"Hunzas" - the Longest Lived People (Video)

In the early 70s, National Geographic ran an extensive series of articles investigating claims of long-lived people around the world. The Hunza (pronounced hoonza”) People, who live in the North of Pakistan, were one of those peoples. It is believed that among these people centenarians are a common occurrence. The Hunza and the valley in which they live was famous in the region. The Hunza Valley is a high altitude, fertile valley that supports agriculture and provides isolation from the rest of the world. Some say that the Hunza Valley was the basis for Shangri La in the book “Lost Horizons”.

Hunza valley - terraced gardens

No one really knows exactly how long they live because it has never been documented and they did not measure the quality of their lives in years. Physicians examined the Hunza and made their best guesses to how old they people were. Without focusing too much on documented maximum age, the truly extraordinary fact is that all reports from the Hunza mention that even the most elderly population is fit, full of vitality and virtually free from disease.

How did they remain disease free, you might ask?

In short, diet, exercise and proper attitude. The mountain terrain where the Hunza live is extremely rough and the Hunza people spend their lives moving among the rough passages and steep ridges. They are said to be hardier than even the famous Sherpa people of the Himalayan region.

How and what do they eat?

Hunzas eat only two meals a day and eat very little. The first meal is taken about noon, although the Hunzas are up every morning at around five a.m. This may sound surprising, since most nutrition experts here in the west stress the importance of a hearty breakfast, even though our life-style is relatively sedentary compared to that of the Hunzas; who engage in demanding physical labor all morning long on an empty stomach.

Their primary died consists of mostly plants, eaten raw. The Hunza do not have access to a large amount of fuel for cooking, nor are there many animals available for eating, so they plant what they can and gather the rest. Apricots (they have a particular fondness for apricot pits), cherries, grapes, plums and peaches are all cultivated by the Hunza. They also eat a lot of grains such as wheat, barley, and millet. During the off season (the cold winter months) milk and cheese are important sources of animal protein. Meat, although not completely eliminated, is consumed only very rarely, reserved for special occasions like marriages or festivals. This fact is no doubt one of the reasons why the Hunzas have such healthy digestive systems. Even when meat is served, the portions are very small and are generally cut into small pieces and stewed for a long time. Beef and mutton are rarely used, chicken being their most common source of animal protein. The important thing to remember is that although the Hunzas are not wholly vegetarian, meat forms a minimal part of their daily diet. In addition, all Hunza food is completely natural, containing no chemical additives whatsoever.

And their attitude, where they happy?

Absolutely. In fact, many researchers have claimed that they’re "The Happiest People on Earth". The Hunza have a certain relish and passion for life -- perhaps brought on to some extent by their daily rigorous exercise and simple lifestyle.

What Can We Learn from the Hunza?

Three things:

1. Eat primarily raw fruits and vegetables  
2. Exercise daily
3. Maintain a positive outlook

In the following video Fred speaks to his teacher training students and covers several subjects relating to energy and life. Mentioned in this clip are the Hunza people of the Pakistani Himalayas who are the oldest lived people in the world and Fred explains the secrets to their longevity.