Longevity is a trendy topic. In the hope of living for a hundred years, or even longer, we go to distant lands, adopt the experience of Japanese pensioners, Indian yogis, Tibetan lamas … But is it worth flying so far when our Caucasian long-livers are ready to share their secrets with everyone?
GIVE MORE THAN TAKE
“The secret of health is calmness,” say Abkhaz centenarians. - Anger and envy shorten life. Never envy anyone and stay away from those who envy you."
“You can't live long with a bad temper,” says a Caucasian proverb. Tell me, have you seen at least one Caucasian centenarian, angrily, from under his brows looking at the world around him? Whatever life is, it deserves to be looked at with curiosity, calmness and good nature, Caucasians believe.
The modern inhabitant of the metropolis is unlikely to be able to learn the equanimity and calmness of the inhabitants of the mountains. Try it anyway. The main thing is not to hold any grudge against anyone and learn to forgive. After all, scientific research has confirmed that people who are used to doing good feel much better than those who are exclusively concerned with their own problems.
The generosity and hospitality of Caucasians have long been proverbs. In any aul, even a random person who knocks on the door of a house is accepted as a best friend and is presented with any thing that he praised. And the point is not only in customs, but also in the fact that the giver experiences much more positive emotions than the one he gives: for a good deed life rewards him a hundredfold.
The main principle of both health and longevity is to give more than take. The knowledge that people need you prolongs a person's life - this is a scientifically established fact! You can't give your friends expensive gifts? It does not matter: buy a funny postcard, make a simple souvenir - it will not require large material costs, but how much joy it will bring to others!
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Every Caucasian knows: wherever he is, in case of trouble, not only relatives, but also fellow countrymen will definitely come to the rescue. Unfortunately, this tradition is not very developed in our country, but it is quite possible to restore good relations within the framework of one family. Forgive your relatives for indifference and old grudges. And if, sitting at the festive table, you feel what a real family is, an incomparable feeling of peace and confidence in the future will come to you.
Breathe Deeper
Mountain air is extremely healthy. And not only because it is very clean, but also because there is much less oxygen in it than in the air that the inhabitants of the plains breathe. And this, studies have shown, helps to normalize metabolism and slows down the aging process. A similar effect can be achieved using known breathing techniques. Here, for example, is one of the simple exercises.
Exhale, hold your breath for 10 seconds, then take three slow deep breaths in and out, then hold your breath again for 10 seconds. Repeat three to five times.
Do the exercise in the morning and in the evening, gradually increasing the time you hold your breath. Ventilate the room well before exercising. You can train during the day, best of all - while walking in a park or square.
AIRAN, GREEN AND RED WINE
When it comes to the food culture of the mountaineers, the first thing they remember is barbecue. Meat is indeed an important part of the diet of the inhabitants of the Caucasus, but far from the main one! And the main food of the inhabitants of high-mountain villages and auls is fresh vegetables, herbs and dairy products, among which kefir and ayran occupy the main place.
The Caucasians have owned the secret of the kefir fungus for many centuries, and the method of its preparation has always been kept in the strictest confidence. And it is not surprising: doctors believe that kefir is one of the most useful dairy products: it has a life-giving effect on the human body, destroying putrefactive bacteria in the intestines and preventing poisoning by decay products.
Ayran is no less beneficial: this drink restores the intestinal microflora, improves peristalsis, and helps to fight dysbiosis. Mix a glass of curdled milk, three tablespoons of water, salt on the tip of a knife, add a cube of food ice - and the elixir of life is ready! Drink two glasses of kefir or ayran a day. After all, the constant use of these fermented milk drinks prolongs life by ten years.
Eat low-fat cheese, vegetables, herbs, beans, nuts. Cook hominy - corn porridge without salt and sugar, cook rice pilaf with fruits or dried fruits. It is better not to fry the meat, but to grill or bake it on the wire rack so that the fat drips from it.
Most Caucasian centenarians say that they have no special diet. The main thing is not to overeat! And so that food is well absorbed, every day after lunch and dinner, it does not interfere with drinking 50-100 ml of dry red wine: it will not only become a pleasant addition to the meal, but also protect you from heart attack and stroke, help normalize blood pressure and prevent cancer.
Walk barefoot
Another secret of Caucasian health lies in the constant stimulation of nerve endings and biologically active points on the feet and palms. Inhabitants of the Caucasus walk along steep mountain paths in soft shoes. Hand picking grapes and making wine, when growers trample berries with their feet, making dishes, in which clay is thoroughly kneaded by hands, shearing sheep is also a kind of natural massage that has the most beneficial effect on the state of the body.
But what about those for whom mountains remain a distant dream? Perform the following simple exercises regularly, day after day.
Stretch the rope on the floor and walk exactly along it, being careful not to lose your balance.
Pour round pebbles (river or sea pebbles) into a plastic bowl or on a metal baking sheet and walk barefoot on them two or three times a day for at least 10 minutes. You can add cool water, the effect will be as if you are walking along a mountain stream: there is both massage and hardening. Over time, small stones can be replaced with larger and more angular ones (but, of course, you need to make sure that they do not hurt your feet).
Lay a thin blanket on the floor, sprinkle pebbles on it, gently lie on your back and lie down for 15-20 minutes, slightly changing your position every 3 minutes.
The posture of Caucasian women has long been a legend. Accustomed to carrying heavy vessels with water and wine on their heads, they walk in everyday life, proudly straightening their shoulders, straightening their backs and raising their heads high. However, excellent posture is not only beauty, but also the health of the spine, and therefore the whole body. Place the book on your head and, being careful not to drop it, walk around the room with it. Do the exercise for 3-5 minutes at first, then increase the time to 10 minutes or more.
WHO GETS EARLY …
In order to have time to complete the work before the onset of the heat, the mountaineers rise after dark. They believe that not seeing the sunrise is not seeing a new day.
The habit of getting up early has a physiological background and affects health. Medical statistics claim that most sick and elderly people die shortly before dawn, when the body is at its weakest. By staying awake during these dangerous times, we are more likely to cope with ailments. Therefore, get up at 5-6 o'clock in the morning, go to bed at 22 - 23 o'clock and live up to a hundred years!
A person living in a city, upon retirement, the rhythm of life changes dramatically: he does not need to get up early and rush to work, and he can go to bed later … It is during this period that most people acquire diseases that catastrophically shorten their lives. For the mountaineers, everything is different: they continue to work in old age, and most importantly, they know how to have fun and rest.
One of the eyewitnesses, having visited a mountain village, said: “Once I was at a song and dance concert of Abkhaz centenarians. How they dance, well, just butterflies. I could not resist, I went up to one 100-year-old dancer and said: "You are such a good fellow." And he asks: "Tell this to my mother-in-law, otherwise she completely washed me down: it's time to end dancing, we must take up the mind."
Yulia AGAFONOVA