Ever wonder why Chinese people generally weigh less and look so young? Until 25 years ago, before the advent of fast-food in China, Chinese people have had the lowest obesity rates, ever. What is their secret to maintaining a trim waistline given their great obsession with food? If you look at their way of life, it revolves around food. Their common traditional greeting, “Have you eaten?” (Ni chi bao le ma?) and the number of people in the family is defined by the number of mouths to feed (kuo-mouths). They even qualify the ability to eat as a blessing. There are definitely a few key components that keep the Chinese looking young, vibrant and fit and it all revolves around what they put into their bodies. For one thing, Chinese people do NOT count calories. In fact, they don’t even have a word for calories. Surprising? Not really, they don’t map out their meals in terms of how many fat calories they are consuming. In fact, a 1990 survey found that Chinese people actually consumed 30 percent MORE calories than Americans and they are not necessarily more active. If you do the math, that spells disaster with our way of thinking. So, how can Chinese folks eat more than us and exercise less and still look amazing? Seems unfair. Chinese people view food as nourishment and enjoyment so they tend to eat a more balanced meal (a little meat, some vegetables and always rice or noodles). Western nutrition expert, Patrick Holford has this to say, “The latest research into weight loss shows that calorie-controlled, low-fat diets are less effective than low glycemic load diets, which is exactly what a traditional Chinese diet is.” Their portions are also different than ours. Have you ever gone to a Chinese restaurant and had an entire 16 oz. steak placed in front of you? No. Chinese food consists of mainly rice, vegetables and pieces of meat cut into small pieces.  You may not realize it, but you are actually consuming less meat when you eat Chinese food, which isn’t a bad thing.  The Chinese like to fill up on vegetables and rice with a little bit of protein thrown in occasionally.  This saves them on calories in the long run, even though they may be eating 5 or more times per day. Soup is a big part of their diet. Chinese people love soups—in the morning, noon and night. Not the creamy, heavy version of most western diets, but light, liquid-based soups with an assortment of vegetables, meat and herbs. For instance, they use goji berries, dates, ginseng, galangal, lemon grass and ginger to flavor their soups. These soups generally don’t add up to many calories and they fill you up to induce a feeling of satiety. Another western nutrition expert, Ian Marber says, “I’m a great believer in soups before food. Miso soup, for instance, or anything fermented—these are probiotics, which help release nutrients from the food you are about to eat.” Chinese people have a love affair with OOLONG TEA. Chinese’s love affair with oolong tea is a well-known secret and they’re not bashful about it. The pot of tea is always near and instead of soda or juice with a meal, hot tea is often the beverage of choice. So why do the Chinese love oolong tea so much? A whole slew of research has shown the health benefits of oolong tea—it eliminates toxins, aids digestion (that’s why it is often consumed at meal times), reduces risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases and fights damaging free radicals (because of its potent supply of catechins—powerful antioxidants). These powerful antioxidants help to reverse the aging process, which is why Chinese people look so young! Tea, especially oolong tea, is also great at revving up metabolism to burn fat and calories naturally. A recent study in Geneva showed that tea’s catechins and its naturally occurring caffeine help to reduce weight. The study shows that both catechins and caffeine increase metabolic rate and rev up the body’s ability to burn fat. Speaking of tea, I had an interesting interaction the other day. Sitting in a salon, a Japanese woman began to chat with me about health, wellness, food, beauty and skin. She asked me what MY secret was for bright, clear skin, shiny hair and a fit body. I shared with her that I have NO SECRET. No skin creams; I don’t get facials; I don’t have coffee scrubs to keep my skin tight on my legs and face; and I definitely don’t workout for hours every day. Rather, I maintain:

• Healthy, glowing skin
• Shiny hair
• Acne-free (where I used to be acne-prone)
• Slim body with tons of energy

…Because I detoxify DAILY with Wu-Long Slimming Tea. “What is Wu-Long?”  The woman asked. It’s a rare form of 100% Oolong, I explained.  It comes from the Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian Province. It tastes delicious – sometimes I have 4 or more cups a day! She laughed and told me that she knows this Oolong! How is that? She explained that in Japan, during the 1980’s, this rare high-altitude Oolong became very popular. She said that people wanted to be as skinny and healthy as the Chinese.  And TODAY, this woman and her parents still drink this Oolong every day for daily detoxification, cleansing and healthy weight maintenance! Over 37 Scientific Studies have now shown that this rare high-altitude Oolong is KILLER for weight loss and maintenance, as well as skin, hair, teeth and even organ health! We could definitely learn a thing or two from the Chinese in the way they take care of their bodies. They don’t eat a lot of the processed junk we have available here in America and it definitely shows. If you want to look as young and fit as the Chinese, you now have the information to do so! You have access to the highest quality Oolong on the planet and it comes straight from the WuYi mountains in China! Stop on by OkumaNutritionals.com to purchase a box for yourself and to share with family and friends! Help your loved ones reach their weight loss goals and help them feel (& look) young and vibrant again!