Life lessons from a community of happy, healthy centenarians
It’s not often you get to witness pleasure and celebration in ageing, certainly not in the average Western community.
Visiting Sardinia (a designated ‘Blue Zone’) for my holiday this year opened my eyes to the joy, positivity and purpose that ageing can bring. Aging for a Sardinian does not bring to mind deteriorating health, loneliness, depression or dread as it may do in our culture and society, rather something to embrace and look forward to.
I have learned some valuable lessons from my travels and here I will share with you how and why a few select villages in the Barbagia region of Sardinia have been selected to join four other special locations around the world, called Blue Zones. These are areas of the world which have not only the longest-lived communities, but also the most healthy and content.
Sardinia’s Blue Zone Lessons:
Eat a lean, plant-based diet
The traditional Sardinian diet is not classically ‘Mediterranean’, they don’t eat much fish, and they have very little dairy. Their typical bread is in a thin, dry cracker form, made from semolina, and they eat it regularly with lots of sheep or goats cheese, especially pecorino. Whole grains, mixed beans and garden vegetables often feature in their soups and casseroles. Meat is reserved for Sundays or special occasions.
Put family first
Sardinian’s have strong family values. They live close to together and enjoy the benefits of inter-generational living, such as caring for each other and being cared for. This helps reduce stress, depression, loneliness and suicide.
Drink goats milk
Goat milk products have anti-inflammatory properties which may help reduce cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s.
Celebrate elders
Around the village I explored, the pin-ups on walls round town were the elders of the community that had reached 100! Grandparents provide love, care, wisdom and inspire the children to push themselves and succeed in life.
Take a walk amongst hills and gradients
Walking 5 miles a day in the mountains as the Sardinian shepherds do, provide all the cardiovascular and strength training benefits you might expect, and has a beneficial effect on bone density and muscle mass.
Drink a glass of red wine a day in good company
Look for a flavonoid rich red wine, such as Cannonau, gather with friends and enjoy a few glasses connecting with each other and laughing away your worries and stress. Men in Sardinia are famous for their sardonic sense of humour, and laughing with and at each other may explain the lower levels of stress amongst men and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
I know my top take-home will be to embrace ageing more and to remind myself what a privilege it is to age, sadly denied to so many. I will endeavour to age well, and commit to applying these lessons to my life in order to not only live longer, but to live a healthy life, full of purpose and passion. Which Sardinian lesson can you bring to enrich your life and improve not only your life-span but also your health-span?
On a separate note, the Womo Women’s Health course returns in October, be sure to book your place early, places are limited to 12 and they are already filling. To find out more, take a look at my ad in the Forum and visit www.the-sop.com/womo for bookings.
Emma Wightman
www.the-sop.com