An island full of 90 year olds and low dementia cases, residents drink two things
Feb 18, 2025
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Dan Beutner, an explorer and longevity researcher at National Geographic, appeared on social media live broadcasts to reveal the health secrets of Ikaria Island residents in Greece, the New York Post said. Icaria Island is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 19 kilometers southwest of Samos, with about 8,000 residents.
He argued that "one in three residents here survive to their 90s and the proportion of older people in their 90s and older is about 2.5 times that of the United States, with an average life expectancy eight years longer than that of Americans (about 79 years old)."
It is a long-lived village and the incidence of dementia is very low.
Beutner said there are only three very mild dementia patients among residents over the age of 65.
Experts point to a warm Mediterranean climate, abundant consumption of vegetables and fruits, a stress-free life, regular exercise and activities, and nap habits as the secret to Ikaria's longevity.
Among them, Beutner paid attention to the diet of residents.
He added: "Residents eat the world's strictest Mediterranean diet."Especially fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, olive oil, and moderate amounts of red wine are often consumed." He also argued that "I regularly eat more than 100 wild vegetables collected and vegetables grown in fields such as mustard, chicory, and fennel (minari fruit plants)", adding that "vegetables collected from nature have 10 times more antioxidants that clean arteries than red wine.".
In addition, residents enjoy drinking herbal tea and coffee.
"The residents are drinking herbal tea every day"I make my own tea with herbs grown around the house, in the garden, in the wild, and there are types of oregano, dandelion, sage, rosemary, etc. " said Dan Beutner.
According to a 2023 study, drinking tea reduces the risk of dementia from all causes by 29%.
Beutner also identified the residents as coffee lovers.
A study published in 2010 found that consuming three to five cups of coffee daily in middle age reduced the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in old age by 65%.
In a study published in 2021, people who drank two to three cups of coffee and two to three cups of tea each day had a 30% lower risk of stroke and dementia compared to those who did not consume both.
Sufficient social activities and natural forms of exercise are also key to healthy old age for residents.
Beutner says "The island itself is a mountain town with uphill, so you need to do some exercise to get to the grocery store"Natural activities of the elderly, such as gardening and visiting neighbors, also lead to exercise."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
