The Hunza Nation - Living Long Healthy Lives At High Altitudes

World Wide Web | The Hunza Nation - Living Long Healthy Lives At High Altitudes | The Hunza Environment.The Hunza nation, living at 9000 feet in the Himalayas, has been studied for many years to find out the secrets of their health and longevity, not being uncommon for them to live well beyond 100 years up into the 120's. Some have lived pass 140 years old. Men have fathered children in their 90's, having practically no disease among them.

In 1921, a British physician presented a report after seven years of studying the Hunzas, and determined that they were a simple people with pure nutrition, pure water, no toxins, daily exercise, fresh air, sunshine, rest, and lived stress free lives.

Both men and women when in their 80's looked like, and had the stamina of 40 year olds. They would walk sixty miles in a day through mountainous territory and look as if they just took a morning walk.

These people for centuries have been cut off from modern civilization due to their location, getting up and going to bed with the sun, having no modern conveniences, growing their own food without chemicals - only natural compost, living twice as long as people in the modern world.

The Hunza Diet

Let's take a look at the diet of the Hunzas and see what and how they eat to stay so healthy and disease free.

Amazingly, they only eat two meals per day. The first meal at noon, yet they arise at 5 a. m. What does this tell us? The food they eat was so nutritious they only needed to eat twice daily, not eating for pleasure, but for health and strength.

Every thing they eat was natural, having a large part of their diet made up of grains such as; barley, millet, buckwheat and wheat.

Fruits and Vegetables

They also eat fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, mostly fresh and raw, some vegetables cooked for a short period of time, and lots of nuts. Some times the entire meal consisted of only nuts.

Apricots being a favorite in the Hunzas diet, were eaten fresh in season and dried in the sun to be eaten year around. (Three and one half ounces of apricots equals 11,000 units of vitamin A, more than twice the daily recommendation. Apricots also contain high amounts of iron, potassium and natural fiber.)

Nuts

Nuts are very nutritious and provide lots of energy, containing fat, carbohydrates and protein. Nuts such as, almonds and walnuts are good for heart health. Nuts are also high in calories. One bag of nuts, 16 ounces, supplies about 2400 calories. Nuts also contain antioxidants, and are a good fiber source. They provide Omega 3 fatty acids, the good fats, which are also found in fish.

Dairy Foods and Meat

Milk and cheese are good sources of animal protein for the Hunzas. They do eat some meat, mostly chicken cooked in stews. They eat very little beef or mutton, usually eating meat about once a week.

Yogurt is a very important part of their diets, providing good bacteria, which is essential for health and long life.

Grains

The Hunzas baked their own breads from whole grains, leaving all the vitamins and minerals in tact.

The Hunza Compromise

Up until the 1970's the Hunzas were some of the most healthy people on earth, until an all-weather road was built to the Hunza nation. In time, modern unhealthy foods were introduced to them. With in six months of eating western foods the Hunzas began to be effected in their health and well-being, going from a disease free people, who did not know the common cold, to a people who now face the same sicknesses and diseases as the modern world. This is disheartening to see a people, so healthy and strong, be compromised because the western world's diet of today.

Long Life Possible Today

However, there is a way to live free from the sicknesses and diseases on the earth today. The Hunzas have proved it to be true. They are not some special people, but people who did what was necessary to live long and strong.

God said that man shall live long and satisfied lives on earth. He is the God that changes not. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

In order for this to happen, man must eat the foods that God has chosen and drink pure water. He said that He would bless our bread and water and take sickness from the midst of his people, that we may serve him.

It is good to take an example from the Hunzas, yet, why not study the Bible concerning how to eat to live long and healthy lives on the earth. I encourage you to do just that.

Fred Fishburne and his wife are owners of a successful health store in McDonough, Ga., since 1994, specializing in combining supplementation and proper nutrition for optimal health benefits.

Article Source: EzineArticles