St. Lucia is one of those incredibleCaribbean islands that draws you in with its stunning beaches, tropical weather, and unspoiled landscape. That was the reason I took a recent trip there andupon my arrival, it was everything I expected. But, there was one thing I keptnoticing over and over that I didn’t expect. During my stay atCapella Marigot Bay Resort & Marina, everyone I came into contact with looked 10 to 20 years younger than their actual age. It had me wondering -- could St. Lucia be home tothe Fountain of Youth? I had to find out their secrets.

My first glimpse of this strange phenomenon came when Itook a body scrub making class with spa specialist Freda Baptiste. As she wascarefully explaining the ingredients to mix into the concoction, I couldn’t help but notice herflawless skin. Thinking she was in her 20s, I asked her skin secrets and cameto learn she was in fact 39 years old! How did she seemingly defy the effects of age?

“I usedifferent herbs on my skin,” Freda told me. “For instance, we use neem, which isan anti-aging, antibacterial, and anti-viral herb, and we do have all of thoseplants growing around the property. We use everything natural to create all theproducts from scratch, and we don’t use any parabens, silicones, fillers, orfragrances. I use plant extracts and natural oils to help the skin work fromthe inside out.”

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And it wasn’t just the beauty expert who seemed to turn back the clocks; the on-site rum expert Denis shocked me when he

said he’d been working in the industry for 30 years. “I always make the joke

that rum is a preservative,” Denis, 53, told me. “Really the best preservative

for the human body is to live life at peace with yourself, enjoy your job, what

you do…bring that to you every day in your personal life, and to your work

life, and you will live a long and happy life.”

Denis also revealed he eats a lot of fish and no meat or anything

fried. “I basically eat salad and only local-grown food, which is very healthy,”

he added. “That’s all! Then you’re going to look as beautiful and thin as me

and still drink rum. It sounds funny, but it’s true.”

In fact, upon talking to more locals, this

eating style and use of natural products is standard practice across the

island. Freda even admitted that her first visit to the doctor was when she was

20 years old and pregnant with her son. Before that, she found every remedy she needed in her backyard. “Medication was our grandparents’ specialty, from joint pains, to

belly aches, a special monthly remedy, suffering from gas or the common cold — there was a herb in her back yard for that,” added Freda. “Doctors

were rarely visited and the natural remedies were almost overnight fixes, putting you back up by the next day.”

The trend for hundreds of years has

been to juice all fruits into a health smoothie and add local cashew nuts for that boost of energy. And if they’re feeling run down, locals run straight

for a freshly chopped coconut and revive themselves by drinking the water and

eating the soft jelly interior.

“From my stand point, Saint Lucians

believe in indigenous items — from food, beverages, and medication,” a local

told me. “Our ancestors were strong farmers of all fruits, vegetables, and

ground provisions, hence we tend to each a Breadfruit Pie over a processed

macaroni pie as it has all the natural ingredients. Our fruits are fresh and

straight out of a tree and for those who aren’t privileged with fruit trees in

their backyards, early morning stops to the local market before work is common.”

So, while I learned there’s no spring filled with magical

water to keep you young, the St. Lucians prove that a relaxed way of life,

homeopathic remedies, and all-natural cooking are the secrets to looking half

your age. Perhaps we should all try to live a little more on island time.

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