous record was 6,980 in June 2011. An unusually short rainy season was followed by a sharp rise in temperatures. For Tokyo and its surrounding areas, the 2022 rainy season ran from June 6 to June 27, ending 22 days earlier than usual. (1)

Nature has also been caught by surprise. (2) Hydrangeas bloomed and then rapidly withered in the heat. Many cicadas remained dormant waiting for sufficient rain to fall. Mosquitos are active when temperatures are in the 25-30 degrees centigrade range, and higher temperatures have kept them taking refuge in shady leafy foliage. This author is happy about the latter!

References:

  1. Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  2. Summer in Japan doesn’t feel like a Japanese summer this year, many are saying, Japan Today, July 13, 2022
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Wellness

Onsen Health Benefits

Nanasawasou Onsen, Kanagawa Prefecture

With the Japanese archipelago sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanic area, there are geothermal spring systems (Onsen) throughout the country.

Bathing in an Onsen is beneficial to health for two main reasons:

  1. The benefits of passively heating the body
  2. Being exposed to the properties of the water

1. Deep-soaking bathing has thermotherapeutic effects (a higher body temperature stretches capillaries improving circulation, increasing metabolism, and reducing fatigue), water pressure effects (improving the flow of your blood and lymph fluid), and buoyancy effects. The latter, by reducing the body’s weight to one-tenth of what it normally is, allows muscles and joints to rest, enabling tensions in the body to dissipate.

Studies have found that passive heating can induce numerous health benefits, such as improvements to cardiorespiratory fitness, vascular health, glycemic control, and chronic low-grade inflammation.

2. The properties of the water divide into:

  1. Alkalinity,
  2. Other minerals present

For a detailed examination of both factors, please see the 7-page background paper here.

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Wellness

Volunteering, Community Activities, Reduce Mortality Risk

Mikuni Matsuri, Fukui Prefecture

Let’s go to Japanese Festivals!

There is scientific evidence that those who do volunteer activities are healthier.

One study (1) investigated the impact of volunteer activity over a four-year period. Participants were aged over 50 (average age 66) with 59% being women, 66% married. There was a control group who undertook no volunteering activity. The key conclusions were:

1) During the 4-year follow-up period, those volunteering 100 hours a year or more (versus zero hours a year) had a 44% reduced risk of mortality.

2) Of the health and well-being indicators that were monitored, the measures which improved are clustered principally in “psychological well-being/distress” and “social factors” classifications. A detailed table is available in a background paper, here.

A review (2) of over 1000 academic research studies over 1990-2020 looking at the relationship between exercise and mental health commented:

Physical health is clearly intertwined with mental health in a bidirectional fashion. Scientific evidence shows that changes in thinking patterns and behaviors affect neurological, endocrine, and immune systems. Conversely, disruption in these biological systems negatively impacts mental health.

With the intertwining of mental health and physical health, community activity, participation in local festivals, volunteering in general, has an overall beneficial effect.

References:

  1. Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach, by Eric S Kim, Ashley Whillans, Matthew T Lee, Ying Chen, and Tyler Vanderweele, 2020
  2. Move Your Mental Health, A review of the scientific evidence on the role of exercise and physical activity on mental health, by John W. Brick, mental foundation, May 2021
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Wellness

Soba: It’s Good for You

Juwari Buckwheat Soba, Fukui Prefecture

The Japanese word for buckwheat is soba. Buckwheat is known for its high mineral and anti-oxidant content. It has little fat. Soba is a staple of the Japanese diet.

The study “Buckwheat: A Useful Food and it’s Effects on Human Health” (1) concludes:

Buckwheat is a food with rich nutrient content and important functional properties. In addition, it does not lose these properties in the processing stages, it also enriches the products it is added to both nutritionally and functionally. Because of these properties, it can show positive effects such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic on human health.

In particular, soba has health benefits for the heart. For more details, please see the four-page paper here.

The above is important to know as the price of soba increases. Japan only produced 42% of its buckwheat consumption domestically in 2020, according to the Japan Soba Association. Russia is the world’s largest exporter. European buckwheat average prices are up 50% 2022 versus 2021 (Euro 4.11 versus Euro 2.65). (2)

References:

  1. Buckwheat: A Useful Food and it’s Effects on Human Health, by Haci Omer Yilmaz, Nurcan Yabanci Ayhan, and Cagdas Salih Medic, 2018
  2. https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/economy/economists-prices-in-latvia-will-continue-rising.a458372/
Categories
Wellness

10,000 Daily Steps; Scientific Support

The recently released study, Daily steps, and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts, (1) supports the benefits of walking by linking it to mortality risk.

