Cocoa Pods
Podcast - Cocoa Pods Series: A feature of the Birth Center Foundation.
We discuss all things' women, all things' pregnancy, all things' after. Reasons why women fall very sick ( morbidity) or die (mortality) before pregnancy (adolescent girls and young adults),during pregnancy and after are discussed in this maternal morbidity and mortality reduction academy; especially with an emphasis on minority women, all over the world; and ways for all involved in care to work together collaboratively and mitigate and or eliminate risks in women’s health.
Cocoa Pods
Living Longer: Start Now, Learn from the Icarians
Can the idyllic life on a small Greek island hold the key to a longer, healthier life? Discover the hidden secrets of Icaria, where residents enjoy exceptional longevity and vibrant health. Together with Dr. Ogugua Osi-Ogu from Abuja, Nigeria, we explore the unique climate, rich history, and fascinating cultural practices that contribute to the well-being of the Icarian people. Dr. Osi-Ogu shares her invaluable insights into the world of geriatrics, including the strides being made in Nigeria with initiatives like the National Senior Citizen Center and new national policies aimed at improving the quality of life for the elderly.
Ageism is a formidable barrier that older individuals face daily, impacting their ability to live fully and contribute to society. In this episode, we tackle the pervasive issue of age-based discrimination, highlighting the importance of changing societal mindsets. Drawing from personal experiences on television and radio, we discuss the necessity of advocacy and awareness to ensure that older individuals are recognized and valued. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how we can fight ageism and build a more inclusive world for our aging population.
Imagine a place where people live well into their 90s and beyond, maintaining vibrant health and a joyful outlook on life. Such a place exists, and on Earth.
Dr Osi-Ogu:Places where they're set to forget how to die, because life expectancy is in the 90s, so we're definitely living longer globally.
Dr, Bola Sogade:Hello and welcome to CocoaPods, a podcast of the Birth Center for Natural Deliveries Foundation. My name is Dr Bola Sogade. I'm a women's health specialist. On this podcast, we talk about all the issues relating to women's health and identify the problems and talk about ways in which we can mitigate the problems. Welcome to another episode of CocoaPods podcast. We have an exciting and inspiring topic to delve into.
Dr, Bola Sogade:In this new series we explore the fascinating journey of actually growing to an old age with vitality. We'll uncover the secrets behind longevity like that of the Icaria's inhabitants. Icaria is home to a remarkable population who enjoy some of the longest lifespans in the world. We'll explore how lifestyle richness in social connections, a good, healthy diet, for example, a Mediterranean diet regular physical activity and a relaxed approach to life contribute to remarkable health and happiness, like of the Icarians. Before we continue into today's episode, let's learn a little bit more about the island where people forgot to die.
Dr, Bola Sogade:So Icaria is a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea, and it's known for its stunning natural beauty, its rich history and unique cultural practices. History and unique cultural practices. So it's part of a group of islands situated southwest of Samos. It has a mountainous terrian, lush forest and a scenic coastline and it has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, and it's notable for its hot springs. The thermal springs of Icaria are renowned for their therapeutic properties. It has beautiful beaches, including Seychelles Beach, naz Beach and Livadi Beach, and it's known for its traditional festivals, such as the Panagyria, which celebrates saints' feast days with food, music and dance. So, while it's not heavily touristed as other Greek islands, icaria attracts visitors seeking peaceful, authentic experience. So our journey today doesn't just stop at Ikeria. We'll hear from an expert who's also an inspiring individual, who shares her insights and experiences on how we can incorporate some of these principles into our lives, no matter where we live. No matter where we live Today, we gain valuable insights from Dr Ogugua Osi-Ogu, from Abuja, nigeria, an expert in aging.
Dr Osi-Ogu:Yes, thank you so much, Dr Sogade, for having me. It's really a pleasure. It's really good to be on this podcast with you and I'm excited that we'll be talking about aging. Thank you for having me, Thank you.
Dr, Bola Sogade:So, as Dr Osi-Ogu said, she is a specialist in aging, so can you tell us about your credentials and your background in aging medicine?
Dr Osi-Ogu:Right. So I started off medical training at the University of Ibada here in Nigeria. I did some practice here in Nigeria before I relocated to Kenya where I worked with a team of cardiologists about a decade before I went on to do my residency and fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Center in Pittsburgh, pennsylvania. So as a resident in medicine, about 85% of our patients were actually older adults and that's how my interest in geriatrics came to be, and so that led me to do a fellowship in geriatrics and it really has been. It has been very enriching for me. You know, dealing with older people. They are so important, so grateful for little things that you do for them, and I love the stories that they have to tell. I learn a lot. Like I said, it's really enriching. They think they're gaining from me, but I'm learning a lot from my interaction with them.
Dr Osi-Ogu:So I finished my fellowship in Pittsburgh and returned home. Being in the space the Asian space in the US I realized that I had not had that exposure in Nigeria and for me that was one of the reasons that I actually opted for a geriatrics fellowship. So I came back home and I'm really grateful to God that I have had the opportunity that I've had to champion geriatrics in the country, that I've had to champion geriatrics in the country and on my return, 17 years, 18 years ago, when I would say geriatrics, it sounded very alien. But today, many more people, my colleagues are more familiar on radio, just to raise awareness oh, but we don't live long in Nigeria, you're not going to have much to do. But that's not the case, where my patient cohort have ranged in age from 60 to 102.
