Ikaria, located in the Aegean Sea, is one of Greece’s many islands. What sets it apart is how long its residents live. Known as the island of longevity, one in three of its residents make it to their 90s, and rates of dementia and some other chronic diseases are very low, according to the Blue Zones website.
The island is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, which are regions of the world where people regularly live about a decade longer than the US or Western European average.
In Ikaria, people also tend to have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, and depression than in the US, The Guardian reported.
The first Blue Zone, Sardinia in Italy, was identified by the researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, and the concept was built upon by Dan Buettner, who named four more and has explored the habits and lifestyles of people in all five locations for the past 20 years.
About one in three Ikarians lives into their 90s.
Ikaria is a tiny island located about 30 miles from the Turkish coast with a population of about 8,400.
Due to its geographical location, it has historically been the target of invasions by neighboring nations, which Buettner said forced residents inland, leading to an isolated culture heavily rooted in family life.
Remaining active well into your 90s is common there, as well as staying sexually active into old age. A study on Ikaria from the University of Athens indicated 80% of Ikarian males between the ages of 65 and 100 were still having sex.
Ikarians follow the Mediterranean Diet.
Ikarians follow the Mediterranean Diet, which focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and limits meat, processed foods, and refined sugar.
Centenarians on the island typically eat lots of potatoes, beans, olive oil, and fish, according to Blue Zones.
Natives also drink goat’s milk, which contains potassium and the stress-relieving hormone tryptophan, Buettner said.
People drink herbal tea everyday.
Ikarians drink a lot of herbal tea made using staples such as oregano, sage, or rosemary. As well as containing antioxidants, as the Greek dietitian Elena Paravantes previously told Insider, they are low in calories.
Dr. Ioanna Chinou, one of Europe’s top experts on the bioactive properties of herbs and natural products, told The New York Times that many of the teas Ikarians drink are traditional Greek remedies used for ailments such as gout and digestive problems and to improve blood pressure.
Exercise is woven into daily life.
The Ikarians who have lived the longest on record tended to inhabit the island’s mountainous highlands, according to the Blue Zones website.
Through gardening, walking to their neighbors’ homes, or visiting friends, exercise is built into their daily lives.
One Ikarian centenarian told The Guardian he made the one-mile journey to his favorite café and back twice a day, which amounted to a daily four-mile walk through mountainous terrain.
Relationships with family and friends are prioritized.
Ikarians spend a lot of time together and have a collective mindset. Dr. Ilias Leriadis, one of the island’s few physicians, told The New York Times: “It’s not a ‘me’ place. It’s an ‘us’ place.”
There are frequent religious and cultural holidays, and people pool their money to buy food and wine, Leriadis said. If there is anything left over, it is donated to someone who needs it.
People typically end their day by sharing a cup of herbal tea, followed by a few glasses of red wine with friends. Spending time with family is also a central element of Ikarian culture, with residents typically living with their children and grandchildren rather than in a home for older people.
Napping is common.
Having a nap in the afternoon is part of most Ikarians’ daily routine. This could be a factor in the island’s extraordinary longevity record.
A recent study that included people aged 40 to 69 indicated a modest link between daytime napping and brains shrinking at a slower rate with age.
The researchers found that the brains of people who napped regularly were two to six years younger in terms of brain volume than those who did not.
Source : Business Insider
