The Greek Paradox and Lessons on Longevity

For the last 10 days I’ve had the privilege of spending time with some friends in Greece. It reinforced in me some things regarding how to live a good life and also explained some paradoxes of how many people live longer and, in many ways, better than we do in the US despite not following what would be considered perfect longevity practices.

In the span of human history, there has not been a nation with more wealth than that possessed by the United States of America today. We are materially better off in the US than almost any nation on earth. In terms of material possessions, we lead the way. Most of us live in a home with multiple TVs, cell phones, fast internet, air conditioning and heat adjusted to that perfect temperature, running hot and cold water, several vehicles to drive, and the list goes on and on.

In Greece it is not unusual to find homes, and some hotels, minimizing the use of air conditioning even in the heat of summer. From an economic standpoint, the average Greek citizen earns roughly €24,000 ($28,000 USD) per year, compared with approximately $80,000 USD per year in the United States. Greeks certainly pay much more in taxes (value added taxes and social insurance contributions) but also get much as citizens for those taxes. They provide benefits that many Americans pay for separately, including universal healthcare, heavily subsidized higher education, generous maternity and family leave, public pensions, and an extensive public transportation system.

While no system is perfect, it serves as a reminder that wealth is measured not only by what we individually own, but also by what a society collectively provides for its citizens.

Despite that material wealth and comfort, we find ourselves lagging in many metrics of health. I compared several health metrics between Greece and the United States using data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The most recent OECD data has the United States lagging Greece in several important health outcomes:

• Life expectancy: 78.4 years in the United States vs. 81.8 years in Greece.

• Infant mortality: 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in the United States vs. 3.3 per 1,000 in Greece.

• Maternal mortality: Approximately 22 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the United States compared with just 3–4 per 100,000 in Greece.

• Suicide rates: Approximately 15 deaths per 100,000 population in the United States compared with 5 per 100,000 in Greece.

I’ve written about the lagging health metrics in the US compared to other wealthy countries elsewhere.

Paradoxes include eating way past what is considered healthy (like much of Europe) with dinners often starting after 8 (in Greece often due to the heat) and finishing after 11pm. Close to 25% of the population smokes, as is evident by the public areas filled with ashtrays and people lighting up. Their diet, while certainly Mediterranean in practice, is heavy on fats, both saturated (feta cheese-fresh and baked) as well as unsaturated with Greek olive oil being a staple at most meals. The most amusing thing I found was the inclusion of fries in many meals at restaurants, perhaps an acknowledgement of the influence of American culture. Thankfully, except for those fries, processed foods were rarely seen.

What I did notice, both in the cities and small towns, was a palpable feeling of connection. Seeing people of all ages sitting and talking for what appeared to be hours on end. While cell phones were present, they were not what consumed people. Teenagers walking arm in arm engaged in conversations and not isolated by devices. Younger kids running around playing, returning to their parents and relatives and off again to explore on their own.

On reflecting on all of this, the most striking fact to me is where we place the highest priority on efficiency, they place on building relationships.

Yes, we were in some tourist areas but watching the Greek people, from the workers in the coffee shops and cafes, to the old men sitting around the piazzas talking, it was clear. In America we send texts instead of speaking on the phone, an email instead of a face-to-face meeting, not to mention Zoom in place of group get togethers, all in the service of efficiency. What a shame.

What we have gained in the name of efficiency and wealth we have lost in the fabric of what bonds us together as human beings. As I have gotten older, I have realized more than ever the importance of building your tribe becomes critical both for myself and my patients. Those negative impacts, sadly, now extend to our children and the rising rates of anxiety and depression we are witnessing in the younger generations in the United States.

The lesson I took home from Greece isn't that smoking is good for you or that eating dinner at 10 p.m. is the secret to longevity. Rather, it's a reminder that health is far more than biomarkers, supplements, and the latest longevity technology. Community matters. Purpose matters. Family matters. Sitting around a table for three hours talking with people you love matters.

Perhaps in our pursuit of becoming more efficient, we've forgotten how to become more connected. And maybe, just maybe, that's one of the greatest longevity lessons Greece still has to teach us.