Country Article / Postcards
Longevity and the Art of Living
Date: 09/29/2004Dear International Living Reader,
Three of Ecuador's greatest assets are the volcanic Andes, the Amazon, and the sun. This powerful combination has created an environment so rich that some people here live incredibly long and healthy lives--even up to 130 years.
In 1973, Dr. Alexander Leaf published an article in National Geographic describing the three valleys on earth--one in Georgia, one in Pakistan, and the valley of Vilcabamba in Ecuador--where 1,080 people per 100,000 lived on average to be 100. The article compared this longevity to only three per 100,000 in the United States. Even more importantly, those who lived long lives, including those surpassing 100 years of age, remained vital and sexually active, continuing to work and participate regularly in the community.
The ideal living conditions, along with the magical lifestyle they make possible, is the reason my wife Merri and I chose the valley of Vilcabamba as one of our first destinations in Ecuador years ago. The valley is remote, and our first trip was not easy. After considerable search we found a guide who was knowledgeable, and then took a long day's ride in his four wheel drive vehicle down the spine of the Andes to reach the valley. We found Vilcabamba to be almost incomparably beautiful, with perfect weather, green hills, and a laid-back lifestyle that includes an Incan system of nutrition, exercise, routine, and spirituality that must help the residents live longer, happier, healthier lives.
In fact, this environment and lifestyle traditionally made the people of Vilcabamba so healthy that when the Spanish first arrived over five hundred years ago the Fountain of Youth myth was formed. No such fountain has been found, but if you're seeking a relaxed lifestyle in a setting of incredible natural beauty, Vilcabamba could be the answer.
Gary Scott
For International Living
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