Does one small Italian village in Italy hold the key to the fountain of youth? Could it be as simple as healthy eating and lots of sex? Scientist have been fascinated with the Italian village Acciaroli where 81 of its 700 residents are 100 years or older. And in a world where women usually outlive men, the centurions in this village are split evenly. The locals are free from heart disease, dementia and other ailments associated with aging. Their diets are mostly Mediterranean based on olive oil, vegetables, fruit and fish. They eat rosemary every day, which is known to improve brain function, lead an energetic lifestyle due to the steep streets and have an active sex life.
Another aspect of biochemistry may also play a role. Lower-than-normal levels of adrenomedullin, a hormone that acts to widen blood vessels were found in these villagers. This seems to act as a powerful protecting factor, helping the optimal development of microcirculation (capillary circulation), according to the scientists at Rome’s Sapienza University and the San Diego School of Medicine. They have decided to extend the study and expand their research. We can’t wait to find out more from this amazing village!
News brief written by Michelle Gottfried, nutrition team.
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled Younger You as well as a companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
Additional publications
It’s going to be a combination of things, including genetics and lifestyle. I was just listening to Grace Liu and she was saying that in centurions they find a certain gut bacteria, they don’t find in the microbiome of non centurions. I was listening to NIcki Gratix discuss how traumatic events have a definitive impact on longevity and disease. In late September here, the World Health Organization had an article stating that 92% of the worlds populations are affected by air pollution. I would more suspect the sex thing is because they are healthy, energetic, open, unreserved and less stressed out, of course nutritious proper food intake is huge for longevity.
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It’s going to be a combination of things, including genetics and lifestyle. I was just listening to Grace Liu and she was saying that in centurions they find a certain gut bacteria, they don’t find in the microbiome of non centurions. I was listening to NIcki Gratix discuss how traumatic events have a definitive impact on longevity and disease. In late September here, the World Health Organization had an article stating that 92% of the worlds populations are affected by air pollution. I would more suspect the sex thing is because they are healthy, energetic, open, unreserved and less stressed out, of course nutritious proper food intake is huge for longevity.