Blue Zones of Sardinia

I hadn’t studied it very carefully, but I understood that the entire island of Sardinia was a Blue Zone, with lots of Sardinians living to a very old age. The fantastic fish available everywhere couldn’t hurt.

April of this year, we visited for several days, and stayed in Sant’Antioco (southwest, and fairly small), Bosa (west, small, and considered one of the hundred most beautiful villages in Italy), and Cagliari (capital city, and where we flew in and out). Those aren’t any that you mentioned, but we ate at tiny restaurants in each, and did see some older folks, but not tons. Then again, every town in Italy has a bench on the piazza where older gentleman sit and chat.

During our stay, we visited Cagliari and stayed on the west coast (in a very small hamlet called Pistis). I believe the Blue Zone corresponds to the Barbagia area. I don't know what the roads on those mountains are like, but we went from Chia to Giba on a mountain road, and it is very slow going. Luckily there was not traffic and the road seemed to have less potholes that the highway.

One thing we noticed when driving was how we would be driving along for a while, nice flat straight roads, and suddenly it seemed that we were going through some mountains. The drive from Bosa to Alghero is only about 50 km, but it takes an hour to do it. Beautiful views of the sea, but slow going. So in the end, you have to take into account how you feel driving along curvy mountain roads.

@Cyn mentioned Bosa. We stayed there too, and it is very nice and relatively small, 7500 people. There is a small pedestrian center, with a castle, and also a nice walk along the river.

We also liked Oristano but that is a bit bigger, at 31,000.

There is a Netflix show on the Blue Zones. You will find that they are rather isolated areas. They have no alternatives to tempt them away from their lifestyle and diet. It seems to be more than diet. They have certain lust for life and many are artistic types all the way through until they do die.

It seems to be more than diet

while I was preparing from my trip, one of the podcasts I listened to was about the Blue Zone. (can't find it now, and don't remember the name). It really wasn't that much about Sardinia. Anyways, the guest is a snout to tail diet person, and he was arguing that the diet was much more animal heavy then the Netflix show implied.

The podcaster did ask one of the people what the secret to long life was and she said "we are nice". So maybe it is more than diet.

The Blue Zone is in specific hilly/mountainous villages in the center east. There are many books and videos on this subject. And the general conclusion is that its a combination of diet (mostly vegetables and fruit, with very small amounts of meat, cheese, and wine), a sense of community, spirituality, and frequent exercise. Some of the towns mentioned are :

Arzana
Baunei
Fonni
Gavoi
Mamoiada
Oliena
Ollolai
Orgosolo
Ovodda
Talana
Tiana
Triei
Urzulei
Villagrande Strisaili

These are generally located south of Nuoro. Incidentally some of these places, were known for banditry and bloody feuds until the 1950's.

Also, you might google Sardinia and contaminated military sites. There are some other towns with a high level of cancer, usually near by weapons testing sites. There may be some radioactive areas too. There are some forbidden areas where fisherman can not fish.

Just like the Emerald Coast of Sardinia is the most expensive resort in Europe, but 90 minutes away, there are places you can buy homes for 1 eu.

So it's a land of contrasts.

I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what you are planning to see.

These are just small villages with long time residents going about their everyday life. They don't hold "Blue Zone" classes, or have "Blue Zone" tours. The restaurants, if there are any, don't have a 'Blue Zones" menu.

If anything, look at the "Blue Zones" around the world and realize It's more of a concept. They all have a few things in common: Real Food, lots of physical activity, great relationships, low stress and mostly, great genes. Remember, it's not Xanadu. Many people in these areas don't make it to 100.

My personal opinion is that these are places where people just want to lead their lives and not be overrun with tourists. Many of these villages are also dying out because younger people are leaving due to lack of work.

I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what you are planning to
see.

Exactly, Frank.

Look, a common thread among us I think is the desire to see 'the real...' whatever, whether it be Rome, Florence, Venice, Sicily...or in this case, Sardinia. And if the OP or whomever wants to search for that, more power to them.

I was fascinated by the the Netflix series and, yes, the location had something to do with it. But in my travels around Italy...and Switzerland...and Canada...and even the US to some extent, I've seen & observed little villages or even in urban neighborhoods, with enclaves or pockets of older folks in their 80's, 90's, towards the century mark where there is a strong sense of community, and little to no stress. Yes, good genes too.

Truth be told, I'm hoping to find a place like that myself, not just to check out, but to live at some point. Family ties are too strong right now in my late 60's to leave and 'hermitize' myself. But it's coming. I've got my eye on spots in both Italy & Canada to test the waters, so to speak, a week at a time, a month at a time. Where you can wake up in the morning, have gratitude just for that, stretch, walk, and look forward to having coffee with your buddies, maybe a game of cards. Where conversation is about nothing & everything.

