August 3, 2023

A group of undergraduate and graduate students traveled to Greece recently for the annual immersive experience program. Run by the Department of Nutrition Sciences at Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, Nyree Dardarian, EdD, an assistant clinical professor and director of the Center for Nutrition & Performance, and Andrea Irvine at the Center for Nutrition & Performance students to Ikaria. They had a packed schedule to learn more about one of the world’s five Blue Zones. There were presentations and lively discussions about the role food has in their society, and health and wellness. The group also had opportunities to visit mineral springs, beehives and learn about herbs while hiking up a mountain.

Here are some of the things students said about their trip.

The innovative global immersion program focuses on longevity and wellness through diet and cultural practices of the local people living in this Blue Zone.

Highlights of the trip for me included a welcome dinner featuring traditional meat-less dishes, a cooking class with a local Blue Zone expert, visiting beehives and honey distributor, the instructional seminars with Dr. Peggy Pelosi and Annie Constantinides (Athens Community School), and the visit to hot mineral springs.

Ani Dardarian, BS, Nursing (June 2025)

We traveled to the island’s most popular spa town called Therma. There, we visited one of the mineral springs with the highest concentration of a mineral called radon. This mineral is known for its many benefits for the body including, but not limited to, muscle relaxation and stress reduction. We also met fellow Americans who were regulars to the springs. One woman even told us that she suffers from osteoporosis and believes that the springs helped significantly improve her mobility. Overall, the mineral springs in Ikaria are definitely a sight to see and have the potential to become the island’s top tourist attraction.

Amber Conner, BS, Nutrition and Foods (June 2023)

Beehives are one of the main lifelines of the Ikarian culture and longevity. We embarked on an adventure to discover how honey plays a part on the island by visiting the beehives and processing facility. Commercial agriculture does not exist on the island resulting in bees feeding on the natural herbs and wildflowers native to the land. In the untouched mountains, bees go to work to make the antioxidant-rich honey that supports the lifestyle of the Ikarian people.

Shay Fisher, BS, Nutrition and Foods (June 2023)

Due to their tremendous health benefits, Ikarians regularly include fresh and dried herbs in the cuisines they prepare. To learn more about the intimate relationship between food sourcing and longevity, we went on a steep hike up a mountain while learning about natural herbs that grow on the Island. Our guide explained to us that this trail stretches over 40 miles from the east to west side of the Island. Luckily for us, we only traveled about a mile. In this short stretch, we were able to see several fresh herbs including sage, thyme and rosemary. The guide also explained the importance of these herbs as they were regularly the only source of food for the Island’s inhabitants. It was crucial that they learned what vegetation was available for food and how to prepare it in a healthy and safe way.

Ikaria now passes many laws and regulations to preserve the natural state of the plant-life. For example, farmers must keep their goats and other grazing animals off the trail to ensure that they do not graze on precious herbs. It is also necessary that individuals obtain a certification that allows them to pick natural herbs to insure that people do not destroy the wildlife. Above all, this excursion taught us that eating seasonal foods, living off the land and having a close relationship with food is key to the longevity of the Ikarian people.

Jason Brodo, MS Nutrition and Dietetics (June 2023)

During one of our seminars, we were able to discuss the benefits of an active lifestyle with Annie Constantinides, the director of Athletics at ACS Athens. Constantinides emphasized the importance of making activity part of your regular routine to allow for sharper focus, reduced stress and improved sleeping habits. During the second part of the session, Dr. Peggy Pelonis, who is the president at ACS Athens and previously worked as a licensed psychiatrist, discussed the importance of holistic wellbeing and building psychological muscle to help cope with failure and stressors that may contribute to mental health issues. Pelonis emphasized these ideas throughout various activities focusing on defining our own life story and the change process.

Casie M. Hartman, MS Nutrition and Dietetics (December 2023)