  1. For people over the age of 60, increasing daily steps from 3,000 to 7,000 reduces mortality risk by 50%
  2. For adults under the age of 60, the optimum daily steps appear to be 8,000 to 10,000

Japan’s relatively good daily steps of 6,010, (2) the highest amongst G7 countries, is still low relative to the optimum levels noted above.

For more details, please see our four-page background paper here.

References:

  1. Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts, by Amanda E Paluch, Shivangi Bajpai, Prof David R Bassett, Prof Mercedes R Carnethon, Prof Ulf Ekelund, Prof Kelly R Evenson, et al., published in The Lancet, March 2022
  2. Large-scale physical activity data reveal worldwide activity inequality, by Tim Althoff, Rok Sosič, Jennifer L. Hicks, Abby C. King, Scott L. Delp & Jure Leskovec, July 2017
Categories
Wellness

Japan and Financial Literacy

A survey by the BOJ (1) found low levels of financial education (just 6.6%), and low financial literacy, as defined by the BOJ (20.9%). At the same time, Japanese households were found to be highly conservative, below.

It is unclear whether low financial literacy leads to conservative household financial management, or that the latter has diminshed the urge to pursue the former.

The survey results indicate Japanese households are overwhelmingly prudent in paying their bills on time (spread score of +80.3, table below), more think long term (spread +30.9), whilst few live short-term (spread -37.4), and very few have too much debt (spread -62.5).

Risk aversion is further evidenced by the negative spread on those prepared to risk losses when investing.

“Spread” below is the percentage of survey respondents that answered strongly agree or agree, minus those that answered disagree or strongly disagree.

Spread
+80.3 – I pay my bills on time
+30.9 – I set long term financial goals and strive to achieve them
-37.4 – I tend to live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself
-62.5 – I have too much debt right now
-13.3 – I am prepared to risk some of my own money when saving or making an investment

For more data on financial literacy in Japan, please follow the link here.

References:

  1. Financial Literacy Survey: 2016 Results, Bank of Japan, October 2016
Categories
Wellness

Estimating Excess Mortality due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

A study published in The Lancet (1) estimates that globally over 2020-21, 18.2 million excess deaths occurred. 191 countries and territories were included.

Japan’s relatively good experience is shown below.

Estimated excess mortality rate per 100,000 (1)

Global120.3
Western Europe140.0
Denmark94.1
France124.2
Germany120.5
Italy227.4
Spain186.7
Sweden91.2
United Kingdom126.8
USA179.3
Canada60.5
Japan44.1
Brazil186.9
India152.5

Excess mortality due to the Covid-19 pandemic is defined as the net difference between the number of deaths during the pandemic (measured by observed or estimated all-cause mortality) and the number of deaths that would be expected based on past trends in all-cause mortality. The study adjusted for late registration and anomalies such as heat waves and used six models to estimate expected mortality.

In addition to estimation issues, the difference between excess mortality and reported Covid-19 deaths might be a function of underdiagnosis due to insufficient testing, reporting challenges, or higher than expected mortality from other diseases due to pandemic-related changes in behaviors or reduced access to health care or other essential services. (1)

For more data, please see the original article or click here.

References:

  1. Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID-19-related mortality, 2020–21, by Dr Haidong Wang, University of Washington, published in The Lancet, March 2022
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Wellness

Wellness Trends: from 2021 to 2022

The New Year starts in Japan with a shrine visit. Toyokawa Inari Betsuin

Global Wellness Trends Report: The Future of Wellness 2022 from the Global Wellness Summit, otherwise known as “2022 Wellness Trends, from Global Wellness Summit” was released 9 February 2022, and is available at the following link: https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/2022-global-wellness-trends/

Please see our post of January 2021 for the 2020 and 2021 Wellness Trends, from Global Wellness Summit.

The 10 2022 Wellness Trends, from Global Wellness Summit are as follows:

TREND 1: Dirt-y Wellness

The health of the world’s soil—and the impact of soil exposure on human health—become far more important (Think: “soil-bathing”)

TREND 2: Toxic Muscularity Comes Clean

How bulging biceps and rippling abs have had a negative ripple effect on male body image

TREND 3: From Wellness Tech to Technological Wellness

A fresh take on digital health

TREND 4: Senior Living Disrupted

A wrinkle in time no more!

