a very healthy combination of food,” says Parikos. The Ikarian diet is the quintessential Mediterranean diet with a focus on SLOW foods - Seasonal, Local, Organic Wholefoods. Travellers don’t need to look for organic certification on their food because Ikarians don’t use anything prepacked. “We’re not big into pre-cooked foods,” Parikos says. “We figure, if it’s in a can then something has been done to it.” Just hours before last year’s local festival - known as a panygiri - we helped prepare the food. There was more than 160kg of potatoes to peel (Ikarians love hot chips), 400kg of goat to cook, 400 litres of wine to prepare and dozens of large Greek salads and tzatsiki to make. The gut- healing goat broth was served to patrons early to line the stomach so they could eat, drink and dance for longer. The locally made, preservative free red wine, complete with up to 11 strains of healthy gut flora, was consumed with a dash of water and only enjoyed in the company of friends. Ikarians frown upon drinking on an empty stomach, drinking alone or getting drunk, yet encourage the social lubricant and extra dancing skills that wine provides! Every single ingredient had been grown on the island. Many Ikarians have goats, nearly everyone grows their own grapes and each landowner grows their own food and gut-healing herbs. Furthermore, given their biodynamic farming methods, Ikarians have no use for microbiome-destroying pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or insecticides. Believe it or not, not even a fully blown supermarket exists on the island (there is very little multinational presence in Ikaria). 3. Gut-healing movement Regular exercise is proven to improve microbiome function (as little as 30 minutes per day), which the Ikarians get in spades. Not that they set their alarms for a 6am yoga or CrossFit class. There is not one piece of flat land in Ikaria, so hill walking is a staple lifestyle activity. Ikarians prefer to walk instead of drive, and if they’re not swimming in the crystal clear Aegean sea, hiking, or dancing with friends, they’re working hard tilling the soil or harvesting their sweet strawberries or juicy tomatoes. Marcus Pearce is director and CEO of The Wellness Couch - Australia’s #1 health and lifestyle podcast network with over 2 million annual downloads. He is the host of the Go Vita Podcast and the ageing well podcast, 100 Not Out. References on request.
100 Not Out Mediterranean Longevity Experience 2020
Trip 1: Sardinia August 19 – 28 Trip 2: Ikaria August 30 - September 8 Attendees can join one or both Experiences.
For more info and to apply go to www.100notout.com 3 spots remaining for each trip (max group size 16)
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ISSUE 57 • 2020
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