Ikarians: People who live the longest
- Aryan Sharma
- Aug 16, 2021
- 3 min read
Chronic diseases are becoming more and more common as people grow older. While genetics somewhat determine the lifespan and susceptibility to age related diseases, lifestyle probably has a greater impact. There are some places in the world where people age differently, they grow to live far older and have a reduced risk of age related diseases.
Dan Buettner is an explorer, fellow of National Geographic, a recognized journalist, producer, and an author. He discovered the first five identified geographical locations where people aged differently and named them the Blue Zones in his award-winning book “The Blue Zones”
“The calculus of ageing offers us two options: We can live a shorter life with more years of disability, or we can live the longest possible life with the fewest bad years. As my centenarian friends showed me, the choice is largely up to us.” Says Dan Buettner who today works in partnership with municipal governments, large employers, and health insurance companies to implement Blue Zones Projects in various communities.
Ikaria, Greece is a small outcropping in the Aegean Sea that has been targeted by invasions from the Persians, Romans and Turks; forcing its residents inland from the coasts. This resulted in an isolated culture that is rich in tradition, family values – and longevity.
In today’s age, natives of Ikaria are almost entirely free of dementia and some of the chronic diseases that plague other people. One in three even makes it to their 90s. There are several factors that explain it, that include the geography, culture, diet, lifestyle and outlook. They enjoy drinking strong red wine, play late-night board games and a relaxed lifestyle that doesn’t worry about time. The non-polluted air, warm breezes and the rugged terrain of the island pull them out of their houses and into an active lifestyle.
People of Ikaria eat the strictest version of the Mediterranean diet - a diet of a traditional type in Mediterranean countries, characterized especially by a high consumption of vegetables and olive oil and moderate consumption of protein, and thought to provide health benefits. Like most others who eat the Mediterranean diet, they consume a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, red wine, and olive oil. But the Ikarian diet differs in that they eat a lot less fish and meat and a lot more greens.
Dietary surveys over the last 80 years reveal that the Ikarians drink herbal tea every day. They make these teas with plants from around their houses, from what’s in their gardens and from what they pick in the wild.
Samples tested at the University of Athens revealed that not only were they anti-inflammatory; they were also mostly mild diuretics. Diuretics are the first type of medicines the doctor diagnoses you with if you have high blood pressure. Diuretics help in keeping the blood pressure low, assist the kidneys in getting rid of sodium, and help keep your arteries wide and clean so it’s easier for the blood to flow through. A research published by Johns Hopkins in the journal Neurology confirmed that the use of diuretics reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by nearly 75 percent. Other research confirms that diuretics also have a neuro-protective benefit.
In Ikaria, social contact is unavoidable. People are expected to show up at village festivals, and at the various celebrations. Ikarians are much less likely to suffer loneliness and depression than other modern people. Depressed people are 50 percent more likely to suffer from dementia.
There is no miracle medicine used by the Ikarians to avoid Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It is the result of an active and social lifestyle with a healthy diet. Starting now with these simple lifestyle changes will dramatically lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and almost every other common chronic disease.
References:
Buettner, D., & Skemp, S. (2016). Blue Zones: Lessons From the World's Longest Lived. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 10(5), 318–321.
CNBC, 2020. CNBC Make It https://www.cnbc.com/dan-buettner/
Greek Guides, 2020. Our Guide to Wild. Blue Zone Island Ikaria https://www.yia-mas.com/blog/guide-to-blue-zone-island-ikaria
Pietri, 2019. Health Management, Volume 19 – Issue 5, 2019. Secrets of Longevity The IKARIA Study
Spector, 2018. ‘Blue Zones’: 6 secrets to borrow from people who live the longest https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/blue-zones-6-secrets-borrow-people-who-live-longest-ncna921776
Thea’s Inn. A Hidden Jewel Discovered https://www.theasinn.com/ikaria-the-blue-zone
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