TREND 5: Wellness Travel: Seekers, Welcome

Post-pandemic travelers are ready for adventure and engagement

TREND 6: Innovative Tech Closing the Gender Gap in Medical Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI), apps and wearables collect data for a wide range of women’s health conditions

TREND 7: Urban Bathhouses & Wellness Playgrounds

Affordable wellness is coming to a city near you

TREND 8: Next-Gen Naturalism

The return of self-reliance

TREND 9: Health & Wellness Coaching Gets Certified

Coaches trained in the art and science of motivating healthy changes have been the missing link in both healthcare and wellness

TREND 10: Wellness Welcomes the Metaverse

Health & wellness are attractive to the Metaverse which needs to diversify beyond gaming

Having contributed the J-Wellness trend to the 2020 Wellness Trends, from Global Wellness Summit, this author knows the process rigour behind each of their presented trends. If you have the time to read only one 2022 trend report, this is the recommended one.

Categories
Wellness

Covid-19, Japan’s Elderly, Exercise, and Mental Health

A study (1) examined the prevalence of exercise as a coping strategy among Japanese community-dwelling older adults and its impact on their psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spanning Japan’s first Covid-19 lockdown period, the study covered 618 community-dwelling older adults.

The study concluded: Older adults who walked to maintain their physical and mental health experienced better well-being than those who did not.

This is in line with established scientific research on the relationship between exercise and mental health.

A review (2) of over 1000 academic research studies over 1990-2020 looking at the relationship between exercise and mental health commented:

Physical health is clearly intertwined with mental health in a bidirectional fashion. Scientific evidence shows that changes in thinking patterns and behaviors affect neurological, endocrine, and immune systems. Conversely, disruption in these biological systems negatively impacts mental health.

As well as biological pathways – such as increasing brain neurotransmitters and improving hormone function involved in mental health, exercise appears to improve mental health through social and self-efficacy pathways,

Selected key conclusions are shown below.

Exercise and Mental Health: Move Your Mental Health study (2) selected conclusions
Does exercise and physical activity benefit mental health?
89% of all published peer-reviewed research between 1990 and 2020 found a positive, statistically significant relationship between exercise/physical activity and mental health.
How much exercise and how often?
Overall, three to five 30-45-minute moderate to vigorous exercise sessions per week appear to deliver optimal mental health benefits (3)
What type of exercise?
High-intensity exercise regimens are generally more effective than low-intensity regimens (4)
Mindfulness-based activities like yoga and tai chi, though they can be lower intensity forms of movement, deliver more mental health benefits than walking
What mental health outcomes are most impacted by exercise?
Exercise is strongly associated with general mental and emotional well-being including reduced stress, and improved mood and quality of life
Evidence strongly supports cardiovascular/aerobic exercise for reducing depression, showing medium to large effect sizes
Evidence shows moderate but reliable effect sizes for cardiovascular/aerobic exercise reducing symptoms in people with anxiety disorders
Yoga and other mindful exercises such as Tai Chi and Qigong show strong evidence for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression
Source: Move Your Mental Health, (2) Conceptasia, January 2022

References:

  1. Exercise as a coping strategy and its impact on the psychological well-being of Japanese community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study, by Manami Ejiri, Hisashi Kawai, Takeshi Kera, Kazshige Ihara, Yoshinori Fujiwara, Yutaka Watanabe, Hirohiko Hirano, Hunkyung Kim, and Shuichi Obuchi, September 2021
  2. Move Your Mental Health, A review of the scientific evidence on the role of exercise and physical activity on mental health, by John W. Brick, mental foundation, May 2021
  3. Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study, by Chekroud, S. R., Gueorguieva, R., Zheutlin, A. B., Paulus, M., Krumholz, H. M., Krystal, J. H., & Chekroud, A. M., 2018
  4. Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – a systematic review and meta-analysis, by Aylett, E., Small, N. & Bower, P., 2018
Categories
Wellness

Kakeibo & Financial Wellness

Kakeibo, a household accounting book, and the practice of recording and monitoring income and expenditures in a physical notebook, traces its origins in Japan to 1904, and to Hani Motoko, its inventor. The kakeibo method forces one to think about one’s needs, spending and motivations, leading to an increased ability to save. (1, 2, 3)

Financial Wellness

The fundamental difference with existing personal financial planning is that “Financial Wellness” does not begin with money, but with an understanding of Wellness and the associated attainment of longevity and the 100-year life.

Without having wellness at one’s core, money worries can flood in. Surveys usually find money to be the number one cause of stress. With wellness the core focus, money becomes a facilitator, in fact just one of many facilitators. Fortunately, a wellness regime only requires a modest amount of money

Financial Wellness & Savings

In an environment of the 100-year life, we postulate that after education, people will be working from age 25 to 80 followed by 20 years of leisure.

