ItalyDrinking wine from local vineyards, and eating organic vegetables and meat grown in fertile fields is the secret to a long life for the people of Sardinia.
The island of Sardinia, Italy, has the highest life expectancy rate in the world. On the island, about six out of every 2.000 to 3.000 people live to be centenarians, said Valter Longo, director of the University of Southern California Longevity Institute. Besides, the number of hundred-year-old men is also more than women. This is considered rare because the average life expectancy of men is mostly lower than that of women.
“Demographically, the region is different because men live an unusually long life. In the United States, for every man living to the age of 5, there are 1 women of the same age. In Sardinia, it's 1:XNUMX," said Dr. Dan Buettner, an expert on the world's Longevity Green Zones.
He pointed to a number of reasons why people in Sardinia were able to live long and healthy lives.
Drink wine
In recent years, the eating habits of the Sardinians have become more diverse. It is the result of a wave of immigrants, bringing their own cooking style to the island.
However, one key ingredient that has always remained in Sardinian cuisine is canonau wine, with its exceptionally high antioxidant content. According to Sebastian Piras, photographer and filmmaker from Sardinia, this traditional wine is made from the Grenache grape variety. Bottles of local vineyard canonau, even without a label. Bars usually serve them in a medium-sized glass.
Previous research has shown that drinking a glass of red wine a day helps prevent heart disease, even cancer. Scientists have shown that drinking a little or moderate amount of alcohol helps reduce stress, improves blood circulation. Alcohol components may reduce the risk of certain diseases such as stroke, upper gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and hip fractures.
“Farmer Dishes”
According to Dr. Buettner, Sardinian cuisine is described as "the food of the peasants". Food is mainly beans, green vegetables, whole grains. People also love bread and cheese, mainly Pecorino. The Sardinians often consumed foods grown in their own gardens.
In his hometown of Barbagia, in the 1970s, families used to eat homemade pasta, pork or lamb, Piras said.
“In the area where I live, meat is the main ingredient in the diet. Specialties here are suckling pig, lamb and beef. Vegetables are mainly radish, dill, celery, very basic. Depending on the crop, we also eat wild asparagus. They have a very strong flavor, which is different from the ones in the US,” he said.
However, according to Dr. Buettner, food only accounts for 25% of the longevity factors in Sardinia. The important secret to people living to a hundred years old is daily exercise. Due to the steep, mountainous terrain and typical shepherd's lifestyle, the people of Sardinia are always in a state of low- and moderate-intensity exercise, albeit unintentionally.
Lunch is the biggest meal of the day
Sardinians enjoy a hearty lunch, complete with appetizers, main meals and desserts, served with salads, homemade pasta and Pecorino cheese. Despite being busy working, people often try to have lunch with their families. After the meal, they take a nap and go back to work.
At dinner, Sardinians usually eat less and later than usual. Breakfast has many sweets, eat early. What all foods have in common is simplicity. “Even wealthy families, meals are very simple. We don't use as many ingredients as the original Italian dishes. And we eat very fresh food,” said Piras.
Elderly people talking at the island of Sardinia. Image: CBS
Respect seniors
Unlike in the US, where the elderly live in isolation in nursing homes or retirement centers, Sardinians do not set a specific retirement age. They create opportunities for seniors to work.
“One thing that Americans need to learn from the Sardinians is that they are aware that the elderly have intellectual property. They respect that wisdom, whether it's general experience or specific understanding of how to plant, when to plant seeds, how to deal with drought, pests and diseases," Buettner said.
Elderly people are not only respected for their long life, they are given the same working conditions as other family members.
“Families here would be embarrassed to put their parents in a nursing home. When the elderly stay at home, they tend to the garden, clean the house, cook or take care of the children," Buettner said.
Piras still regularly visits his hometown despite living in New York City. Normally, a family in Sardinia will have three generations living together, he said. If the elderly move to another place, the family will check on them every day. The relationship between the members is extremely friendly and tight.
Thuc Linh (Follow NBC News)
