Sardinia Home to the Worlds Largest Number of Centenarians Some researchers believe the Italian Island of Sardinia was part of the ancient lost continent of Atlantis. Millions of years ago, shifting tectonic plates jiggled Sardinia and Corsica from the tip of Europe, leaving the landmass to drift toward the North African plate and splinter in two. The resulting bumper-car ride around the sea carved out a spectacularly rugged coastline. Sardinia’s rock formations are older, often more crystalline than those found in Italy. The older the region, the more mysterious its past and the imposing “Giants Tombs,” concentrated mainly in the interior of the island, raise many questions. Built from stone slabs that measure up to 30 meters high, these structures were said to be burial chambers built by giants with supernatural powers. If instead they were built by humans, what technology existed at the time that would facilitate pushing boulders into the bull-like shapes that frame the tomb’s entrances? Then there are the Nuraghi, stone beehive structures. The island is dotted with thousands of these Bronze Age buildings, which range from hobbit-like burrows to 20m tall cylindrical towers that extend into a labyrinth of passages. A complex of six nuraghi, classified as a world heritage site, remains in southern Sardinia, near Barumini. Were they fortresses, meeting halls or temples? Visitors may find it hard to pry the secrets out of the tightly wedged stones.The bronze-age figurines of chiefs and warriors, housed in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Cagliari, may provide clues to this pre-historic culture. Sardinia is also home to the largest number of centenarians in the world. While women centenarians outnumber men four to one in most developed parts of the world, the ratio in some parts here is one to one. But it’s not just about living long, these Italian men also retained their vigor and vitality longer than men almost anywhere else. Sardinia is an island located 120 miles west of mainland Italy and has a population of 1.6 million people. While it consists of many small villages, the highest concentration of centenarians is among the hilly central area, where people are a bit more isolated – which actually may be one of the contributing factors to their longevity in that there is less pressure to adapt. Their lifestyle has not changed much over the centuries and thus enables them to maintain their traditional social values: respect for elders as a source of experience, and the importance of the family clan. It appears diet also plays an important role, as does environment and lifestyle (which is proving to be more important than genetics as many research studies show) in explaining the longevity of Sardinians. The mountainous terrain and rough pastureland serves both as a food source (they eat out of their garden, make their own cheese, and only have meat on Sunday) and work place where people eke out a living from the rugged land by raising sheep and goat. It’s also easy to see why residents here are physically fit -- one trip to a friend’s house or the local market is a workout equal to, or more rigorous than a half hour on a Stair Master. Goat’s milk may be another Sardinia longevity elixir due to the proteins and fatty acids found in it that may help protect people from some of the typical diseases of aging. Sardinian men also believe strongly in the importance of having purpose in their life – be it the fields and animals they tend to or the family they revere, without these priorities they say they would be sitting in the house doing nothing. They have a very strong work ethic and believe in the benefits of being active and productive well into their 80s and 90s, continuing to contribute and taking care of their family. “La famiglia” is the most important thing in their lives – their primary purpose in life. Many live in mult-generational settings and often share many meals, if not every meal together. Yet in America, too often, seniors live apart from their children and grandchildren, usually in an effort not to be a “burden.” However, being embraced by family, feeling loved and having a sense of belonging can provide significant health advantages – also likely contributing to the longevity here. In fact, 95 percent of Sardinian centenarians have a daughter and/or granddaughter to care for them if and when needed – and they also serve as the role models of the family. Overall, it’s likely that the male Sardinian centenarian secret is ultimately tied to stress – or the lack thereof. They seem to carry their burdens differently, while maintaining a temperament that is generally quiet, kind, and sensitive to the natural flow of life. They also know how to shed stress when/if they have it and their work is not only something they enjoy, but it involves physical activity, which certainly helps relieve the effects of stress too. In Sardinia, aging is revered – the older you are, the more you are celebrated. People are proud of their age, and others are proud of them, too. There’s even a Sardinian greeting, “Akea” which means, “May you live to 100!” Sardinian centenarians are actually treated like celebrities -- everybody in town knows them and on tavern walls, instead of posters of bikinied women or fast cars, you’ll see calendars featuring the “Centenarian of the Month.”
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 08:20:09 +0000
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