The Island Where People Forget to Die

Daozen

This is a long, but completely inspirational article about the lifestyles and diet of a group of people living on the Island of Ikaria in Greece who have extraordinarily long lives ...

http://nyti.ms/Puf5rK

If you're too lazy to read it all, it seems their secrets are:

* A diet rich in olive oil, beans, fresh greens, herbal tea
* Low consumption of refined sugar, meat (fish maybe twice a week, meat once a week) and dairy (mainly goat's milk).
* Stay up late, wake up late, take a nap in mid-afternoon
* 2-4 glasses of wine and cups of coffee each day
* Active exercise by working in garden, walking around the Islands many hills
* Close-knit community of people who socialise together regularly

Right, I'm off for a walk, followed by a coffee and a nap

Bunks

It's not rocket science is it.......

sova

Oh heck yea! This reminds me of a wonderful TED talk that follows several long-longevity communities from around the world.

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100.html

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and team study the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. In his talk, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.

Your list pretty much sums up what their "secrets" are. Perhaps an interesting watch. Thanks for the article

Daozen

@Sova - this NYT article was written by the same guy, Dan Buettner! Thanks for the TED link.

sova

"A stranger is a friend I haven't met yet." ~ one of the ladies from the video =D

Dakini

The so-called "Mediterranean Diet" that was studied decades ago and declared the best for longevity is not the beef and pasta diet that we think of when we think of typical Italian food, but the Sardinian and Greek diets, which are as described in the film: range-fed sheep, sheep cheese, home-made whole-grain bread, olive oil, salads, and wine. Lots of walking on rugged terrain, but contrary to the NY Times article, it was going to bed not long after sundown, and getting up with the sun. Staying up late actually provokes stress hormones in your body, so I'm not sure why the article promotes it. Coffee also provokes stress hormones, but I guess there's something in the coffee bean that's good for people...? But they say green tea is good for longevity, too.

Good thread.

lobster

Talking of herbal teas, I am reminded of a practice at a retreat. Make chamomile, for example and instead of waiting for it to cool add some fruit juice. Much as people add milk to black tea. Much nicer.
I think I might have to break open a tin of sardines in olive oil, purely for medicinal purposes . . . :clap:

music

It must be so boring living for such a long time - doing the same thing over and over. The sheer monotony would be worse than death.

Cinorjer

Actually, there is one deciding ingredient to living a long, healthy life that is usually overlooked in cases like this: pick your parents wisely.

The genetic inheritance from your parents is the biggest determinent on how long you hang around. Both parents lived long loves relatively free of major medical problems? Chances are, so will you. Some sort of disease run in the family? You've got problems. On these islands, I bet the genetic pool is healthy and isolated.

Of course, exercise and good nutrition also help.

Dakini

The tea aspect was interesting, about how their teas are all from local herbs, and happen to have medicinal qualities. I've never liked mint tea, but if it helps prevent gingivitis, I could manage a cup a day. Fascinating how the culture evolved along such healthful lines.

I don't think it would be boring to live like that (to respond to @music). Those people seem to have a LOT more friends, community support, and general low-key social activity than people in "modern" life do. I wouldn't mind a life full of hanging out with a crowd of friends every evening. And one of those couples was actually born and raised in the US and lived the US lifestyle, but gave it up for what we would think is a hardscrabble life on a little rock of an island. But they're happy. I think there's a very powerful message in that.

The other thing is, the West's constant (over-)stimulation only feeds the mind's need for novelty and stimulus. This is the opposite of what Buddhism teaches. Instead of mindfulness, the Western (modern) way of life provides constant distraction. So the old-fashioned island life portrayed in the film sounds like it would be ideal for a more contemplative life. And, in fact, some of the people profiled did use their local Orthodox chapel for prayer and meditation. I found it quite moving.

sova

@music have you ever been outside xD

@Cinorjer actually in the video they mention something like only "10%" of your genetic predispositions accounting for longevity -- the rest up to... well, up to the area science can't really track

The communities they follow in the video, although some of them are healthy genetic pools perhaps, as you suggest, there are some communities that are just a mish-mash of people from all over, and I think suggesting that genetics plays a role in that is much harder to justify.

@Dakini I get distracted all th--SQUIRREL!

Silouan

@Dakini

I developed high blood pressure as a young adult and was put on medication. I was told by the doctor I had then that once you are on them its for life. However, I'm now in my early 40's, off the medication, and my blood pressure has returned to that of when I was a teenage high school soccer player. I don't exercise, which I know I should, so I attribute the change to fasting and prayer. At its most strict, especially in preparation for a major feast, abstinence from meat, poultry, fish, dairy, olive oil, and alcohol is observed during fasting.

Dakini

@Silouan Have you tried un-iodized salt, instead of regular salt? My BP stays nice and low on un-iodized salt. I mean, as an additional measure, besides what you're already doing.

Daozen

music said:

It must be so boring living for such a long time - doing the same thing over and over. The sheer monotony would be worse than death.

I always thought that when people say "I'd like to be a vampire and live forever."

But in 100 years, I don't think you should be bored. There's so much to do!

Silouan

@Dakini
I will have to check on the salt. Thanks for the tip. I love salt.

Jeffrey

coffee has anti-oxidants in it.