Food & Lifestyle Habits of the Oldest Peoples on Earth

2/7 Previous Next

© Getty Images

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia may be best known for its picturesque white sand beaches and breathtaking blue waters, although it's lesser known and not as popular as the island of Sicily or mainland Italy. Beyond its coastal beauty lie stunning mountainous villages, some of which are home to men with the longest life expectancy in the world. The women live long here, too, but men living past 100 is rarely seen in the rest of the world. Generations of its residents have also succeeded in passing down the M26 marker, which gives rise to exceptional longevity. So aside from genetics, what keeps them alive for so long? It appears to be a combination of the following:

• Eating locally off the land, including a diet high in homegrown complex carbohydrates and mostly plant-based foods.
• Regular activity, such as sheep herding (covering up to 5 miles walking per day) and physical labor (farming, chopping wood).
• Close-knit family culture, with younger generations committed to caring for their elders.