Whilst working, we recommend saving 20% of one’s after-tax income.

In contrast to the conventional study-work-retire cycle, the new typical life will include one or two career reinventions involving changing industries (as well as working for multiple different companies during each career phase). Career reinventions will involve perhaps 1-3 years of retraining, repositioning.

To facilitate the above financial resources are needed not just for the 20 years after the age of 80, but also during the career reinvention periods.

For more, please see the 17-page Financial Wellness paper here.

References.

  1. CNBC: I tried ‘Kakeibo’: The Japanese art of saving money—and it completely changed how I spend my money, by Sarah Harvey, published January 2020
  2. Credit.com, Kakeibo: The Mindful Japanese Budgeting System, published August 2021
  3. Japan Times: Kakeibo: Turning a dull aspect of Japanese life into social media gold, published January 2020

Categories
Wellness

Amazake: Japan’s 1000-year-old wonder drink

The amazake specialty café “Amanoya” in Suehirocho, Tokyo, abuts an active koji muro (mold cultivation room) built in 1904.

An amazake boom has been underway in Japan, with its market size growing from ¥11.9 billion in 2009 to ¥16.7 billion in 2015 and ¥24.6 billion in 2017 (latest data). (1)

Japanese people drink amazake as a nutritional supplement to prevent heat fatigue in the summer, or as a pick-me-up with breakfast or late in the afternoon.

Amazake (also known as koji amazake) is a non-alcoholic, viscous, white-colored, sweet, traditional Japanese drink, a fermented food made from Aspergillus oryzae and related koji molds. The sweetness of koji amazake is from glucose, derived from starch broken down by the Aspergillus oryzae amylase. Fermenting food results in an improved nutrient composition. Purportedly, koji amazake contains over 300 ingredients in total.

Functionality, amazake is known to include an anti-fatigue effect, bowel movement improvement, a skin barrier function, e.g., improving dry skin, and other effects on human health. These functions result from ingesting approximately 100 mL per day, but human clinical trials have clarified that this amount has no effect on blood glucose levels and weight gain. (2)

Amazake: Functionality, Safety

  References (below)
1Anti-Fatigue Effect3 and 4
2Bowel Movement Improvement5 and 6
3Skin Barrier Function 7
4Safety8 and 9

Source: Ingredients, Functionality, and Safety of the Japanese Traditional Sweet Drink Amazake, (2) Conceptasia, November 2021

Koji amazake has been consumed for a long time, as it appeared in the Chronicles of Japan (Nihon shoki) compiled in 720. The rice-koji is mixed with water and placed in a tank set at 50–60 °C, where the amylase secreted by A. oryzae breaks down rice starch into glucose.

It is a unique beverage for which the main component is glucose, as compared to other sweet beverages such as fruit juice, for which the main sugars are sucrose and fructose. (2)

References

  1. Fuji Keizai Co. Ltd. Foodstuff Marketing Handbook 2021; 2020; Volume 4, pp. 342–345
  2. Ingredients, Functionality, and Safety of the Japanese Traditional Sweet Drink Amazake, by Atsushi Kurahashi, June 2021
  3. Effect of a late evening snack of Amazake in patients with liver cirrhosis: A pilot study, by Nagao, Y.; Sata, M., 2013
  4. Effects of amazake using rice koji intake in sports athletes on physical fatigue and subjective symptoms during exercise training, by Kashimura, O.; Uehara, Y.; Shimazaki, A., 2019
  5. Effect of Amazake ingestion on constipation, by Sumiyoshi, K.; Nakao, M., 2017
  6. Effects of Koji amazake and its lactic acid fermentation product by Lactobacillus sakei UONUMA on defecation status in healthy volunteers with relatively low stool frequency, by Sakurai, M.; Kubota, M.; Iguchi, A.; Shigematsu, T.; Yamaguchi, T.; Nakagawa, S.; Kurahashi, A.; Oguro, Y.; Nishiwaki, T.; Aihara, K.; et al., 2019
  7. Effect of intake of Amazake on skin barrier functions in healthy adult women subjects—A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, by Ueda, M.; Kitagawa, M.; Koike, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Kondo, S., 2017
  8. Effects and safety of koji amazake: An excessive intake test, by Kurahashi, A.; Yonei, Y., 2019
  9. Safety evaluation of a long-term intake of koji amazake, by Kurahashi, A.; Nakamura, A.; Oguro, Y.; Yonei, Y., 2020