Michael Morelli Profile picture
Functional Medicine meets Precision Fitness. | Author “Sweet Potato Diet” | 50 Fittest Men 2016 | Bitcoin Maxi | F*ck Aging | Test, Don’t Guess.

May 28, 2024, 17 tweets

The #1 spot in the entire world where people live to 100 years old:

Sardinia, Italy.

I wanted to find out what Sardinians are doing that other places aren’t…

Here are the 5 key things I found:

(Actions you can steal)

Sardinia is a small island in Italy.

It’s one of the 5 “Blue zones” in the world (spots where people live the longest).

There’s almost 10x per capita the amount of centenarians in Sardinia compared to the US.

After some research on their lifestyle there…

Here’s what I found:

5. What they’re eating.

The Sardinian diet is based on eating foods that are:

• Locally grown
• Natural & organic
• Simple ingredients

Which is helping them avoid a lot of food-induced diseases like obesity, cancer & diabetes.

Here are some of the foods they eat the most:

• Pasta
• Breads
• Cheese
• Greens (asparagus, celery)
• Meats (Suckling pigs, lamb)

All of these are local foods that are either grown in their gardens, made from scratch or bought from local farmers.

Their diet is high in carbohydrates which have been labelled “unhealthy” in America.

But that doesn’t seem to make them overweight or unhealthy like it does Americans…

Which brings me to point #2:

4. What they’re not eating.

I fully believe this is more important than what they are eating.

Compared to the average American diet:

• Processed
• High in sugar
• Filled with preservatives

Sardinians are doing the opposite.

As I said before, they’re eating foods that are:

• Locally grown
• Natural & organic
• Simple ingredients

This is definitely something Americans can learn from:

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
• Grow your own vegetables (if possible)
• Avoid processed foods
• Cook from scratch
• Buy local

3. Active lifestyle.

This is a big reason why Sardinians can get away with eating high-carb diets & not gain weight.

They’re incredibly active.

Especially the people who are 65+.

You won’t find them sitting in nursing homes watching TV all day…

You’ll find them:

• Walking to the market
• Outside tending to their garden
• Enjoying family walks around the island

This + the fact they rarely drive & instead walk everywhere…

Makes them stay super active.

The research is clear on the effects of a sedentary lifestyle:

It’s shown to increase risks:

• Obesity
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Heart attacks
• Cardiovascular disease

& a ton of other health issues.

That’s a big reason Sardinians are living to 100+...

Because they’re avoiding the illnesses that are killing Americans.

2. Wine.

Another amazing thing about Sardinia…

Even the wine has great benefits.

It’s called “Cannonau Wine”

They make it from the grenache grapes that are grown in the local vineyard.

& it has 3x the antioxidants of the average red wine.

So instead of drinking:

• High-calorie beers
• Sugary mixed drinks
• High-sugar white wine

They opt for a healthier red wine.

They also sell & export their Cannonau wine, so if you want to drink it yourself…

You can.

1. Priorities.

One of the main differences between Sardinia & America?

Completely different lifestyles & priorities.

Instead of living a lifestyle full of:

• Work
• Stress
• Go-Go-Go

Sardinian's prioritize:

• Family
• Positivity
• Community

They spend the majority of their time with family, socializing within the community & pursuing hobbies.

Money doesn’t drive them, so they’re not stressed about it.

Instead, they prioritize time, family & community.

& this has a huge impact

On their health.

Because stress is one of the main killers in America.

Here’s a quick video I did on the science behind that:

& those are the main things I found.

If there's anything I missed...

Let me know below:

If you enjoyed this breakdown & want more longevity or health tips like this...

Follow me @morellifit for a lot more of these.

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