5 customs…the secret of the long life of the residents of the Hunza Valley
In a little-known mountainous region in northern Pakistan, there is a valley called Hunza, whose inhabitants live up to 100 years.
Ethnic groups called “Burucho” and “Wakhi” have inhabited this place for centuries, which has few amenities and primitive health units. However, studies have shown that the average lifespan of people in this place is about 100 years.
Samantha Shea, a Polish American, says, “My husband was born and raised in this region, and belongs to the indigenous (Burucho) tribes. After we got married, I left the United States and we lived together in the central part of the valley.” She adds: “I will list some interesting customs that help the people of the Hunza Valley live longer.”
Samantha Shea in the middle of two women from the Hunza Valley (Samantha Shea’s Instagram account)
1- They use apricot and its oil
Apricot trees are one of the most important local crops in the valley, and almost every traditional meal in Hunza contains apricot oil, which they used to squeeze by hand in the past, but today they use machines.
Studies indicate that apricot seeds help fight cancer and infections in the body as a result of they contain a substance called “amygdalin.”
Samantha explains to the American website CNBC, “My mother-in-law told me that about 50 years ago, everyone used apricot oil to cook all kinds of foods, including meat. Dried apricots reduce the incidence of diseases, and when winter comes, we boil them and drink them.”
2- They are constantly moving
Samantha adds that the residents of the valley are constantly moving at different stages of their lives, even the elderly among them, and it is not strange to see an eighty-year-old person outside his home, even in the winter, to take care of livestock, collect firewood, or perform other household tasks.
Residents of Hunza Valley play cricket (Samantha Shea’s Instagram account)
She points out that residents of the valley, of all ages, participate in community activities such as “rajaki,” which is cleaning water canals in the spring, in addition to practicing various sports such as football, cricket, and cycling on a daily basis.
3- Drink icy water
The Hunza Valley is filled with glaciers that melt in the summer, becoming what scientists call “Hunza Water,” which they say, unlike other water sources, has been naturally filtered through layers of ice and rock, making it contain minerals.
Glaciers in the Hunza Valley (Samantha Shea’s Instagram account)
Some of them point out that it contains quartz minerals, which are antioxidants.
The flow of glacial water continues from May to October of each year, and “Hunza water” is served in restaurants and used in homes, and the valley’s residents prefer it to filtered water.
4- They rarely eat processed foods
Samantha explains that every piece of meat that the people of the Hunza Valley eat comes from a freshly slaughtered animal, and they do not eat processed foods and do not have any fast food restaurant branches, and all their meals are prepared fresh every day at home.
It draws attention to the fact that every home grows some vegetables, especially spinach, tomatoes and potatoes.
5- They adhere to strong societal values
Samantha confirms that the people of the villages and neighborhoods are interconnected and work to take care of each other, especially the elderly, as there are no nursing homes for the elderly in the valley. She confirms that the valley does not witness any kind of crime.
2024-02-18 16:52:36
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