A Matter of Time: Ikaria, The Blue Zone

Ikaria is one of the only blue zones in the world.

It’s a term whose very definition is subject to controversy, its validity frequently put to the test in the academic world. A concept largely coined by Michel Poulain and Dan Buettner, blue zones refer to a place where people tend to live longer than anywhere else. Right around the turn of the century, the two worked together along with other researchers to pinpoint these spots. They marked the presence of centenarians, or those over 100 years old, on a map with blue pen; the areas of the highest concentration of these marks became known as the blue zones. The list grew steadily over time, and Ikaria found itself officially declared as a blue zone in 2008.

This story is largely simplified, and cuts out much of the aforementioned controversy; the researchers have come under fire for allegedly inaccurate census data. Much of the research hinged around finding centenarians in particular, and the accuracy of this information was called into question. Buettner and Poulain even ended their partnership; they now have their own separate websites, and have different opinions on what areas should make the cut.

Ikaria is one of only four zones they agree on.

Regardless of the presence of centenarians, accuracy of census data, and professorial squabbles, there are a few things we can confirm through simple observation: Ikaria has a high population of elderly, and they are thriving. Senior citizens stroll around town, drink coffee, and socialize amongst each other, unimpeded by physical disabilities. An eighty-eight year old great-grandmother runs her own restaurant, tending to the fresh food at their disposal and cooking the meals. It’s a way of life coveted and questioned by many, but quite frankly, there’s no big mystery as to why this is the case.

Located further east than any landmass thus far, there’s an isolated feeling to this island paradise. Gone is the urban grunge of Kalamata and the pompous façade of Mykonos; in its place is a land decidedly more natural. With this comes a downsizing in infrastructure. Even Evdilos, a main port “city” if you can call it that, is one of the smallest towns I’ve seen so far. Modest homes dot the hillside, which quickly becomes empty land just blocks from the ocean. The streets between them are thin; likely planned before motor vehicles came in droves, it’s now a struggle to fit even the smallest ones through their ranks. The fear of another car coming from the opposite direction is likely the greatest anxiety an Ikarian might face in their daily lives.

Heading outside of the town, you’re quick to find a rural landscape that by many standards could be described as otherworldly. Towering cliffs jut violently from the earth, and just as quickly collapse into the sea. The ocean, visible from nearly any point on the island, meets the horizon in a perfect harmony of blue, the sea and sky nearly seamless with the exception of any boats that might be dotting the landscape. Isolated beaches slope gently up from the waves, their submerged sand and rocks just as visible thanks to the crystalline complexion of the water. The road is often the only indication that this realm has been touched by human hands at all; other points seem too distant, too improbable to remain within your grasp. This is the very definition of a natural land.

The surrounding environment is not a direct principle of the blue zones by either standard (Buettner and Poulain have slightly different criteria). However, one might argue it’s a cause of the first guideline in both lists, worded in the same way: move naturally. Residents of Ikaria work with intention, not to an extreme, but consistently. They must contend with the isolated environments by growing their own food, taking advantage of the open spaces and soil untarnished by pesticides and other chemicals. Both lists suggest that unprocessed food, particularly beans and vegetables, are essential fuel in maintaining a healthy body into old age.

This is revealed no better than by the aforementioned restaurant owner, a woman approaching ninety and still going strong. Although she wasn’t present during my stop in the quaint little kitchen a few minutes outside of Evdilos, her daughter was. A mid-sixties woman with the youth of someone half her age, she relayed the information about her mother in the midst of running food to tables and preparing the next few dishes. These were, even by Greek standards, remarkably fresh. The woman explained that their restaurant is completely farm-to-table, and that the menu changes almost daily. There’s no room to force a meal when you’re committed to serving what the earth provides.

The family dynamic of this restaurant provides another hint towards their longevity. Buettner and Poulain both place heavy emphasis on connection through family and community. The former of these, in some ways, seems to be biased with centenarians in mind. Aging family members are never left behind by the younger ones, and often have a relative close by to assist in their care. But in the case of the elderly still able to live without assistance, the strong family connection no doubt strengthens their resolve. Outside of blood relations, a strong community presence certainly exists in Ikaria; with the remote setting of the island and few options for prepared meals, it wouldn’t be surprising to imagine a similar crowd of regulars coming through the doors of the little kitchen day by day.

