Some want to live forever; others can’t bear the thought of getting old one day.
But for those who want to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, the way of the Ikaria people might be for you.
As of 2021, there are only 8,843 people who live in the Greek Island of Ikaria, and many of them live up to 100 years old.
Ikaria is one of the middle islands located 19 kilometres southwest of Samos, and it’s named after the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who was believed to have fallen into the nearby sea.
People have lived on the island since at least 7000 BC (Getty Stock Images)
The residents on the ‘blue zone’ island obviously eat a very clean diet, consisting of ‘raw’ and ‘organic’ ingredients.
Diane Kochilas, who spends half of the year with her family on the island, said she was surprised to discover an unexpected food item used by locals.
She says island elders call it ‘nature’s Viagra’.
“To me, one unexpected food is at the top of the list of traditional ingredients: honey,” she wrote for CNBC.
“The raw, thick, delicious honey produced by local beekeepers on the island and across Greece is intertwined with my most precious memories of life on Ikaria.
“I love to smell its subtle, gentle perfume wafting on the breeze, especially when the weather is warm and the bees are out and about, buzzingly busy among the wildflowers, thyme, and pine trees.”
Benefits of raw honey
Raw honey is said to be very good for you (Getty Stock Images)
“Honey has antibacterial qualities, contains an abundance of antioxidants, and helps the body regulate sugar levels,” she explained.
“On Ikaria, it’s considered one of the island’s secret ingredients for longevity, and many Ikarians start their day with a spoonful.
“It’s consumed as folk medicine for coughs and sore throats.
“A friend in his 90s has told me the combination of honey, sage or mountain tea, ginger, and garlic were the ‘penicillin’ of his generation.”
A 2017 study published in the National Library of Medicine states that honey can be used to treat a number of diseases.
“Traditionally, honey is used in the treatment of eye diseases, bronchial asthma, throat infections, tuberculosis, thirst, hiccups, fatigue, dizziness, hepatitis, constipation, worm infestation, piles, eczema, healing of ulcers, and wounds and used as a nutritious supplement,” authors of ‘Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research’ wrote.
“Many evidences suggest the use of honey in the control and treatment of wounds, diabetes mellitus, cancer, asthma, and also cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases,” they added.