Truth be told, I'm hoping to find a place like that myself, not just to check out, but to live at some point. .... I've got my eye on spots in both Italy & Canada to test the waters, so to speak, a week at a time, a month at a time. Where you can wake up in the morning, have gratitude just for that, stretch, walk, and look forward to having coffee with your buddies, maybe a game of cards. Where conversation is about nothing & everything.

I'm spending half of my time looking for a place like that. So far, if I stay in the US, I'm leaning towards northern New England. Otherwise, it's a place that's not too difficult to get a residential visa, isn't overrun with people trying to move there, and is welcoming to outsiders who don't want to change things.

But let me know when you find it.

You are not going to extend your life by moving to a Blue Zone village in Sardinia, or elsewhere in Italy, Greece, etc. Probably the opposite, because you won’t have the strong social network that is so important. Nor decent medical care.

A doctor friend of ours says the whole Blue Zone thing is hype. Sure, a good diet and social network are important, but good genes are even more so. And the age of some of those “centenarians” is questionable, due to missing or unreliable birth records, and out right fabrication. In other words people can benefit from upping their age a bit.

I think your question is what travel is all about, what makes a place special and can I as a traveler I witness and experience that for a moment. We spent three weeks in the "interior" of Sardinia this past spring, Sassari, Nuoro, Fonni, and Seulo. In the Barbaglia there are a quite number of home restaurants and all we tried were wonderful experiences. In Fonni we stayed in B&B S'Ispera with a home restaurant with an absolutely amazing host who cooked us marvelous meals. In Seulo we stayed in an Agritourismo outside of town, S'Armidda, a real working farm and owners whose families have spent many generations in Seulo. These towns are very proud of their "Blue Zone" status and are welcoming of travelers and are special places with special people.

Yes, Ann, I applaud you for searching out real, local places without fanfare, sifting through the BS & realizing that these little towns you visited are not an 'authentic' place/situation manufactured for tourists, like you see advertised in the big Italian cities. It requires flexibility to go with the flow and assimilate in others' environments, because this is their turf. Most important, it requires trust in your fellow man. I wonder if those locals know what an ex-pat is...

I've found a place similar in Canada, in a tiny fishing village in Prince Edward Island, where my grandmother grew up. Time has pretty much stood still for the last 75-100 years. Yes, there's Wi-Fi. But the sensibilities of locals harken back to 1900 and earlier, and although there are cars, trucks, SUVs...through storytelling--some in English, some in French-- by octogenarians & older even, tales of horse & buggy and root vegetable cellars abound. And the recipes have survived and still flourish.

It's wonderful to travel and visit places. Especially those off the beaten track.

But don't think you are going to extend your life by visiting a "Blue Zone." It doesn't work by osmosis.

The "Blue Zones" as well as the rest of Japan, France, Scandinavia and Nordic countries, just to name a few, do things that are different than in most of America. They all have higher life expectancy, lower heart disease, and lower obesity rates than the US. What do they have in common?

1) They eat real food. I recently listend to a BBC World Service podcast on Ultra High Processed foods. They claimed that 72% of the food eaten in the USA is UHP. These "healthier" places stick to a traditional diet that their ancestors ate for hundreds of years. They also eat a lot less sugar.

2) Portion sizes are smaller compared to the US. Why is it that so many Americans care more about the quantity of the food they are eating over the quality.

3) The eat slower. Eating slower means eating less.

4) They move more. They don't necessarily go to the gym, or wear a Fitbit, but are more active in their daily lives. (No automatic machine to vaccuum the house. They are Roomba free zones.)

5) There is a sense of community. Better interactions between family and friends. Today, so many people tend to connect via texting and What's App than actually sitting down with someone.

6) Less stress. The people living in the countries I mentioned seem to have a better work life balance. They are not constantly yelled at by the media or politicians. They are, mostly, happier.

7) Genetics. Those living to be 100+, probably were born with good genes to help them along. After all, there are many people who live like the centenarians but don't live to be 100.

So, yes, go visit these places. But I doubt you'll notice any lifestyle difference than any smaller town anywhere in much or Europe where people are living in a traditional way.

Thank you for all the thoughtful responses and discussion.

in the first chapter of Malcolm Gladwell‘s book “Outliers” he talks about the community in Pennsylvania. We’re almost nobody got heart, disease or cancer, and we were studied extensively to figure out what is giving these people such great health. turns out that nearly everyone in that town had come from a certain town in Italy and had preserved their relationships. Genetic testing revealed nothing. As soon as people moved out of the town, they got the usual elements that people all over the US.

Was not except the advice of any random doctor on matters of nutrition and longevity. That’s not what they’re trained in. The people who know the most about the subject are professors who study it. For example Valter Longo of USC’s longevity center. That being said there are a number of YouTube pendants who are questioning the Blue Zone causes are valid.

I saw one video of a couple driving to Seulo and it seems that they had a big sign just outside the city proclaiming it as a blue zone so at least some aspect of tourism involved. That young couple hung out with the locals for a day or two and see a lot of very nice experiences with people buying them drains soon talking about their lifestyle. And these are not professional TV interviews they were just a young couple who were friendly.

it seems very charming to go to one of those advert modes and experience a slice of the life to try to absorb as much as possible to inspire a different outlook on life.

