The Hunzakuts of Northern Pakistan (source of information: internet)
The oldest person is recorded at 130.
80% of vegetables are eaten raw with their skins, 20% lightly steamed
Apricot seed oil is used as their fat and very sparingly
Animal products account for only 1% of their calories. Milk, butter and cheese from goats, sheep and yaks, were consumed sparingly. Small amounts of meat (3 oz per month) were eaten on special occasions. In fact they eat 13 days of the year and the rest of the time it is vegetarian because they have no refrigeration.
For many decades, scientists and researchers have studied the diets of indigenous peoples around the world to discover their “health secrets”. The Hunzakuts of Northern Pakistan are no exception. They often live to be over 100 years old. In 1922 British surgeon Dr. Robert McCarrison reported that they had never had a case of cancer. The Hunza eat copious amounts of Apricot kernels. In fact, a Hunza man’s wealth was determined by the amount of Apricot trees he owned! The picture above shows Hunza women drying apricots in the sun.
So what are the main specialties of the Hunza, Okinawan, or Vilcabamba diet and lifestyle? There are five in all:
1. They eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates but low in calories—about 1600 to 1800 calories a day, as opposed to most Americans who eat between 2500-3000 calories a day, mostly from refined carbs and sugar.
2. They eat some kind of probiotic food every day—either in the form of kefir or fermented vegetables.
3. Apart from the Okinawans, whose diet consists of about 15-20 percent fish, these youthful elders eat mostly plants, not too much, and they eat meat or fish only on rare occasions, sometimes as little as once a month.
4. Their protein intake, which mostly comes from plant sources, is rather low, between 20-50 grams a day.
5. Zero percent use of sugar or refined carbohydrates. Yes, that’s right: ZERO!
6. Lots of fresh, often raw, fruits and vegetables.
They obtain beneficial fats from apricot kernels, flax, and walnuts as well as other plant foods.
Grow apricot trees anywhere, so that apricots, apricot kernels, and apricot kernel oil are an important feature of the diet. They have apricots fresh, dried, in soup, mashed into juice and mixed with glacier water, and even mixed with snow to make ‘ice cream’.
What we can do:
Dried apricots are an excellent source of beta carotene which protects the fatty parts of our cells from free radical damage and thus may help prevent cancer. Apricots and their kernels are easily available – choose organic and preservative-free. If you can’t find apricot kernels, almonds are very similar.
Unprocessed whole foods make up the backbone of the Hunza diet. Forty percent of total calories consumed come from whole grain foods, such as wheat, millet flour, buckwheat, or ground barley. Fresh vegetables make up an additional 30 percent of the diet. Mulberries, apricots, grapes, and other fresh fruits account for 15 percent of total calories in the diet.
Most of the rest of the diet includes beans and nuts or seeds. Of all of these foods eaten, most are consumed raw. Processing, if any, typically involves drying fruits in the sun. Milk and dairy products like yogurt are also eaten regularly, and provide protein as well as intestinal flora.
Living as high as the peaks of the Himalayan Mountains, the Hunza are essentially cut off from the rest of the world. Their small population of 30,000 people are considered one of the happiest cultural groups in the world. Even at age 100, Hunza people do not consider themselves old. Some Hunza men produce children at this age.
The Doctor designed a whole series of experiments to determine how big of a role the Hunzakuts' diet plays in their supreme health and longevity. In the first experiment 1189 albino rats were fed the Hunza diet right from birth. This consisted of whole meal flatbread with a pat of fresh butter, sprouted legumes, fresh raw carrots and cabbage, unboiled whole milk, and once a week a tiny portion of meat and bones. Plenty of water was provided for drinking and bathing. The only thing the rats did not receive was fruit, which the Hunza people ate a great deal of.
Despite the harsh climatic and geographical conditions in which they live, you should know that Hunze people consume only two meals a day. Breakfast and lunch. Skipping a dinner helps them to leave with the light stomach to rest and not to digest during the night. This has the purpose of restoring the organism.
Hunzas are not vegetarians, but meat is rare, only on holidays. Due to religion, they never eat pork.
Fruits and vegetables (mostly raw): especially potatoes, string beans, peas, carrots, turnips, squash, spinach, lettuce, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, blackberries, and mulberries.
• Nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, beechnuts, and plenty of almonds, consumed whole or processed into the oil with a technique that is only known to them.
• Animal proteins: especially milk, cheese, and chicken.
• Yogurt: crucial for the health of intestinal flora.