In the major ports, too, there’s a subdued yet friendly atmosphere between the locals. Groups of 5 or 6 crowd the little tables, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes and stealing glances at the outsiders like yourself. It’s a relaxed way of life, made more comfortable by peers engaging in the same behaviors. Indeed, avoiding stress is yet another key tenet of the blue zone way, and perhaps the most significant of all. Poulain suggests getting plenty of sleep and avoiding stress altogether; Buettner proposes “downshifting,” or ways of removing it once it appears. But the message is clear: stress has no place in the lives of those who wish to outlast an entire century.

With these principles taken into consideration, it doesn’t seem to be a question why those in the blue zones usually live to an older age. Sensationalized by the media as some sort of big secret, the simple concepts of building a community, eating well, and avoiding stress are somewhat obvious factors in determining quality of life. But this certainly doesn’t take away from the tranquility Ikaria provides. Day after day the island’s residents enjoy a peaceful existence, their routine rarely interrupted, the calming sea a backdrop of a life well lived.

The final blue zone principle is purpose.

Buettner says it’s the reason you wake up in the morning. Poulain cites a prominent presence of faith in centenarians. Both mention sayings like “pura vida” and “ikigai” which residents of the blue zones use to guide them towards a more positive way of life.

And both make it clear that a life without purpose is no life at all.

There is a man who sits at the coffee shop atop a hill in Evdilos seemingly every day. Sporting a denim jacket and matching blue hat, he leans back in his chair and fixes his gaze straight in front of him; perhaps to the ocean or the sky, or even just to the ivy-lined buildings ahead of him. I saw him nearly every day I spent on the island, his body motionless, eyes trained ahead to something I could not see.

I saw him as I wandered the streets of Evdilos, the same stores and restaurants passing me by, time seemingly standing still. I saw him as I returned to where I stayed, with nothing to do but stare out into the ocean waves and bide my time.

I saw him as I wondered what I was missing, months before I would research the blue zones and uncover that last principle for myself.

There was much to reflect on from the trip before these days, and the endless quietude of Ikaria was the perfect place to do that. Like a sensory deprivation tank, the emptiness of this island sank into my bones until the only place to look was backwards, before I was born, or even before my father was born, to that little village in the Peloponnese so far from here, an ocean away.

My grandfather, a mere child, learns he will have to contend with the unknown for the promise of something better. His family takes a leap, a hopeful band of Greek immigrants with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and a dream of something more. They face hardships, death, the uncaring faces of so many who cannot be bothered to understand the language they speak. It’s enough to send many of them into a tailspin, to create a pain that even the strongest would be hard pressed to come back from. But it’s not enough to stop them. It’s not enough to prevent them from making their way forward, from my father being born, and in turn myself. Decades and lifetimes worth of desire coalesce into my very being, the wishes of an entire bloodline channeled into my soul.

And where does it all lead me? Right here to this island, a place where time stands still, in the country they tried so desperately to leave behind.

And that’s why I’m relieved that early morning when the ferry’s foghorn blares through Evdilos for the first time since I’ve arrived, why I’m not sad to leave this paradise behind. Maybe I’ll return one day, when it’s all said and done. Maybe I will settle amongst these towering cliffs and fertile land, my lover beside me and our children rollicking within. Maybe I will sit at the coffee shop atop the hill and let my gaze fixate on nothing and everything all at once, the remainder of my life free to pass me by. Maybe I will die here, over the age of one hundred surrounded by ones I love, my lifetime a mere stitch in the tapestry of all the lives who have come and gone from this place. I think I would like that.

But now is not that time. I know my purpose and it is not here. I won’t leave behind the ones who wait for me to return, and I won’t let the sacrifices of those who came before me be in vain. There is still work to do.

It’s time to go back.

Additional information courtesy of Science.org, BlueZones.com, and Longevity Blue Zones.

Special thanks to Michel Poulain, Gianni Pes, Dan Buettner, and the many other demographers and researchers who have contributed their findings on the blue zones.