As for an American Brit or Australian, just moving to Italy, it doesn’t seem to be an easy option. Particularly if you look at their tax code, which soars up to 42% for senior citizens. They have a special visa but it’s not particularly reasonable.

They were probably 20 years or 30 years worth of TV specials on the subject. They’re also numerous books and even a blue zone cookbook. It might be the inspiration for the Mediterranean diet.

The interesting thing about science (theory) is that much of what we believe today will be proved wrong in a few years.

Remember how for years we were told that butter was bad and margarine was good. Turns out, the margarine had trans fats which were actually worse for us than saturated fat.

The Mediterranean Diet was first studied by Ancel Keys in the early 1950's. (It's been around for hundreds of years.) A book about it was published in 1980. The first mention of Blue Zones was in 2004 and has yet to be proven scienifically.

I've read a lot about Blue Zones. It seems to me it's more about the continual search for the "Fountain of Youth" than about any magical panacea.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't visit. If you really want to go, go. If you think it's a magical place, then go and absorb.

I think there is something to be said for traveling to be inspired, and exposed to how others live. Travel is not just the time in country but the memories you retain indefinitely.

Yes there is one theory about diet that the greater the level of processing the worse it is. And yes many in US and UK eat highly processed foods and suffer obesity and dangerous maladies. But we don’t see people in the Amazonian jungles or Australian bush living long lives.

The blue zone theory does disagree with recent studies that indicate that both meat and wine are not healthy. I wonder if many of the benefits are from not living in a city and not using a computer and not worry or thinking too much.

Whenever I see a "scientific study," there are three questions I ask:

1) Who conducted it?

2) Do any of the investigators have professional affiliations with any industry or organization associated with the study? And will those associations benefit from the study?

3) Who paid for it?

Scientific studies can be manipulated depending on how the questions are asked.

As an example, many "meat" studies not only include plain "meat" but also processed items such as bacon and sausage. How are we to know if it's the meat or the meat products that are causing the problems? We're not. And that's the whole idea of the study.

Of course. That’s why studies are replicated and conducted in multiple ways, from multiple renowned universities around the world, and later there are meta studies which amalgamate them. For years they said wine was beneficial. There were probably some wine industry funded studies to support this. Even doctors were saying this. It turns out the studies did not separate non drinkers from those who stopped drinking. The current state of knowledge is that no level of drinking is healthy because of the cancer risk. These mysteries are hard to unravel because you can’t put 1,000 humans in a cage for 80 years and experiment on them. Some years ago they proposed that a compound called rsveratol from grapes rendered same benefits without drinking. But that has been thoroughly debunked. But even now this is still being peddled.

Great thread, all.

Buddy of mine's parents are from Kalamata, Greece, actually a little hovel of a village near there. And he's gone to visit for a week or two last couple of summers in a row. Hot & sunny, every day. They sit with their buddies most of the day playing 'tevli' (backgammon), and sip homemade ouzo until late at night. And sleep til 10 the next morning. Yes, it's the so-called Mediterranean diet--cheese, olives, fish, greens...but with a fair amount of sausages (orange-flecked loukaniko...mmm), cured meats, and wine. Many of them smoke unfiltered cigarettes. They do get their exercise because the village is on the side of a mountain. And he marveled at how many octo & nonagenarians there were, minds still sharp as a tack.

Which leads me to believe that stress and access to computers/smartphones are insidious negative factors in longevity, but that doesn't make a good story, does it? I did really like The Blue Zone show, however, really well shot even if a fair amount of it was bullroar.

Most of the civilized world has universal healthcare and Italy seems to have a good system. In fact I have made use of it a few times and it was affordable for a tourist too. But if you had a health incident up in those remote hilly villages I don’t think you’ll be in an ICU for some hours.

There is one particular healthy region of Sardinia. However there are some bad areas too - which were used by NATO for decades as bomb sites. There are tv specials about people 30 years old dying of lung cancer despite never smoking.

For health advice there are many sources and contradictory claims. Even one famous Harvard professor is suspected of spreading nonsense. I think the most reliable general source is Dr Greger’s channels because he claims his staff read every medical journal all over the world, he takes no advertising, and all proceeds go to charity.

Dan Beutner, the person who coined the phrase "Blue Zone," says the original Blue Zones are disappearing due to Americanization and Mechanization. The younger inhabitants of these areas are not following the same eating and lifestyle rules of their elders.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/27/singapore-has-engineered-a-society-that-lives-to-100-heres-how.html

It seems that last week Dr. Saul Newman just won the Ig Noble award for debunking the Blue Zones. As mentioned above the official record keeping in these zones are rather dubious.

The lg Noble awards are not what you think they are.

https://improbable.com/ig/about-the-ig-nobel-prizes/?amp=1