While Herodotus believed that the fountain might have been located in what is now Somalia, perhaps he should have been looking closer to home. After all, it is on the small Greek island of Ikaria that people are living significantly longer than anywhere else on earth.

Ikaria is a tiny rock island located 50 kilometres west of Turkey in the blue-green Aegean Sea. It is typical of Greek islands in many ways – locals sip coffee in the shade of leafy plane trees, business owners open and close their doors according to their own schedules and often customers take what they need simply leaving money behind on the counter in return.

But it is unique because the residents of Ikaria live far longer than the regular population, and remain active well into old age. In fact, one-third of the island’s population lives to be more than 90 years old and, more importantly, remains physically active after the age of 100. This longevity and virility is attributed to the balance of a eating a traditional, well-balanced Mediterranean diet, daily physical activities, daily naps, low stress and family and community coherence.

The great news then is that Herodotus was right. There is a fountain of youth! And we can all partake of its waters by adopting the Greek Ikarian way of living…