Healthy Living in the Hunza Valley 

Hunza Valley (Photo: Lyma)

Hunza Valley in the northern pristine mountainous region of Pakistan is home to the indigenous Burusho and Wakhi people who are said to live on an average to the ripe old age of 120 years but dental studies have shown that this might be exaggerated since record keeping is mostly oral devoid of birth certificates - so let's focus not on their longevity but on their healthy lifestyle. 

This is a rugged remote area, unchanged for centuries. The locals, also called Hunzakutz, have their own separate language, Burushaski which is unique with no connection to the Indo-European or Tibetan languages bordering it. The only similarity anthropologists have connected it with is with an equally isolated and unique culture – that of the Basque region of Spain. 

Some researchers have called the Hunza the happiest people on Earth, with a passion and zest for life, perhaps brought on to some extent by their daily vigorous exercise and simple lifestyle. Their population is exceptionally fit and predominantly disease-free, irrespective of age. The area was also the subject of James Hilton's novel 'Lost Horizon', which was later made into a 1930s film about the mythical Shangri-La by Frank Capra. 

So, what are their health secrets - in a few words ... an organic and natural lifestyle! Although not classified as one of five Blue Zones (Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California), the Hunza live in an area of high elevation, where many work physically strenuous jobs, keeping them in peak physical shape while breathing clean, fresh air. 

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Hunza women (Photo: Zeenews)

1. Emotional Wellbeing: That Hunza people live happy and healthy long lives can be largely attributed to their superior emotional state, living in peace and within a close-knit community where locals look out for each other. Retirement homes don’t exist here. Elders are highly respected and attended to by their families. The epitome of robust social health with meaningful connection, forming nurturing relationships and reciprocal support. Add to this, the element of spiritual health that integrates meaning and purpose into your life and makes you feel rooted, mindful and present. The Hunza are known to practice yoga, including yogic breathing techniques and meditation.

Hunza Dance (Photo: Gaia)

2. Active lifestyle: Everyone keeps very active even in winter, walking 5 to 15 km a day, cycling, dancing and playing sports... age is not an excuse. All this activity at very high altitudes helps to increase their red blood cell count and therefore get oxygen to their muscles more effectively. The locals participate in rajaki, a community event for spring cleaning the elevated water canals.

Hunza Glacial Drinking Water (Photo: Samantha Shea)

3. Drinking glacial water: They drink glacial waters high in minerals including potassium, calcium and iron - that look silted. There is no talk about filtering the water because some say that the water contains quartz (silica) minerals in colloid form, considered to be powerful antioxidants. The Hunza bathe in ice-cold water - seems pretty daunting, especially in winter but it works wonders once you get used to it. 

Hunza kitchen (Photo: Zeenews)

4. Anti-inflammatory diet: Hunza people eat a highly effective anti-inflammatory diet rich in naturally grown ancient grains like barley and millet, raw fruits, especially apricots, fresh vegetables eaten raw, milk, honey, and lesser quantities of meat. Equally important is what they do not eat: fast foods, processed foods, spicy or oily foods. 

Hunza Apricots drying in the sun (Photo: Skardu.pk)

And they do consume lots of apricots - fresh or dried. Apricots - low in protein and rich in vitamin E, proteins, omega 3 and omega-6 fatty acids - are a staple for the Hunza, who go for three months a year on a diet consisting purely of apricot juice not only as a spiritual exercise but also a sure way to better health. They even extract oil from the seeds; studies have shown that apricot seeds rich in vitamin B-17 can help fight cancer and other sources of inflammation in the body, in part due to a compound called amygdalin.

While we might not be lucky enough to live in the Hunza Valley, we can do well to adopt some of their lifestyle habits.

References 

1. Shea, S. (2024, February 17). People in this remote valley live to 100—they follow 5 distinct diet and lifestyle habits for longevity. CNBC. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/17/people-in-remote-region-of-hunza-valley-live-to-100-years-old-heres-how.html
2. Happiest & healthiest people on this planet, curious case of Hunza tribe! (2021, April 24). Zee News. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://zeenews.india.com/photos/world/happiest-healthiest-people-on-this-planet-curious-case-of-hunza-tribe-2357101