Ohayou gozaimasu from Tokyo where I’ve been traveling this week with family and friends! Being in Japan inspires me to share our Pounce Pot Protocol—five essential actions to help you lengthen your healthspan—from a Japanese perspective.

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Learning a new language is a powerful way to strengthen your cognitive reserve. You don’t need to aim for fluency. Just the act of trying and studying is very helpful. Consistency is key! (Learn more) 

Try out a few basic Japanese phrases with me this week. You can download Duolingo for free to continue on with Japanese (or 42 other languages.) 

• Ohayou gozaimasu means “Good morning!” 
  

• Konnichiwa is how to say “Hello.”
  

• You’ve probably heard Sayonara before, which translates to “Goodbye.”

Join me in a Japanese-themed food adventure to help meet your connection goals this week. How about going out with a group of friends, family, or coworkers to a local sushi restaurant or a Japanese steakhouse? 

It’s so much fun to gather around the community grills and watch the chefs catch shrimp in their tall hats and make flaming volcanos with onion rings. It’s not truly Japanese teppanyaki, but it’s still super entertaining! 

Cooking at home can be more budget-friendly. Invite a friend over for some homemade or take-out noodles. Watch the new Shogun series on Hulu, Disney+ or YouTube together. Try using chopsticks. Have some fun!

Japan is home to the largest percentage of centenarians in the world. We have so much to learn from their ancient culture and healthy lifestyle.

Accepting life’s challenges as they unfold is ingrained into the Japanese mindset. They believe in kintsugi, an acceptance of imperfection and change.

The award-winning, four-episode limited series, Kintsugi, explores this concept beautifully. I bet you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. It’s free to watch on YouTube. You can also learn more about kintsugi on the BBC.

The culture around enjoying traditional food in Japan is called Washoku. In 2013, Washoku was named in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. (Learn more)

Try preparing a Japanese-style meal this week:

• Serve very small portions 

• Use only fresh, in-season produce 

• Eat mainly vegetables and fish

• Add a fermented side dish like tofu or miso soup

• Create a beautiful presentation on lovely dishes

• Eat to only 80 percent full with the hara hachi bu mindset

• Thank the animals and plants—and the farmers who raised them

Hara hachi bu deserves a deeper dive. Read more here for now, and I’ll write in-depth about hara hachi bu and other Japanese philosophy on the Pounce Pot Post. I’ve been learning so much on our vacation!

We’re averaging over 20,000 steps every day in Japan. You’ve undoubtedly heard that we should strive to reach 10,000 daily steps. But did you know that advice originated from a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer? 

Walking 10,000 steps a day is incredibly beneficial to your longevity and has now been backed up by decades of research. Even 10 minutes a day after a meal can have significant positive impacts. Keep moving! (Learn more)