Realizing the importance of super foods, clean environment, exercise, healthy lifestyle choices, work load balance, pain management benefits on overall health, etc., it is interesting to note longevity cultures are alive and well without the medical resources that are plentiful here.  How is it with all of our medical resources we can’t boast of achieving the longest living people?  Yet a small Greek island people can boast of many that live well past a hundred years in age.   Our dilemma in the land of plenty, it is difficult to discipline oneself with healthy activity and lifestyle habits when greed, power and control, control us!  I recently read an article by Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones: “Lessons for Living Longer” from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest (National Geographic, 08).  This article captivated my attention which I thought was important to share with you.

The Ikaria, Greek Island people’s longevity lifestyle has interesting attributes that can be duplicated within almost any culture to receive the same healthy longevity benefits.  I say, “Almost any culture” because there are third world countries that simply do not have the resources that Westernized cultures do.  Our nation, like other similar cultures have no excuse for many illnesses and disease pain placed upon ourselves because of our unwillingness to change lifestyle habits.  Much of our poor health and fitness levels occur because of our quick fix and results expectations, convenient and plentiful transportation, jet set lifestyle, fast pace society, family and value system(s) breakdown, drug and alcohol addiction, nonorganic-fast food diets, etc.  This is a very simple comparison of differences within our two cultures.  But by no means is a total list of lifestyle differences to make my point.

Following is a list of Ikaria’s habitual lifestyle differences from their culture and a testament to their long and healthy centurion lifestyle.    To get the full story on lifestyle differences Click on the Ikaria’s link above, or comment on your ideals of what you believe to be beneficial to live a long healthy life.  Actually, this would be good exercise before you read the full story.  Post your comments on this blog and compare your thoughts, or knowledge of anti-aging and longevity before you read the Ikaria’s lifestyle differences and why they are living well into their century age mark.

If active lifestyle and longevity is your goal with minimal pain and aggravation for you and your family while you age; it may be wise to consider living a Mediterranean and/or Ikaria-type lifestyle in part, or fully comparable as possible.   By simply modifying your lifestyle habits and choices a dramatic-positive effect on your overall health and fitness can be experienced?   In our fast pace environment this can be a real challenge but doable.

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright, All rights reserved.  Mirror Athlete Enterprises Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.