Health Around the World: Ikaria, Greece

Our fourth stop on our trip around the world is the tiny island of Ikaraia! One in three Ikarians make it into their 90s. And most are almost entirely free of dementia and some of the chronic diseases that plague Americans. Crazy right?

So, what factors play into that health and longevity?

• Mindless Exercise - This can include walking from place to place, doing yard work, gardening, cleaning, etc. Look for ways that you can move around more during your work day or even when doing certain chores. Contrary to popular American belief, exercise can be done in more places that the standard gym.

• Allow yourself to relax - Blue Zones has noted that "Ikarians enjoy strong red wine, late-night domino games and a relaxed pace of life that ignores clocks." Taking half an hour to an hour a day to do something that relaxes you and helps you see joy can shift your whole mindset!

• Change up your eating habits - Ikarians eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, potatoes and olive oil. They tend to eat a variation of the Mediterranean diet. Try cooking with olive oil! It contains cholesterol-lowering mono-unsaturated fats.

With Love,

The SNACK Program