Summer's featured longevity Blue Zone is Ikaria, Greece.
Jagged mountains rise steeply from coastal planes on the island of Ikaria, Greece.
Strong winds buffet the island, without natural harbors.
This geography forced Ikaria to be self-sufficient. Its mountainous regions' isolation allowed traditions to persist over time. Goats and sheep roamed virtually untended in the rocky brush-covered landscape. Cheese and wine were not produced for export, but for household use. Small village homes each had a walled orchard and garden.
Ikaria is believed to have been inhabited since before 7000 BC. It was populated by the neolithic indigenous people of what is now Greece, the Pelasgians.
The island derives its name from Icarus, son of Daedalus in Greek mythology. In the story, Icarus is said to have fallen into the sea nearby.
A commonality shared by centenarian communities is meeting hardship with resilience, unity and humor. Ikaria has had its share of hardships throughout history.
In the early 16th century, the Ottoman Empire claimed Ikaria as part of its realm, though sent no officials there for several centuries.
Ikaria remained part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912, when the Icarians expelled the Turkish, thereby achieving independence. They maintained their independence for five difficult months, facing food shortages and possible control by Italy. Then, Ikaria officially became part of the Kingdom of Greece.
During WWII, the island was occupied by Italy and then Germany, leading to loss of lives and property. There are no exact figures on how many people starved, but in the village of Karavostamo alone over 100 perished from starvation.
In 1999, Blue Zone researchers Dan Buettner, Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain set out to learn more about the longevity of Ikaria's 164 residents over 90.
Pes and Poulain were joined in the field by Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou of the University of Athens, an expert on the Mediterranean diet. She helped administer surveys, often sitting in village kitchens to ask subjects to reconstruct their childhood eating habits. She noted that the Ikarians' diet, like that of others around the Mediterranean, was rich in home grown vegetables, and low in animal products.
The top longevity foods from Ikaria include potatoes, beans (garbanzo, black-eyed peas and lentils), wild greens, herbs, olives, lemons and locally produced goat milk, and honey.
Trichopoulou found that her subjects consumed about six times as many beans a day as Americans.
Ikarians also enjoy sourdough bread made from stone ground wheat.
Buettner called on Dr. Ilias Leriadis, one of Ikaria's few physicians, in 2009. Leriadis introduced him to local "mountain tea," made from dried herbs, which is enjoyed at the end of the day. Teas can include wild marjoram, sage, mint tea, rosemary and dandelion leaves with lemon. "People here think they're drinking a comforting beverage, but they all double as medicine," Leriadis said.
This Summer's Recipe is for Centenarian-Style Salad Boats. Icarian's are known for their boat crafting abilities. These boats are constructed from Icarian staples greens, chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, artichokes, red onion, kalamatas, rosemary, mint and oregano. A splash of red wine vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette christens their bows.
1. Place vinaigrette ingredients in jar, close lid tightly and shake until emulsified.
2. Assemble salad boats, and arrange on serving platter.
3. Serve with vinaigrette and optional lemon wedges.
Joseph Georgirenes, A Description of the Present State of Samos, Nikaria, Patmos, and Mount Athos (London 1677) pp 54–70.
Dan Buettner. "The Island Where People Forget to Die." New York Times, October 24, 2012.