We knew the Gallic village, much less that of the centenarians. To meet them, just cross the border and go to the Gulf of Salerno, south of Naples. There, in this village of 700 souls, live peacefully 81 people aged 100 or more. With an average life expectancy of 92 years for women and 85 for men, Acciaroli has not failed to attract the attention of scientists.
For six months, says The Parisian, researchers from the San Diego School of Medicine (United States) and the University of La Sapienza (Italy) went in search of the elixir of youth. And conducted a study on 80 people including 25 centenarians. None had Alzheimer’s disease.
It is in the plate that they lifted part of the mystery. “We only eat healthy things,” says one of the centenarians. Fish, vegetables grown by the inhabitants themselves, a drizzle of olive oil, here, the simple recipes of the Mediterranean diet are applied to the letter. And the advice of doctors too. In this village sheltered by the mountains, the steep streets invite the inhabitants to a daily physical activity. Which continues, moreover, in the evening! “A lot of older people also seem to be sexually active,” confirms Alan Maisel, a cardiovascular disease specialist at the University of San Diego.
The genetic heritage of the inhabitants of Acciaroli would be one of the keys to their longevity. “Centenarians may have a gene benefiting from the beneficial effects of certain products consumed on a daily basis”, explains the newspaper. Professor Maisel points to rosemary “which improves the capacities of the brain”.
If we add that, in this Italian village, we live far from stress and pollution, we then begin to glimpse the recipe for the magic potion.
