In the debate over which diet and lifestyle is the best path for increased health and longevity, there is nothing like real-life indisputable proof such as that found among the Hunza tribe in the Himalayas.

These people, living in an extremely secluded region of the world, practice simple lifestyle habits which allow them to enjoy excellent overall health and lifespans of up to 145 years!

This, and they do it in style, being among the happiest human beings on Earth with near-perfect physiology. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, blood pressure issues and other common plagues of the Western world are almost unheard of among the Hunza.

This tribe was first written about by Dr. Robert McCarrison in the publication Studies in Deficiency Disease, followed in 1961 by an article in JAMA documenting the remarkable lifespan of the Hunza. As a result of this prior research, Dr. Jay M. Hoffman took a trip to the Hunza valley to study tribal longevity more in depth. His findings were published in the 1968 book HUNZA – Secrets of the world’s healthiest and oldest living people.

Thanks to these researchers, we now know the secrets to the good life of this remote people.

Apricot Seed And Cancer Protection

McCarrison documented the most unique aspect of the Hunza diet: dried apricot seeds, which make up a large portion of their caloric intake.

Thanks to modern science, we know that these powerful foods contain vitamin B17. Due to this, the tribal people’s intake of vitamin B17 is 200 times more than the average American.

Due to the lack of cancer among the Hunza, scientist Ernst T. Krebs actually came up with a cancer treatment based on this seed, called laetrile. The treatment was effective, but inexplicably banned by the FDA. Despite this, you can still obtain this product in health food stores.

Staying Young Through A Young Mindset

More and more research is concluding that mind over matter is a real phenomenon, and no one demonstrates this principle better than the Hunza, particularly regarding how they view the aging process.

To the Hunza, ‘middle age’ is considered to be about 100 years old, and that men and women will commonly produce children well into their 80s and 90s.

Live accounts of these people have often spoken about how old Hunza women appear to be about half the age they actually are.

The Hunza obviously have natural defenses against illness and aging. Let’s explore them further.

Eating Healthy Is The Most Important Thing

This should come as no surprise to anyone, really. However, exactly what constitutes a healthy diet is the subject of some debate recently. What the researchers found about the Hunza diet have actually been tested, and proven.

Here is the basis of that diet:

Raw fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, pas, turnips, squash, apples, blackberries, cherries, pears, peaches, and (of course) apricots; Nuts, like hazelnuts, almonds and their oil derivatives; Animal protein consisting of chicken, milk, yogurt and cheese (the Hunza observe a mostly vegetarian diet, however); Grains, such as buckwheat, millet, barley, and wheat.

Also, these people drink large amounts of pure mineral-rich glacial water, and very little of anything else. Wine is used for medicinal purposes, only.

Eat Less

Hunza people eat two main meals per day, and their lifestyles are filled with often-demanding physical labor. They have much energy and endurance, which is likely associated with staying active.

So, they consume less calories per day than the average American, despite being more active. An average Hunza adult takes in less than 2000 calories per day (in comparison, the average American consumes over 3000)

More Secrets

The Hunza people tend to hold fasting periods, especially in the spring. These fasts can last for several days.

Health professionals in the Western world already know that fasting is good to ‘reset’ the body, but advise starting slowly. After all, the Hunza people start these habits young.

This is a bit of a redundancy, but we should reiterate that the food consumed should be fresh and mostly raw to retain the nutrient density. Diet should be plant-based, and consumption of meat should remain minimal. Eating whole grains is important.

Also, regular exercise is key to good health. For a simple beginning, try adding daily walks to your routine. Perhaps walk or bike short distances instead of driving. Most of us can easily manage the addition of an hour of exercise per day.

Finally, live in the now! Hunzas are adept yoga practitioners, and are masters of yogic breathing. Also, daily meditation is observed, with short sessions throughout the entire day. They tend to go through life with focus on the present. Yesterday already happened, tomorrow isn’t here yet.

Surely, we can easily adopt some, if not all, of these lifestyle adjustments! Adopt Hunza principles for improvements to your serenity, peace, health and well being!

Source: The Huntly Centre