The High Spirits: Hunza Valley, Pakistan

In a remote Himalayan valley near the borders of Pakistan, India, China, and Afghanistan, the Hunza people live between towering peaks and crystal rivers. Their homeland, the Hunza Valley, is often described as a paradise of vitality—a place where people are said to remain strong, serene, and active well into their 90s and beyond.

The Hunza do not see aging as a decline, but as a continuation. Here, joy is found in simplicity, strength is built in daily movement, and food is medicine. The valley may be rugged, but life flows gently, like the glacier-fed water that sustains it.

A Kingdom of Lightness and Longevity

Throughout the 20th century, explorers, doctors, and anthropologists were drawn to the Hunza Valley for reports of unusually long-lived people, many with radiant skin, bright eyes, and strong teeth even in old age. While some age claims were likely overstated, the vitality of the Hunza elders is undeniable.

Life in Hunza is characterized by:

• Clean air and glacier water

• A seasonal diet centered on plants, completmented by animal products

• Natural daily activity (not formal exercise)

• Social cohesion and simple living

In Hunza, youth is not clung to—it’s cultivated by how you live, how you eat, and how you rise with the sun.

The Hunza Way: What Supports Their Vitality

The Hunza people live close to the rhythms of the earth. Their strength comes not from any one “superfood,” but from daily practices, balance, and deep connection to land and community.

1. Apricots: The Sacred Fruit

• Hunza diets are rich in fresh apricots in summer and dried ones in winter.

• Apricot kernels are traditionally used for their oils and nutrients.

• Rich in beta carotene, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

2. Whole Grains & Legumes

• Meals are based on barley, buckwheat, millet, lentils, and chickpeas.

• Bread is often made from sprouted grains or fermented doughs.

  
  

3. Glacier Water

• Water from melted glaciers is considered a source of life and energy—rich in minerals and often slightly alkaline.

4. Moderate Eating

• Meals are simple, portions small. Periods of light fasting or mono-diets (eating just one food like apricot soup or barley stew) are traditional.

5. Daily Movement

• Walking long distances, carrying bundles, climbing steep paths. Movement is built into daily survival.

6. Emotional Peace

• Calm is valued. Conflict is rare. Gratitude, neighborly support, and a quiet spiritual life are foundational.

7. Goat milk, Yogurt & Cheese

Consumed regularly and often fermented

8. Eggs, Chicken, and Goat Meat

Eaten occasionally, especially during festivals or colder months

9. Bone Broths & Organ Meats

Respected and used for nourishment, especially for elders and children

The Hunza Wisdom: What We Can Learn

1. Eat Like It’s Sacred

• Meals are a connection to the land. Cook simple, whole food with attention.

  Try this ritual: Prepare a barley stew or chickpea flatbread once a week using minimal spices and full presence.

2. Embrace Dried Fruit

• Dried apricots, mulberries, and figs are rich in minerals and easy to digest.

  Try this ritual: Soak dried fruit overnight in water and enjoy as a morning tonic.

3. Move With Purpose

• Carry your groceries by hand. Take the stairs. Walk to a viewpoint.

  Try this ritual: Add a 30-minute outdoor walk each day, ideally uphill or with variation.

4. Fast Lightly, Feast Simply

• The Hunza practice light fasting, not from lack—but to balance.

  Try this ritual: Choose one day per week to eat lightly: fruit in the morning, soup or porridge in the evening.

A Quiet Strength

The Hunza teach us that health is not loud. It does not come in bottles or programs. It is found in the rhythm of walking uphill, in a bowl of warm porridge, in sunlight on your back, and in peace with your neighbor.

To live well is not to resist time—it is to greet it gently, with strength and softness alike.

Coming Next:

The Rosemary Coast – Acciaroli & Campodimele, Italy

On the sun-warmed shores of southern Italy, a sprig of rosemary and a slow-cooked bean stew hold the quiet keys to long, contented life.

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References & Citations: Hunza Longevity

1. McCarrison, Robert.

Studies in Deficiency Disease. Oxford Medical Publications, 1921.

• One of the earliest Western studies to highlight the health of the Hunza people, linking diet to vitality.

2. Wrench, G.T.

The Wheel of Health. 1938.

• Discusses the lifestyle, agriculture, and food systems of the Hunza in relation to disease prevention.

3. Campbell, John R.

“Longevity and Life Satisfaction in the Hunza.” Anthropological Quarterly, 1976.

• Analyzes cultural and social factors contributing to Hunza well-being and perceived longevity.

4. Kazmi, Shazia.

“The Health Culture of Hunza: Traditional Dietary Practices and Healing Rituals.” Journal of Cultural Nutrition, 2013.

• Details food preparation, fasting, foraging, and spiritual health practices.

5. Local Documentation and Field Interviews (via Pakistani NGOs and Himalayan Ecology Institutes)

• Gatherings of oral tradition and culinary practices from elders in Hunza, especially relating to apricots, fasting, and daily routines.