The small towns baffling doctors with their lack of disease: Experts reveal the foods that could be responsible - and the modern diet they ALL reject

The subject of longevity is becoming large concern - and it's not conscionable eccentric billionaires promising to assistance you unrecorded amended for longer.

It seems each different quality product, fittingness programme oregon cookbook these days comes with bold promises to crook backmost the clock.

And with an ageing population, the request has ne'er been greater for products and strategies that stave disconnected the communal wellness problems associated with aged age.

But possibly the answers to our questions astir longevity person been staring america successful the look the full time.

For decades, scientists person been fascinated by the truthful called Blue Zones astir the satellite that are location to the top fig of centenarians, including Ikaria successful Greece and Sardinia successful Italy.

Blue Zones are geographic areas known for having older populations who are remarkably healthy, mobile and escaped of chronic disease. In caller years, immoderate of the European Blue Zones person been dubbed 'the islands wherever radical hide to die'.

Crucially, probe shows these regions person immoderate of the world's lowest rates of Alzheimer's and dementia - and 20 per cent little cancer. 

Longevity adept Marcus Pearce has visited these tiny European towns and hosted radical tours determination since 2016 to amended recognize their unsocial mode of life.

So, what's the secret? Well, it could beryllium walnuts, amaranth leaves oregon samphire. But Pearce says 2 things are certain: nary 1 is vegan and they're each socially active.

'What hits you instantly successful these locations is you consciousness similar you're going backmost successful time,' Pearce, who lives adjacent Byron Bay, tells me.

'The elders are physically and socially active, they're often gardening, moving astir the house, cooking, relaxing with friends with a java oregon wine.'

Interestingly, galore are societal smokers, which evidently isn't healthy, but possibly the societal facet of a smoko whitethorn lend to their wide wellbeing. 

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia, 1 of the 5 halfway 'Blue Zones', breaks a cardinal ageing stereotype by having an adjacent fig of antheral and pistillate centenarians, which contrasts with planetary trends wherever 5 pistillate centenarians beryllium for each 1 antheral centenarian.

The Sardinian fare mostly consists of steadfast wholegrains, beans, plot vegetables, fruits and olive oils, but locals besides incorporated 'wild greens' into their diet.

We're not talking spinach oregon lettuce here, but alternatively a unsocial works known arsenic amaranth.

Clinical nutritionist Lee Holmes says the leaves, which are staples successful soups, stews and salads, are a large root of calcium, magnesium and potassium, arsenic good arsenic vitamin K, each of which are indispensable for bony wellness and musculus function. 

Seulo, Italy 

Seulo is simply a tiny municipality successful the centre of Sardinia, with a colonisation of less than 1,000.

While residents typically travel the aforementioned Sardinian diet, they adhd an other peculiar constituent that mightiness conscionable beryllium the cardinal to their longevity.

'When locals couldn't easy entree carnal protein, they decided to works much than 400 walnut trees successful nationalist spaces,' Pearce explains.

Holmes says walnuts, often described arsenic a 'brain food', person galore wellness benefits.

'The omega-3s and antioxidants successful walnuts assistance little cholesterin and trim inflammation to assistance alteration bosom illness risk, portion their vitamin E and polyphenols enactment cognitive relation and whitethorn support against neurodegenerative disease,' she tells me.

They are besides known to enactment beneficial gut bacteria, which is linked to improved immunity and reduced inflammation.

As good arsenic snacking connected walnuts, Seulo locals often incorporated them into meals specified arsenic salads oregon erstwhile baking biscuits and cakes.

Ikaria, Greece

One of the astir striking things astir beingness connected the Greek land of Ikaria is its unhurried pace, wherever days unfold dilatory and meals are built astir fresh, seasonal ingredients - a manner that's been linked to the islanders' singular longevity.

'In Ikaria, they're truly large astatine surviving successful the contiguous moment. They're ne'er successful a rush. It makes you realise however accelerated we tally our lives successful Australia,' says Pearce. 

When it comes to their healthy, caller meals, helium has noticed in the past decennary the prevalence of samphire, besides known arsenic 'sea asparagus', successful locals' diets. 

The plant, described by Pearce arsenic 'salty, crunchy and delicious', grows by the formation and is affluent in potassium and magnesium.

'It stands retired for its sea-derived antioxidants, specified arsenic fucoidans, and is simply a notable root of calcium, supporting bony strength,' adds Holmes.

Studies besides amusement it tin heighten antioxidant capacity, support the liver and kidneys, and perchance assistance modulate humor unit and metabolic health.

'These properties marque samphire a unique, mineral-rich summation to a balanced diet,' she adds. 

Live a slower life, but stay active

It's not conscionable the nutrient that contributes to surviving longer; it's the mode of life.

'Living slower not lone slows down your bosom complaint but it reduces humor pressure, lowers cortisol and improves your accent levels. All of a abrupt you're successful amended health,' says Pearce. 

Strong household connections are profoundly embedded successful the civilization successful some Italy and Greece; multi-generational households are common, arsenic is surviving adjacent to household members.

'Most of america absorption connected diets and workout regimes. This isn't the lawsuit for the Blue Zones. They're conscionable slowing down. They'd inquire the mean Australian, "Why are you rushing done life? Sit down, relax, person a cupful of java oregon solid of wine." 

'In Ikaria, they would say, "Why thrust erstwhile you tin walk?'"'

Other drastic differences are the deficiency of modern convenience stores and takeaway restaurants. You privation spot a McDonald's oregon KFC connected either of these islands.

And while Aussies thin to absorption connected strict workout routines and structured gym workouts, elders successful the Blue Zones don't enactment excessively overmuch unit connected themselves.

They stay progressive successful different ways, specified arsenic tending to their garden, going for walks oregon doing chores.

'Often you'll spot men and women successful their 80s, 90s and adjacent older than 100 connected the dancefloor getting raucous applause,' Pearce says.

'Age is celebrated - but successful Australia it's each astir anti-ageing and property is seen arsenic a antagonistic thing. Over successful Ikaria and Sardinia, they person nary thought that conception exists.'

Spend a time with the elders of Sardinia oregon Ikaria and you'll spot the blueprint for a long, joyful beingness - greeting walks done the hills, laughter implicit agelong lunches, and a heavy consciousness of intent that doesn't slice with age