• Grains: especially barley, millet, buckwheat, and wheat, mostly in the form of a bread called chapatti, which the Hunzas eat with every meal (and to which some attribute the amazing potency of Hunza men, in part due to the high vitamin E).
With the first twilight, Hunza people are already preparing for rest. Medicine today knows that our body between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. lights a chemical substance that causes drowsiness. After 11 pm it stops the secretion of this substance and then it’s becoming difficult to fall asleep. Also, it has been scientifically proven that from 9 p.m. in the evening to the sunrise, our body lights melatonin, a biochemical substance necessary for cell renewal.
People in the developed societies ignore this fact, by bringing their organism to the state of long-term exhaustion. If not immediately but in time it leads to various health problems.
Hunzas eat only two meals a day. The first meal is served at twelve noon, although the Hunzas are up every morning at 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.
Unlike most Westerners, Hunzas eat primarily for the establishment and maintenance of health rather than for pleasure, although they are very meticulous when preparing their food, which, by the way, happens to be delicious.
In addition, Hunza food is completely natural, containing no chemical additives whatsoever. Unfortunately, that is not the case as far as most of our food is concerned. Everything is as fresh as it can possibly be, and in its original unsalted state. The only "processing" consists of drying some fresh fruits in the the sun, and making butter and cheese out of milk. No chemicals or artificial fertilizers are used in their gardens. In fact, it is against the law of Hunza to spray gardens with pesticides.
Well, a large part of their diet is composed of grains: barley, millet, buckwheat and wheat.
They also eat fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. For the most part, these are consumed fresh and raw, although some vegetables are cooked for a short time. Their preferred fruits and vegetables include potatoes, string beans, peas, carrots, turnip, squash, spinach, lettuce, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries and blackberries. They also have a particular fondness for apricot pits. (You can get apricot seeds in your health food store, get only the dried ones which don't have all the important enzymes killed off). Almonds are eaten whole, or used to make oil through a process that has been transmitted from generation to generation.
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, portions are very small: meat is cut into small pieces and stewed for a long time. Beef and mutton are rarely used - chicken is 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.
They generally eat meat only once a week, if that often, and live longer and stay healthier than we do.
Like grains, fruits and vegetables, yogurt is also a staple of the Hunza diet. Yogurt, which replenishes intestinal flora, is extremely beneficial for the human organism. Bulgarians, who also eat a lot of yogurt, are another people who live to a ripe old age. Bulgaria boasts 1,666 centenarians per million inhabitants, while here in the west the number is only 9 per million inhabitants.
Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, beechnuts, etc. also comprise an important part of the Hunza diet. Along with fruit, or mixed into salads, nuts often constitute an entire meal.
Specialists believe that it is this special bread that endows 90-year-old Hunza men with their ability to conceive children, something that is unheard of here in the west. In fact, chapatti bread contains all essential elements. It can be made from wheat, millet, buckwheat or barley flour, but what is most important is that the flour is whole, i.e. it is not refined, and has not had its germ removed, a common practice here in the west. It is this part of a grain which gives it its reproductive power, as well as its brown color. Unfortunately, westerners tend to associate the whiteness of flour with purity, something that is completely false. In addition, leaving the germ intact makes storing flour-based products more difficult. This presents a problem for the food industry, which prefers using refined white flour even though it has been stripped of most of its nutrients.
The germ of grains has astonishing nutritive properties. For one thing, it contains all of a grain’s Vitamin E content. This vitamin plays an important role in maintaining sexual functions in both humans and animals, and as you may know, sexual activity, which is directly related to the proper functioning of the hormonal system, is vital for health.
The energy and endurance of the Hunzas can probably be credited as much to what they don't eat as what they do eat. First of all, they don't eat a great deal of anything. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that the average daily food intake for Americans of all ages amounts to 3,300 calories, with 100 grams of protein, 157 grams of fat and 380 grams of carbohydrates, In contrast, studies by Pakistani doctors show that adult males of Hunza consume a little more than 1.900 calories daily, with only 50 grams of protein, 36 grams of fat, and 354 grams of carbohydrates. Both the protein and fat are largely of vegetable origin (Dr. Alexander Leaf, National Geographic, January, 1973).
Let’s take a moment to summarize the basic principles and ingredients of the Hunza diet which, as we said, is no doubt one of the main reasons for their exceptional longevity.
