Vilcabamba (Ecuador)
Coordinates: 4 ° 15 ′ S , 79 ° 13 ′ W
Vilcabamba is a place in the Ecuadorian province of Loja . It is 1,600 meters above sea level and has a mild year-round climate in the temperature range between 18 and 28 ° C. The rainy season is from October to May and the dry season from June to September. Vilcabamba has about 4200 inhabitants.
The term Vilcabamba comes from Quechua and means "sacred valley" ( vilca = "holy", bamba = "valley"). The modern settlement was founded on September 1st, 1756 by Luis Fernando de la Vega .
Long life expectancy
Vilcabamba is known for an allegedly high life expectancy of its inhabitants, it is also called the valley of the centenarians . Although this is doubted in scientific studies (see section Scientific investigation ), some scientists attribute the phenomenon to a negative ion charge in the air, others to the mineral composition of the water . The climate or diet and the constant movement of the residents are also possible reasons. Esotericists suspected that the "heart of the earth" was in this place.
Some people in Vilcabamba reportedly lived to 120 years old in full health despite drinking alcohol and then died a quick, natural death without serious illness . This led to the valley being marketed for tourism under the name Valley of Longevity , the main street of Vilcabamba being called Avenida de la Eterna Juventud ( Spanish , avenue of eternal youth ).
Scientific research
A study carried out by Richard Mazess and Sylvia Forman in 1979 came to the conclusion that there is an average life expectancy in Vilcabamba. They identified an exaggeration of their age systematically carried out by the elderly villagers as the cause of the supposed longevity. A comparison of various documents and a self-carried out data collection showed that z. For example, at the age of 61, resident Miguel Carpio said he was 70. Five years later he said he was 80, and at the age of 87 he claimed to be 121. Another study carried out by Mazess in 1982 with Ralph Mathisen confirmed this result. The researchers drew up life tables that showed that the average life expectancy of people born in the United States in the 1930s was comparable.
Nature in the Vilcabamba region
The Las Palmas forest reserve, established in 1999 in the Vilcabamba region, contains flora with various trees and orchids , over 180 species of birds, as well as waterfalls and lakes. Due to the different altitudes, there are 5 climate zones in the region.
tourism
In Vilcabamba, an extensive range of tourism has emerged in recent years, which advertises both longevity and nature.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Ricardo Coler: "El libro del sábado: Eterna juventud, vivir 120 años" ( Memento of the original from March 14, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (2008)
- ↑ In the valley of the centenarians tagesspiegel.de
- ↑ Vilcabamba, Ecuador's valley of longevity ( Memento of the original from May 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. aarpinternational.org; Retrieved May 3, 2011
- ↑ a b The Facts of Death; McCarthy, Tony; ISBN 978-0-9554376-0-1 ; at Google Books
- ↑ The Origins of Native Americans: Evidence from Anthropological Genetics; Crawford, Michael H .; ISBN 978-0-521-00410-7 ; at Google Books
- ↑ A REVISED METHOD FOR THE CALCULATION OF LIFE EXPECTANCY TABLES FROM INDIVIDUAL DEATH RECORDS WHICH PROVIDES INCREASED ACCURACY AT ADVANCED AGES; 1981; Mathisen, Ralph W .; Mazess, Richard B.; Human Biology. 53: 1 (1981: Feb.) 35; ISSN 0018-7143 ; DKFZ
- ^ Lack of Unusual Longevity in Vilcabamba, Ecuador; 1982; Mathisen, Ralph W .; Mazess, Richard B .; Human biology. 54: 3 (1982: Sept.) 517; ISSN 0018-7143 ; DKFZ
- ↑ Travel brochures in Cuenca about Vilcabamba 2012
