HEALTH REPORT
7ways to age well
T he people on the anyone else on the planet. Ikarians experience 80 per cent less dementia, 50 per cent less heart disease and 20 per cent less cancer, and they reach age 90 two and half times more than Australians do. Marcus Pearce, CEO of the Wellness Couch and host of the Go Vita Podcast, and Dr Damian Kristof, founder of Forage Cereal, had the tough job of going to Ikaria to find out why. Make eating a ceremony The French writer Francois de la Rochefoucauld said: “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” The Ikarians prioritise eating in the company of others, which stimulates conversation and encourages slower digestion. Meals are served ‘family style’, meaning diners can fill their own plate rather than being told what and how much to eat. Greek island of Ikaria live longer than Master the art of alcohol When an Ikarian drinks wine, they add water to it. Wine is only ever drunk when food and other people are both present -– never on an empty stomach. Eating
and drinking at the same time means the alcohol is consumed more slowly and this prevents drunkenness, which Ikarians frown upon. That said, Ikarians regard wine as an excellent social lubricant and enjoy getting tipsy, laughing and, most importantly, dancing. Dance until the day you die Stay in Ikaria for a week and you’re bound to attend a panigiri – a festival dedicated to the saint the local village church is named after. With over 200 villages on an island of 9,000 residents, panigiris are plentiful, and feature much dancing, eating, drinking, singing, and talking. They run for up to 12 hours, often beginning in the afternoon and going until the early hours of the morning. There is no minimum or maximum age: mothers with babies and nonagenarians all join in. Connect with your community No panigiri? You’ll find Ikarians sipping coffee, wine or herbal tea at a cafe or neighbour’s house. “There’s no word in Greek for privacy,” says Thea Parikos, owner of Thea’s Inn and Restaurant and our host in Ikaria. “When everyone knows everyone else’s business, you get a feeling of connection and security. The lack of
‘100 Not Out’ Greek Island Longevity Experience
Marcus returns to Ikaria from September 4-13 to
run his 10-day Greek Island Longevity Experience with Dr Damian Kristof. At the time of publication, four spots remain. Attendance is by application only. For details, go to www.100notout.com
privacy is actually good, because it puts a check on people’s behaviour. For example, if your kids misbehave, your neighbour has no problem disciplining them. There is less crime, because of the risk of shaming the family.” In fact, there are only two police stations on Ikaria; and one is empty with a phone line linking to the other station, which has just a few officers.
Move instead of exercise I have yet to find a gym in Ikaria. Who
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ISSUE 53 • 2019
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