The Secret of the ‘Island Where People Forget to Die’

On the Greek island of Ikaria, a bigger percentage of the
residents live past 90 than anywhere else in the world.

Many live well past 100.

That’s why it’s known as the “Island where people forget to
die.” 

The old folks on Ikaria aren’t frail and feeble. If you visit the
island, you’ll see centenarians riding bikes, hiking, and bragging about their
love lives.[1]  

What’s their secret?

Researchers point to the Ikarians’ Mediterranean diet. And a new
study shows that one component of it—olive oil—may be particularly good at
keeping the brain from aging. 

The
research was published in the journal Aging
Cell. Scientists looked at mice with abnormal tau protein deposits in their
brains.[2]

In
humans, abnormal tau buildup is present in many people with dementia.

The
researchers gave half the animals olive oil daily.

Six
months later, the mice that consumed olive oil had a 60% reduction in tau
deposits compared to those that didn’t consume any.

The
research confirms previous studies that have found extra virgin olive oil
defends against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Best Olive Oils for Good Health

The scientists
used extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in their study.

This
is the cleanest, most nutrient-rich oil. It’s full of polyphenols, which act as
antioxidants, reducing the oxidative stress throughout your body. Try to eat
some of it every day.

EVOO
can be expensive. You can pay over $600 for a quart of artisanal oil. But you
don’t need to shell out big bucks to get olive oil’s brain benefits. You simply
need to know what to look for.[3]

Here
are six simple ways to maximize olive oil’s power to keep you healthy:

• Look for these letters. DOP, DO, DOC, and PDO on the label of imported oils are universally trusted European certificates of quality and origin. If your oil is from California, make sure it has a COOC seal (California Olive Oil Council) and a USDA organic certification.

Some unscrupulous
companies cut their olive oil with cheaper, less healthy oils—like soybean or
sunflower oils. These letters help ensure that you’re not buying counterfeit
oil.

• Make sure it’s in the right container. Buy olive oil in a dark glass bottle or a steel container. Avoid clear and plastic bottles.
  Clear bottles expose oil to light. Light leads to oxidation and rancidity. Plastic containers can leach noxious substances, such as PVCs, into the oil.

• Keep it
  cool, but not too cool. Extra virgin
  olive oil is best stored at cool room temperature, about 70 degrees F. Keep
  your oil in a dark cupboard away from stove heat. Don’t put it in the
  refrigerator. It will solidify, making it hard to pour. And refrigeration can
  give extra virgin olive oil an off taste.

• Check the
  date. Olive oil does not improve with
  age. Nutrients and flavor degrade over time. Look for a sell-by date on the
  container. Oil older than a year has lost more than 40% of its nutritional
  potency.

• Don’t
  overheat. If you are cooking with
  olive oil, never let it smoke. If you do, you’ve ruined its antioxidant power.
  Olive oil’s smoking point is about 400 degrees F.

Follow
the example of the Ikarians. Make extra virgin olive
oil a staple in your diet.

Editor’s
Note: Independent Healing is your number one source for evidence-based natural
health solutions. Each month we bring you non-biased, science-backed medical
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