Life Lessons from Ikarian Residents PURDUE EXTENSION HHS EDUCATORS Molly Hoag, Wells County Demarcus Sneed, Madison County Naomi Bechtold, Marion County Jean Akers, Warren County Meagan Brothers, Vanderburgh County Jennifer Cannon, Putnam County Jane Horner, Cass County Kelsie Muller, Benton County Learning Objectives 1. Increase knowledge about the lifestyle of the people living in Ikaria. 2. Compare and contrast Ikaria s chronic illness rates to that of Americans. 3. Identify at least three healthy lifestyle habits to incorporate into your current lifestyle. 1
Why Ikaria? Discover ways to improve the health and wellness of our communities Improve Purdue Extension services for our aging population in Indiana Ikaria is a Blue Zone Among Greeks under 80, Ikarians suffered half the rate of cardiovascular disease, a third the rate of depression, and - the big finding- exceedingly low rates of dementia (Buettner, 2012, p. 244) Monhaut Zmola Memorial Fund made the trip possible 2
Demographics of Ikaria Population: 8,423 Island size: 102 miles long, 98.5 square miles Elevation: O feet to 3,402 feet Location: Aegean Sea Climate: Dry Summers and Wet Winters Workforce: Mostly self-sufficient farmers, fishermen, craftsmen, or shop owners. Some work in tourism What did we do? House of Honey Organic Store Grocery Store Winery Pharmacy Village Shops Bakery Butcher Shop Coffee Shops Foraged for greens and fruits Holiday festival Hiking and walks Dinner with local doctor and pharmacist Visited with residents in various villages Helped prepare and cook Ikarian meals 3
Lessons Learned Live with Nature Healthy Eating Form a community Live in the moment Have a purpose for life Live with Nature Eat what you grow and collect Fresh and in season Eat to live versus live to eat 4
Examples of Daily Living with Nature Very hilly terrain requires balance Gardening Livestock Walking to store, visiting friends, gardening, etc Healthy Eating Limited meat Wine Fruits and Vegetables Fish and seafood Beans and legumes Olive oil Honey Fresh herbs and spices Herbal Tea 5
Community: Social Connections With Friends, Family And Neighbors Socialization is important Connections Relationships Companionship Caring for one another Live in the Moment Slow down Relax - Try to avoid stress (anchos) Island Time schedules aren t as important 6
Live in the Moment Be present - Enjoy what you are doing now Listen to the island Get quiet and you can hear the magic Simplicity Life Purpose Taking care of your family Taking care of your animals Taking care of your land, crops, and plants Finding meaning in helping others Attitude 7
Island Doctor s Advice for a Long Life Laugh often Dance a lot Fall in love Work hard, but not too much Stress less Don t eat too much Can We Mimic Ikaria In Indiana? Secrets from our interviews with local centenarians: Don t be a turtle -be a part of your community Enjoy life to its fullest Family, both personal and church based, is vital Be more useful to others than yourself Have a purpose in life Eat what you grow Engage with life Remain physically active 8
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