The Hunza: A Blueprint for Longevity, Health, and Natural Healing

*DISCLAIMER: This blog is for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or health regimen or eating any apricot seed kernels. Claims have not been evaluated by the FDA.*

In the remote regions of northern Pakistan, nestled among the towering peaks of the Himalayas, resides the Hunza people—a community that has long been the subject of fascination for researchers and health experts alike. Their remarkable longevity, vibrant health, and near-zero rates of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease have baffled scientists for decades. But it’s not just their lifestyle that’s intriguing. It’s also their diet, rich in natural compounds that modern medicine has often ignored or suppressed. What’s the secret behind the Hunza’s thriving health? The answer lies in their harmonious relationship with nature—and what nature has always provided.

1. Near-Zero Rates of Cancer and Chronic Illness

The Hunza people are known to live well into their 90s and even beyond 100, remaining strong, mentally sharp, and physically active well into old age. Western researchers and anthropologists who have visited the valley over the years have been astounded by the Hunza’s vitality and absence of the chronic diseases that plague modern societies, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Studies from the early and mid-20th century revealed that the Hunza people didn’t just live long lives; they lived healthy lives. Their active, disease-free existence left researchers wondering: what is their secret?

2. A Diet Rich in Apricot Kernels (B17)

One of the core elements of the Hunza’s diet that stood out to researchers is their consumption of apricot kernels. These kernels are packed with amygdalin, or vitamin B17, a compound that has been controversial in modern medicine. Despite its association with cancer prevention in certain circles, amygdalin was banned in the United States by pharmaceutical interests, largely due to its ability to break down into cyanide, which can be toxic in high amounts.

However, when consumed in appropriate amounts, amygdalin is theorized to selectively target and kill cancer cells, offering potential cancer-fighting properties. In the Hunza diet, apricot kernels were a daily staple—whether raw, as a dried fruit, or in the form of cold-pressed apricot kernel oil. This food source not only provided healthy fats but also played a crucial role in their disease resistance.

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The Natural Chemotherapy Compound: Amygdalin (B17)

Amygdalin, found in apricot kernels, has often been heralded as a "natural chemotherapy." When ingested, it breaks down into three components:

• Hydrogen cyanide (in small, targeted doses)
• Benzaldehyde
• Glucose

Cancer cells are more vulnerable to cyanide due to their higher metabolism and lack of protective enzymes, making this compound selectively toxic to tumors without harming healthy cells. The idea behind this is simple yet powerful: cyanide kills cancer cells from the inside, acting like biological chemotherapy. But, in a shocking turn, the very compound that offers a potential natural cancer therapy was banned in the U.S. in the 1970s because it posed a threat to the pharmaceutical industry's profits. 

The War on Natural Cancer Treatments

In the 1970s, Laetrile, a concentrated form of amygdalin, began to gain attention as a potential natural cancer therapy. Patients reported tumor shrinkage, remission, and improved quality of life. But this posed a direct threat to the pharmaceutical industry, which makes billions from cancer treatments. The FDA banned Laetrile in 1977, multiple states outlawed B17, and even clinics offering this natural remedy were raided, with doctors facing legal threats. Why? Because natural treatments like B17 couldn’t be patented and therefore couldn’t generate the massive profits chemotherapy treatments do. This was never about safety- for example, and in sharp contrast, legislation such as the The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 shielded vaccine manufacturers from liability due to death and injury of children prioritizing corporate profits over children's safety.

Even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted studies on Laetrile, but critics argue these studies were flawed by improper dosages, poor patient selection, and a refusal to acknowledge the benefits of holistic treatments like detox and raw food protocols, which had been shown to improve outcomes when combined with Laetrile.

3. Raw, Clean, Seasonal, and Alkaline Diet

The Hunza’s diet was refreshingly simple and nourishing. Unlike the heavily processed, sugar-laden diets of the modern world, the Hunza people consumed:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Soaked and sprouted grains and legumes
• Raw goat milk, yogurt, and cheese
• Little to no meat (perhaps once a month)
• Foods rich in minerals, particularly from glacial water (rich in fulvic acid)

 

 

Their diet was organic, alkaline, and nutrient-dense—far from the highly-caloric, industrialized foods consumed by much of the modern world. The Hunza didn’t just eat for sustenance; their food was medicine, providing the nutrients necessary for disease prevention and longevity. Crucially, they didn’t consume processed foods, seed oils, or sugar, all of which are believed to contribute to chronic disease in modern societies.

4. A Lifestyle Rooted in Fasting, Movement, and Peace

In addition to their wholesome diet, the Hunza people embraced a lifestyle that promoted physical and mental well-being. One of their key practices was regular fasting. Many Hunza people would eat only 1–2 meals per day, which is thought to contribute to their longevity by promoting cellular repair and regeneration.

Movement was a natural part of daily life, as the Hunza people walked mountainous terrain and engaged in farming activities, keeping their bodies active and strong. This daily movement, combined with their low-stress lifestyle—where community, family, and respect for elders were central—allowed them to maintain both physical and mental health into their later years.

Unlike the stress-filled lives of many modern individuals, the Hunza experienced low levels of anxiety and high levels of community support. There was little exposure to modern toxins such as electromagnetic fields (EMFs), GMOs, or fluoridated water, and the dependency on pharmaceutical drugs was virtually nonexistent.

5. The Hunza: A Forgotten Secret to Health

Throughout the 20th century, the Hunza people were extensively studied by renowned researchers like Dr. Robert McCarrison, Dr. G.L. Walden, and Dr. Ralph Bircher. These doctors documented the Hunza’s exceptional health and longevity, hoping to uncover the secret behind their well-being. However, their findings didn’t align with the pharmaceutical model that dominated Western medicine, so much of this data was either suppressed or ignored.

Despite the evidence gathered in the 1920s–1970s, the Hunza people’s lifestyle and health practices were dismissed or labeled as "anecdotal," leaving the world to overlook the potential lessons they could offer.

6. Something to think about

The Hunza people weren’t genetically superior—they simply lived in harmony with the natural laws of health. Their mineral-rich water, daily intake of B17 from apricot kernels, consumption of raw, living food, regular fasting, and low-stress lifestyle all contributed to their remarkable health and longevity.

Their existence challenges the conventional narrative that disease is random or inevitable. In fact, their way of life serves as a reminder that much of the chronic illness we face today is man-made, driven by toxic food systems, environmental stressors, and a disconnection from nature’s healing potential.

Big Pharma profits from the treatment of chronic diseases, but they are unlikely to ever support the research or promotion of natural cures that cannot be patented and sold for profit. The Hunza offer a glimpse into a world where healing comes not from synthetic drugs, but from the earth itself. Their lifestyle serves as a blueprint for a healthier, longer life—a life that is rooted in simplicity, self-sufficiency, and respect for the natural world.

References:

1. McCarrison, R. (1920s). The Hunza and Their Health.
2. Walden, G.L. (1940s). Dietary Patterns in the Hunza People.
3. Bircher, R. (1950s). Hunza Diet and Longevity Studies.
4. National Cancer Institute. (1981). Laetrile Trials and Results: A Report.