The length of people’s lives is closely related to their daily habits, and naturally, it also has a direct connection to dinner. In the previous generation, among the elderly in their sixties and seventies, they often mention that during their time, there were many moments of not having enough to eat, unlike now when there is an abundance of food, yet they don’t seem to be as healthy.
So they wonder why, with the improved living conditions and a variety of delicious foods being easily affordable, many young people today are unhealthy and many are excessively overweight. This trend of unhealthiness and obesity is increasingly seen among the young, and it’s common to hear about many people passing away at a young age, which evokes much sighing.
Regarding longevity, the first place that comes to mind is Japan, but data indicates that the region with the longest average lifespan is Hong Kong, and there are reasons for this. We all know that smoking is harmful to health, and long-term smoking can lead to a series of health problems, making a shorter lifespan a normal consequence. Additionally, people in Hong Kong are generally lean, meaning that Hong Kong is quite effective at controlling smoking and weight, leading to relatively healthier bodies and longer lifespans. Therefore, these two points are key factors contributing to the longevity of Hong Kong residents.
As mentioned earlier, many young people today are unhealthy, and many are overweight. It is known that obesity can lead to a series of diseases, and most people’s obesity is related to dinner. So, to be healthy, or to lose weight, or to maintain good health and longevity, we need to pay attention to having a reasonable dinner.
Eating the wrong dinner may affect lifespan; remember the “two avoidances” for a beneficial, long-life dinner.
1. Don’t eat “too much” for dinner.
Many people have developed the bad habit of hurriedly having breakfast or skipping it entirely. By lunchtime, they are picky about what to eat—eating more of what is tasty and less of what isn’t—waiting for dinner to reward themselves with a substantial meal, often leading to overeating at dinner. Additionally, many households now enjoy a lavish dinner because after a busy day, they finally have time to prepare a sumptuous meal to happily gather the family together, which often results in overeating.
However, this is entirely contrary to our body’s needs. As night falls, physical activity decreases and energy expenditure drops. Many people even prepare to rest right after eating. If one eats to the point of fullness or overindulgence, food becomes difficult to digest, affecting normal metabolism. The accumulated food in the body turns into fat, leading to obesity and a series of health issues. We always advocate that: breakfast should be hearty, lunch should be filling, and dinner should be light. This is the correct dietary routine.
2. Don’t have dinner “too late.”
The elderly in their sixties and seventies often develop a good habit of eating dinner early. For example, our neighbors typically have their dinner around five in the evening and go to bed before nine or ten at night. In contrast, many young people tend to eat dinner at eight or nine o’clock, and many have the habit of midnight snacking, resting shortly after eating. However, the digestive system needs to work to process food, which can affect the quality of sleep. Additionally, with no physical activity in the evening, the calories can’t be burned off, making weight gain a natural outcome.
Therefore, if we typically rest after 10 PM, it is advisable to have dinner before 7 PM. This means that the time between dinner and sleep should ideally be more than three hours, and one should avoid eating within three hours prior to sleeping.
