Eternal Life? The secrets of the centenarians | DW Documentary

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In the villages on Sardinia's east coast, people live longer than almost anywhere else in the world. But why? Is it due to nutrition? The good weather? Or genetics? Scientists around the world are attempting to solve the mystery.

91-year-old Antonangelo leads a busy life. Every morning, he goes to milk his flock of sheep and later, turns that milk into cheese. "Work is my life, if I stop, I'll die,” says Antonangelo. Like many Sardinians in the mountain regions, he and his wife eat almost exclusively local produce. Their recipes for a long life are exercise and healthy food.

Giuseppino is already 100 years old and still manages most of the steep paths in his home village of Villagrande on foot. Is the strenuous hillside location the secret of his longevity? Giuseppino's family takes care of him, but he still lives alone in his flat and is bursting with energy. For him, a positive attitude and a sense of humor are key to a long life.

Despite a good deal of research, the secrets of the Blue Zones still haven’t been fully explained. But one study from the region does concludes that genetics play an important role in the first half of life. For 91-year-old Carolina, it’s clear that an intact family is a prerequisite for a long life. She has no intention of going into an old people's home. For her, the most important thing is for a mother to grow old with her children. And traditional food preparation is still one of her favorite pastimes.

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