Ikaria, a small island in Greece, covers 254 sqkm of area. Something has happened in the lives of the people there, so that they have started forgetting the Death! In other words, they, seemingly, have learned the secret of Immortality…
The average life expectancy of people on this island, which is full of surprises, is 100 years! Even at the age of 100, most of them are quite fit. They can easily reach the Church situated at the top of a hill. They do not even walk with the help of a stick, or need glasses to have a clearer vision. Bed-ridden or dying cancer patients can recover without receiving medical treatment on this Greek island! Perhaps, Ikaria is a magical place on the Earth.

Ikaria

Stamatis Moraitis, who lived on this island, recalled that once, he had left the Island for Florida to stay with his wife and children. When he had fallen ill in 1976, the doctors reportedly detected cancer in his lungs, and had told him that he had less than nine months to live. Moraitis, who was 60 at that time, decided to spend his final days with his childhood friends in Ikaria. He returned to the Island with his wife. Upon his arrival, he started making recovery and became fit, once again! Moraitis passed away in 2006 at the age of 90. There are many such instances… Gregory Sahas, another centenarian, had been enjoying at least 20 cigarettes per day for 70-long years. Still, no disease could bother him throughout his life, except an appendicitis infection…

The residents of Ikaria Island are not dependent on the clock! The shopkeepers open their shops as per their wish. Guests, invited to lunch, can come at 12pm or at 6pm. Everyone leads life bound by her/his own condition, and no one has any problem in that. People live as a family on this tiny island. Also, nobody is worried about money in Ikaria. So, they are quite stress free.
Residents of this island consume vegetables and fruits in huge quantity, as they rarely get fast food. Even, most of the people do not consume non-vegetarian items. Fishing, cultivation and livestock are the main livelihood of the people, there. As it is a hilly area, there is not much need for special exercises, as normal locomotion suffices for it. The Ikarians usually consume local wine… but, not more than two glasses! Before going to bed at night, they enjoy a special kind of anti-oxidant herbal tea. As they live relatively free lives, they do not have to spend sleep-less nights.

Strangely, age cannot even make an impression on their bodies. So, nearly 80% of Ikarians enjoy a healthy and normal sex life till 65-100 years! The University of Athens has revealed these facts in a study.

Dan Buettner, an internationally recognised researcher, National Geographic explorer and New York Times best-selling author, penned a book, ‘The Blue Zones Solution‘, on this island in 2000. In this publication, he discussed mainly about the secret of the longevity of the Ikarians! Buettner and other researchers have made an attempt to find answers of some important questions… why the island has the highest number of centenarians? Why people live healthy lives here? Why Ikarians do not suffer from cancer and heart-related problems? And, all the studies mentioned lifestyle as the main reason behind the secret. Researchers are of the opinion that tension-free life, healthy food habit and the island’s climate are the three main reasons why the residents of Ikaria forget death.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at koushik@boundlessoceanofpolitics.co.in View all posts by Koushik Das