Ways in Which People in Ikaria, Greece Live a Long and Happy Life:

 

Mimicking Mountain Living - “The longest-lived Ikarians tended to be poor people living in the island’s highlands. They exercised mindlessly by just gardening, walking to their neighbors house or doing their own yard work. The lesson to us: Engineer more mindless movement into our lives”.

 

Mediterranean-style Diet - “Ikarians eat a variation of the Mediterranean diet, with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, potatoes and olive oil. Try cooking with olive oil, which contains cholesterol-lowering mono-unsaturated fats”.

 

Drinking Herbal Teas - “People in Ikaria enjoy drinking herbal teas with family and friends, and scientists have found that they pack an antioxidant punch. Wild rosemary, sage and oregano teas also act as a diuretic, which can keep blood pressure in check by ridding the body of excess sodium and water”. 

 

Napping - “Take a cue from Ikarians and take a midafternoon break. People who nap regularly have up to 35 percent lower chances of dying from heart disease. It may be because napping lowers stress hormones or rests the heart”. 

 

Occasionally Fasting - “Ikarians have traditionally been fierce Greek Orthodox Christians. Their religious calendar called for fasting almost half the year. Caloric restriction – a type of fasting that cuts about 30 percent of calories out of the normal diet – is the only proven way to slow the aging process in mammals”. 

 

Making Family and Friends a Priority - “Ikarians foster social connections, which have been shown to benefit overall health and longevity. So get out there and make some plans”. 

 

Drinking Goat’s Milk - “Instead of cow’s milk, Ikarians use grass-fed goat’s milk. It provides potassium and the stress-relieving hormone tryptophan. It’s also hypoallergenic and can usually be tolerated by people who are lactose intolerant”.

 

source: https://www.bluezones.com/exploration/ikaria-greece/ 

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