Dr Osi-Ogu:And we know that our life expectancy has definitely increased. It's no more in the 40s, not even in the 50s anymore. We are now at 61 and 63 for men and women respectively. So, yes, I'm really excited. I have also been part of policymaking decision regarding aging in Nigeria. We have an agency of government. It's already established from the agitation from all of us stakeholders in the aging space. So an agency was established in 2021. It's called the National Senior Citizen Center and we also now have a national policy on aging, which is a roadmap that this agency will be using to plan our programs to ensure that as Nigerians live longer, that they are healthier, they have improved livelihood.
Dr, Bola Sogade:Thank you. So the first one was you talked about the average life expectancy for men and women in Nigeria in contrast with the rest of the world, and you also talked about your engagement in media. Can you talk to us a little bit about those two items?
Dr Osi-Ogu:Right. So we know that the average life expectancy in Nigeria has improved. We used to be in the 40s about 15, 20 years ago, but we're now at 61 for the men and 63 years for the women. We know, though, that the average life expectancy globally is in the 70s, so we're still, you know, falling short, but you know it's a success story that we've moved from the 40s to the early 60s. Now, the regions of the world that actually have the highest average life expectancy are called the blue zones of the world Okinawa in Japan, where, if you're born today in Okinawa, you're expected to live into the 80s. Places like Ikaria in Greece, where they're said to forget how to die because life expectancy is in the 90s.
Dr, Bola Sogade:So, as we talk about lifestyle and longevity, what are the blue zones of the world and who is Dan Bertner? The blue zones of the world are areas that have been identified and studied for their unique lifestyle characteristics that contribute to long life. The concept was popularized by Dan Bertner. Was popularized by Dan Bertner, a National Geographic fellow and author. Icaria is one of the world's blue zones area where people live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to the global average.
Dr, Bola Sogade:The island Icaria is famous for its high number of centenarians, that is, individuals who have lived to or beyond the age of 100 years old. So there are original five blue zones in the world. There is Icaria in Greece. There is Okinawa, japan. Okinawa, japan, is home to some of the world's oldest women. They have a diet high in vegetables and tofu, they eat minimal meat and dairy, and they have a strong sense of community and social support.
Dr, Bola Sogade:Another place is Sardinia, italy, particularly in the Nuoro province, known for its high concentration of males that live to be 100 years old and older, that is, male centenarians the diet is rich in whole grains. Centenarians the diet is rich in whole grains, beans, vegetables and lean meat. They have an active lifestyle that involves physical labor and walking. So the blue zones of the world are number one, icaria, greece, number two, okinawa, japan, number three, sardinia, italy, number four, loma Linda California and number five, nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. So Loma Linda California is home to a community of seven-day Adventists. It has a plant-based diet, regular exercise and a focus on family and faith and abstinence from smoking and alcohol.
Dr, Bola Sogade:There are other areas of the world that have been identified as blue zones, such as South Africa, that has the seventh highest number of centenarians per capita in the world, and there are other places in France and Thailand. So these blue zones blue zones quote-unquote share common lifestyle traits such as plant-based diet, regular physical activity, strong social engagement and connections, reduced stress and a sense of purpose, which are believed to contribute to their residents' exceptional longevity and health. So we go back to our guest, the aging specialist, Dr Osi Ogu.
Dr Osi-Ogu:So we're definitely living longer globally, and Nigeria's life expectancy is also inching up. We're happy about that. Currently, the Living Standards Survey from the National Bureau of Statistics gives us a figure of about 15 million people.
Dr Osi-Ogu:So, generally in this part of the world, because of the youth bulge, you find that older people are thought to have had their lives and so make way for the younger ones. But as long as you're alive, you have rights Rights to good health care, rights to an opportunity for lifelong learning, rights for opportunity for employment if you have the desire for it. And these are all the things that are embedded in the WHO's decade of healthy aging. So part of the advocacy that I do with other stakeholders is, you know, shining light on these aging issues to ensure that we curb what we describe as ageism, which is a prejudice or discrimination purely based on age. Oh, you're 85, you know, you've had a life, you know we don't need to see you, we don't need to hear you, we don't need to make any plans for you.
Dr Osi-Ogu:And this ageism cuts across sectors. It's institutional, it's there in the family. Even the older persons themselves have prejudice against themselves. They feel oh, you know what, I'm old, you don't need to have any plans for me, spend money that you could spend on me, on my grandchildren. So those are the things that we hope to change the mindset towards aging and towards older people, to ensure that we give them a platform to continue to live healthy and contribute to society, by the way, so I make appearances on television and on radio to talk about these aging issues.
Dr, Bola Sogade:Wow, yeah, thank you so very much for that Next episode. While aging is inevitable, there are steps that one can take to age gracefully and maintain a healthy and vibrant lifestyle.
