Acciaroli, an idyllic seaside village in southern Italy, looks like a pretty dreamy place to live.
With its pretty stone houses, proximity to beaches and picturesque harbour, it has plenty of appeal.
But there’s another reason you might want to consider moving to Acciaroli.
Dubbed the ‘Land of Eternal Youth’, one in ten residents in the tiny village live to be 100, an impressive statistic that has fascinated scientists.
The villagers’ remarkable longevity once made them the focus of a six-month research program by Rome’s Sapienza University and the San Diego School of Medicine.
The scientists discovered that the village’s healthy seniors had incredible blood circulation which matched that of younger people.
Blood samples from the villagers revealed that the residents had extremely low levels of adrenomedullin, a hormone that can cause blood vessels to narrow and lead to health issues when levels of it are too high.
Alan Maisel, a professor of medicine at the San Diego School of Medicine, said at the time: ‘Older people usually produce an increasing level of the hormone adrenomedullin to keep the flow circulating. The system kicks up levels of the hormone to attempt to compensate for the less effective circulation, a bit like squeezing blood out of a turnip.’
Dubbed the ‘Land of Eternal Youth’, one in 10 residents in the tiny village of Acciaroli live to be 100, an impressive statistic that has fascinated scientists
The villagers’ remarkable longevity once made them the focus of a six-month research program by Rome’s Sapienza University and the San Diego School of Medicine
And the reason for Acciaroli’s low adrenomedullin levels?
Rosemary, a common herb used to add flavour to meals.
Dr Maisel said: ‘Everybody eats rosemary. They all grow it, they use it as a garnish and they use it in oils. They eat a lot and it’s packed with compounds that possibly help micro-circulation.’
Scientific studies have also shown that rosemary ‘helps the function of the brain’ added Dr Maisal.
And the village’s centenarians were generally found to be enjoying a healthy life.
Acciaroli’s residents didn’t tend to suffer from common age-related health problems, such as cataracts and Alzheimer’s.
Dr Maisal explained: ‘We found almost no cataracts, which is pretty amazing, no osteoporosis and little Alzheimer’s – and good micro-circulation may contribute to all of that.’
Even though the study found that many of the villagers were overweight and smokers, they also tended to engage in lots of physical activity, such as gardening and walking.
Dr Maisel said: ‘Everybody eats rosemary. They all grow it, they use it as a garnish and they use it in oils. They eat a lot and it’s packed with compounds that possibly help micro-circulation
Acciaroli’s residents didn’t tend to suffer from common age-related health problems, such as cataracts and Alzheimer’s
The villagers’ Mediterranean diet and Acciaroli’s remote location, away from motorways, could also help to contribute to low stress levels.
Residents tended to eat a lot of fresh fish and fruit and vegetables grown in their own gardens.
And it’s not the only destination where residents enjoy a long life. Dan Buettner, a researcher, has uncovered several ‘Blue Zones’ where people are much more likely to live to 100.
Buettner found that in each of the five destinations, people tend to have their health boosted by their choice of diet.