First rule: frugality. Here in the west people eat too much - much too much – sometimes two or three times more than our organism actually needs. And we’re not talking about people who have a weight problem either. Try to fashion your diet according to Hunza standards: remember that these mountain people eat only two light meals a day, even though they perform extremely laborious physical work for hours at a stretch, take part in demanding forms of physical exercise, and spend hours hiking along steep mountain paths each and every day. At the same time they do not feel in the least fatigued or anemic – on the contrary, their endurance and longevity is so great it has become almost legendary.
In fact, an excellent way to regenerate your organism and give your digestive system a rest is to fast, or drink only juice, for one day a week. Every spring the Hunzas fast for a number of days.
Although you don’t have to go that far (if you do decide to fast, make sure you are properly monitored by a competent health professional) you can gain inspiration from the Hunza approach to nutrition.
Rule number two: make fresh fruits and vegetables a major part of your diet. Eat most of your vegetables raw, or very lightly steamed. Cut down on your intake of meat, and try preparing your own chapatti bread (if you don’t have the time, at least replace white bread with bread made from whole grain flour).
Rule number three: fasting for one day a week, and maintaining a frugal diet based on Hunza principles for the rest of the week, will be certain to prolong your life and keep you healthy. In fact, you will probably feel completely rejuvenated, both physically and mentally.
Walking for an hour each day, something most people can manage, is excellent for both your body and your mind. In fact, walking is the simplest, least costly and most accessible form of exercise there is. And contrary to what you may think, it also provides you with a complete workout. So get in step with the Hunzas and start walking!
In addition to daily physical exercise, the Hunzas practice certain basic yoga techniques, notably yogic breathing, which is slow, deep and rhythmic, and which makes use of the entire thoracic cavity.
Another valuable yoga-related technique used by the Hunzas concerns the fine art of relaxation. Most westerners are not even aware that they are living in an almost constant state of stress.
A Typical Hunza Chapatti Bread Recipe Is Kamali:
2 cups of stone ground whole wheat flour, or mix of flours
1/2 teaspoon vegetable salt or iodized sea salt
(Although they have rich mineral diet,
iodine is rare away from marine locations and fish.)
1/4 to 1 cup glacier milk (water)
Blend flour and salts together. Stir in just enough water to make a very stiff dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Cover with a wet cloth, set aside for 30 minutes. Break dough into one inch balls. Roll into very thin rounds, about 8 inches in diameter. Bake for 10 minutes on a hot lightly greased griddle over a low heat. Turn often. Makes 20 Chapattis.
A typical Hunza Millet Bread Recipe (Himalayan):
1 cup Millet flour
1 cup grated carrots
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vegetable salt/iodized salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
Combine flour, carrots, oil, honey, and salt. Mix well, then stir 3/4 cup of boiling water into the mixture. Beat the egg yolks well adding 2 tbs. of cold water, continue to beat and then add to the mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten eggs and bake in a hot oiled pan at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
Here's a Hunza Bread typical recipe (Hungarian style):
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
Follow the directions on your bread making machine. After the first rise, remove the dough from the machine pan. Shape into two loaves and place into lightly greased 7x3 loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled in volume but not more than one inch above the top of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
HUNZA DIET BREAD RECIPE
Hunza Diet Bread is a delicious, dense, chewy bread that's very nutritious and is almost impervious to spoilage. The following recipe makes a huge batch of approximately 60 (sixty) 2 inch squares, high in protein, vitamins and minerals.Keeps weeks at room temperature, even longer in the fridge and indefinitely in the freezer. The recipe for this wonderful bread is as follows: -
* 4 cups of water
* 3.5 (three & one half) to 4 pounds of natural buckwheat or millet flour
* 1.5 (one & one half) cups of canola oil
* 1.5 (one & one half) cups of natural unrefined sugar
* 16 ounces of honey
* 16 ounces of molasses
* 4 ounces of powdered soya milk (half cup)
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 teaspoons baking powder (non aluminium)
Hunza Diet Bread has a taste that is very satisfying and chewy all on its own, but you may also add if required, apricots, raisins, chopped walnuts, almonds, sliced dates to the above ingredients. Mix ingredients. Grease and lightly flour cooking pan(s). Ideally use baking trays with about 1 inch high sides. Pour batter in pan(s) half an inch thick over the base. Bake at about 300 degrees farenheit (150 C.) for 1 hour. After cooking, dry the bread in the oven for two (2) hours at a very low heat - 90 degrees farenheit (50 C). After it is cooled tip out and cut into approx 2 inch x 2 inch squares. Store it wrapped in cloth in a container. You may need to repeat the baking depending on the size of your baking pan, and oven, until all the mixture has been used.
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